Why Is Ketosis Dangerous For Diabetics?
Ketosis is merely the process of converting fat into energy by the breaking down of ketoacids. People on weight reducing diets tend to have small amounts of ketones released as the body requires more energy than is consumed as food and turns to stored fat (and other body tissues) to convert to glucose. However, Diabetic Ketoacidosis is a very serious metabolic disorder that can cause death. Insulin usually allows cells to take in energy (glucose) from blood and the cells "consume" it. When there is no insulin or not enough insulin there is a build up of glucose in the blood. However, the cells are unable to use it without insulin to unlock the cell. As the cells aren't being supplied with energy the body goes to fat stores to break up ketoacids to release energy. This glucose goes into the blood which is already full of glucose that can't be used. The ketones released in high numbers cause the blood to change it's PH to more acid and this is very dangerous. In addition the cycle of putting more and more sugar in the blood thickens it making it more difficult to move it through small blood vessels. It can be difficult to treat and always requires hospital admission. This is usually an issue for Type 1 diabetics but a similar disorder can also affect type 2's as well. The ketones are acidic. Because so many ketones are required to replace the neutral and unusable (in ketotic diabetics) glucose molecules, the body pH shifts dangerously, causing many systems to malfunction. pH is used by the body to regulate the flow of dissolved ions, and when it goes wonky, muscles and nerves misfire. The other problem with ketosis is the unused glucose. Without insulin, the glucose in the bloodstream can't be absorbed into tissues and used, so it hangs around and builds to very high leve Continue reading >>
What Are The Dangers Of Placing The Body On Constant Ketosis?
As you might know, ketosis is the process of breaking down stored fat for energy when glucose and glycogen are too low. This is a good weight loss process when done occasionally but too much of something is never good. The biochemistry behind it: During ketosis, fatty acid chains are broken down in the liver in to ketone bodies. These ketone bodies are carried through the blood stream in order to reach surrounding tissues in need of energy. Once they reach a cell, they’re converted in to acetyl CoA so that they can go through the citric acid cycle to produce energy in the mitochondria. The problem with too much of it: When someone’s body is under constant ketosis, the concentration of ketone bodies in their blood stream becomes too high. Ketone bodies like acetoacetic acid and R-beta-hydroxybutyric acid are acidic. High concentrations of those in your bloodstream will make your blood acidic, which leads to acidosis. This can lead to a number of symptoms which I invite you to look up, none of them are good and it should be treated as soon as possible. One of those symptoms is a characteristic fruity acetone breath. Constant ketosis happens to people with untreated type 1 diabetes. In their case, it can lead to death if left untreated. Continue reading >>
How Long Can You Eat Ketogenic? Isn't It Dangerous In The Long-term?
1) Is Keto diet dangerous for the liver, the kidneys, the heart? Especially the way the body has to work to turn fats into glyco for the body. Is it harmful in anyway? There’s no evidence to suggest that it is harmful to any of the organs you mention. There is no evidence to suggest that it is harmful to you in any way, really. There is a lot more evidence that a Low Fat diet it much more harmful in almost every way. It’s actually VERY normal for the human body to spend generating most of its glycogen from fat (ie, being in the “Fat burning zone” of cardio). Insulin tells your cells to take up glucose and store it - for fat cells that means turning it into fat - which is then later turned back into glycogen once the blood glucose levels drop. 2) Is it a diet I can stay on, on a lifelong basis? Because I don’t want to gain all my weight back in the end, I want to continue my sports sessions and I want to be in good health. Is keto diet compatible with that? And yes, it’s very compatible with that. You can find evidence of powerlifters, cyclists, and everything in between thriving on a ketogenic diet. Until you get adapted it can be pretty tough (maybe a month or two), but once you are, you will not notice adverse effects. I will tell you though, it it challenging to do mostly because it seems EVERYTHING in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD except what you cook at home or Chipotle is just full of carbs - so I always feel like I’m fighting a battle against the world to maintain the diet when I am in any situation that is outside my “normal” routine. Continue reading >>
The Keto Diet Is Gaining Popularity, But Is It Safe?
