Ketosis
Ketosis
Ketosis is a state in which your liver breaks down body fat for fuel, the byproduct of which is ketones. There are 3 types of ketone bodies: acetone, acetoacetate, and beta-hydroxybuterate acid. When we first go into ketosis, we spill the ketone acetoacetate( pee stick ketone). First, a portion gets spontaneously converted into the ketones acetone( breath ketone) and enzymatically converted into beta-hydroxybuterate( the ketone that your brain primarily uses for energy). Part of fat adaptation is to become better at making beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase( the enezyme). Many people complain of bad breath and B. O. This is totally normal. It’ s from acetone. It goes away after a while.
Most of your body’ s cells can use these ketones for energy directly, just as well or better than they use glucose. There are a few types of cells that require glucose, however. These include red blood cells, cells in your eyes, and parts of your brain. The good news: your liver has this built in glucose generator that produces glucose from protein. The process is called gluconeogenesis( gluco = sugar, neo = new, genesis = create). Your liver creates new sugar, just enough for those vital cells to use. This isn’ t a magic trick. It is, indeed, how our bodies have survived without carbs for literally thousands of years.
Ketoadcidosis
The biggest fear health care professionals have about ketosis is the risk of it going too far, into a state of ketoacidosis. This happens when your ketone level goes too high, turning your blood dangerously acidic. Type 1 diabetics run this risk. However, if you have a working pancreas( and most of us do), you do not run the risk of going into this dangerous state. Again, type 1 diabetics run this risk. If you are a type 1 diabetic, you definitely should not adapt a ketogenic diet without the support of your health care professional. If you are a type-2 diabetic not taking insulin – or have pre-diabetes, or even just metabolic syndrome, you are safe. This chart shows optimum levels of ketones.
Pee Strips?
Many people think they need to test their ketones with pee strips. The fact is, pee strips only test for acetoacetate. Also, pee strips only measure ketones wasted. In fact, as you become more fat adapted, the strips get lighter, because your body is using more ketones and spilling less. It is much more accurate to use a breath meter like the Ketonix product, or a blood ketone tester like the Freestyle Precision Neo glucometer.
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