A new twist on extreme weight loss is catching on in some parts of the United States. It’s called the "keto diet." People promoting the diet say it uses the body’s own fat burning system to help people lose significant weight in as little as 10 days. It has also been known to help moderate the symptoms of children with epilepsy, although experts are not quite sure why it works. Proponents say the diet can produce quick weight loss and provide a person with more energy. However, critics say the diet is an unhealthy way to lose weight and in some instances it can be downright dangerous. Read More: What is the “Caveman Diet?” » What Is Ketosis? The “keto” diet is any extremely low- or no-carbohydrate diet that forces the body into a state of ketosis. Ketosis occurs when people eat a low- or no-carb diet and molecules called ketones build up in their bloodstream. Low carbohydrate levels cause blood sugar levels to drop and the body begins breaking down fat to use as energy. Ketosis is actually a mild form of ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis mostly affects people with type 1 diabetes. In fact, it is the leading cause of death of people with diabetes who are under 24 years of age. However, many experts say ketosis itself is not necessarily harmful. Some studies, in fact, suggest that a ketogenic diet is safe for significantly overweight or obese people. However, other clinical reviews point out that patients on low-carbohydrate diets regain some of their lost weight within a year. Where It’s Helpful The keto diet was created by Dr. Gianfranco Cappello, an associate professor of surgery at the Sapienza University in Rome, Italy. He claims great success among thousands of users. In his study, more than 19,000 dieters experienced significant, rapid weight loss, few side Continue reading >>
Is It Really Possible To Lose 4lbs Of Fat Per Week When On A Very Low Calorie Diet & In Ketosis?
It depends on how fat you are to begin with. If your BMI is 30+ then that should be easy. I can lose 1kg per day consistently when fasting. The body is in ketosis when fasting. and if your low calorie diet is just fat (with some BCAAs to reduce any kind of muscle loss) then you 4lbs isnt a problem. Just make sure to drink a lot of water and put some salt in it to combat dehydration. But whether in ketosis from only eating fat or from fasting your brain feels very clear. You will pee frequently because burnt fat is converted into water. other then that, remember fibre and fermentables. the hunger subsides. but later it is replaced by day dreaming of food. But it important to persist until your belly is gone. if you have a belly then you have insulin sensitivity and you will just get fat again once you stop the ketosis. stick to it and when your belly is gone and then so will be your insulin sensitivity. Then go to some sort of intermittent fasting program to maintain. i recommend the either skip breakfast approach or the full day fast every monday So stay in ketosis until you are belly free. because being fat has worse health problems then loosing weight to quickly. just remember: water, BCAAs and fibre. Tip: if you like sugar in your coffee, then use Lactulose. Just not much or brown disaster. here are some keto recipes New Keto Diet Meal Plan - Diet Doctor Continue reading >>
What Is Ketosis?
"Ketosis" is a word you'll probably see when you're looking for information on diabetes or weight loss. Is it a good thing or a bad thing? That depends. Ketosis is a normal metabolic process, something your body does to keep working. When it doesn't have enough carbohydrates from food for your cells to burn for energy, it burns fat instead. As part of this process, it makes ketones. If you're healthy and eating a balanced diet, your body controls how much fat it burns, and you don't normally make or use ketones. But when you cut way back on your calories or carbs, your body will switch to ketosis for energy. It can also happen after exercising for a long time and during pregnancy. For people with uncontrolled diabetes, ketosis is a sign of not using enough insulin. Ketosis can become dangerous when ketones build up. High levels lead to dehydration and change the chemical balance of your blood. Ketosis is a popular weight loss strategy. Low-carb eating plans include the first part of the Atkins diet and the Paleo diet, which stress proteins for fueling your body. In addition to helping you burn fat, ketosis can make you feel less hungry. It also helps you maintain muscle. For healthy people who don't have diabetes and aren't pregnant, ketosis usually kicks in after 3 or 4 days of eating less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day. That's about 3 slices of bread, a cup of low-fat fruit yogurt, or two small bananas. You can start ketosis by fasting, too. Doctors may put children who have epilepsy on a ketogenic diet, a special high-fat, very low-carb and protein plan, because it might help prevent seizures. Adults with epilepsy sometimes eat modified Atkins diets. Some research suggests that ketogenic diets might help lower your risk of heart disease. Other studies show sp Continue reading >>
What Are The Dangers Of The Ketosis Diet?
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the "Atkins" and low carb dieting thing was just coming on in a big way, there was a terrific number of idiotic claims made about the dangers of it -- many of them confusing (as the questioner points out) diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition, with voluntary nutritional ketosis, even though there is no relation whatever. But, leaving all that aside, some caution is in order. The diet seems to stress the adrenals. This has been noted anecdotally by many people who've followed the diet. It was also noted by Dr Wolfgang Lutz, one of the early pioneers of the diet, who personally practiced the diet for 40-odd years, as well as advocated the diet to thousands of his patients. He noted in his book on the subject ("Life Without Bread" was the title, though it was published later I believe under a different title) that some patients would suffer mild autoimmune reactions that required small doses of corticosteroids to control. This sounds like what would happen if the adrenals are failing to produce a normal amount of steroids. You can find a lot more of a mostly-anecdotal nature by searching for "ketogenic jaminet". Paul Jaminet is a popular health blogger who has written about what he perceives to be problems with the ketogenic diet, including the possibility of deficiency of mucus and other key glycoproteins. He has some scientific backing for what he is saying, but it is far from air-tight. Read and judge for yourself. You can also learn a lot from the comments below his posts. Jaminet and others have also written about the risk of kidney stones on the ketogenic diet, and this is a serious concern, albeit a rare occurence. As far as the kidney stress goes: this would I believe be easy to avert simply by taking some alkali during Continue reading >>
What Is A Ketogenic Diet?
Alright, here’s what the ketogenic diet (often referred to as “keto”) is and the basics of how to follow it. What is the ketogenic diet? For those who don’t know the ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high fat diet (LCHF) with many health benefits. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake, and replacing it with fat. The reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. When this happens, your body becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy. It also turns fat into ketones in the liver, which can supply energy for the brain. Benefits: Ketogenic diets generally cause massive reductions in blood sugar and insulin levels. This, along with the increased level of ketones provide the numerous cited health benefits. Ketogenic benefits include: Fighting diabetes Epilepsy control Alzheimer’s disease Certain cancers Cognitive performance High blood pressure control Satiety Weight/fat loss Reduced cholesterol levels The most obvious and commonly cited benefits is the decreased insulin levels. This is why fasting becomes a great solution to people’s type 2 diabetes, cushing’s disease and many other metabolic diseases. Fasting as well as the ketogenic diet increases insulin sensitivity, improves insulin resistance and allows your body to use the hormone insulin more effectively (which is important for fat loss). There are also four different classifications of the ketogenic diet. The standard ketogenic diet is accepted as reducing your carbohydrates intake to 5% carbs, with just enough protein (20%, let’s say) and the rest coming from fats. Inflammation is the root cause of so many of our ailments, which lower insulin levels decrease. Energy use: The basic principle around ketogenic diets is that our bodies first port of call f Continue reading >>
How Common Is It For Those On Keto Diets To Go Into Hypoglycemic Ketosis?
As long as you do not have type 1 diabetes, and you are not on hypoglycemic medications, then it is exceedingly rare to have clinically important hypoglycemia. What is interesting is that your blood sugar can and likely will decrease when you are in ketosis. But your body will not react the same way as when you are not in ketosis. The difference, of course, is the presence of ketones in your body. The danger of hypoglycemia is that your body lacks sufficient immediate energy to fuel your brain and your vital organ functions, But when you have adequate level of ketones in your body, those functions are taken care of. Therefore, it matters much less that your glucose levels are lower. In fact, that is part of the benefit of ketosis- lower insulin levels and lower glucose levels. Continue reading >>
