C
cherry15
Guest
Many who have been on Atkins (low carb) or a Vlcd, will know this term (state) well. Infact i have read many blogs and posts celebrating being in Ketosis. Alittle about ketosis.
When the body is starved of glucose, the body turns to fats, so during prolonged fasting, most tissues use fatty acids as fuel, but some cannot. Brain cells in particular, cannot get their energy needs from fatty acids. They can however burn some of the intermediate breakdown products of fatty acids that the liver releases into the bloodstream when it burns fats. These molecules, called Ketone bodies become inportant during starvation, when they build up to sufficient levels in the blood for the brain to take them in and use them as an alternative energy source - a situation called Ketosis. Remeber that highly specialized cells of the brain prefer to run on glucose, the simplest fuel. but an important fact of human nutrition is that, although our bodies can easily turn glucose to fat, they cannot turn fat into glucose. This basic biochemical limitation has profound implications for proplr who are staving and for those who restrict or eliminate intake of carbohydrates. Physicians have noted that people experiencing ketosis, when the brain is denied a source of glucose and is forced to burn ketone bodies often report feelings of wellbeing and the absence of hunger. Dr Atkins and his imitators suggest that the same situation obtains on their low carbohydrates diets, that people following them go into ketosis and experience decreased hunger and increased mental and physical emergy as a result. It is not clear that this is the case, because the popular low carbohydrate diets are very high in protein, the body can make glucose from protein when it is deprived of its usual sources. During starvation the brains demand for glucose causes the body to sacrifice its own muscle tissue in order to support 'gluconeogenisis' (greek for 'creating glucose from stratch), so that weightloss weightloss thru starvation represents not only the metoabolism of stored fat but also loss of lean body mass. The possibility that this may happen on low carbohydrate diets is cause for concern, even if people on these diets are eating alot of protein, the absense of dietary carbohydrate may still encourage the body to turn to its own muscle tissue as a source of amino acids for gluconeogenesis to feed the brain.
exerpt taken from book 'eating well for optimum health' by Dr Andrew Weil.
Obviously not is known conclusively about the longterm affects of being in ketosis will have, but in future years as the trend for high protein and low/no carbs diets....... we will soon find out. I think more tests need to happen before people are told that something is very safe when it is not. Obviously i know this discussion will open manny views and possibly bad reaction but i dont think there has been anyone posting any threads which are concerned enough about this or raises any questions about ketosis, and many people are told it is SAFE when noone is really sure at all, not even experts? so before you all 'shoot me down' with words ask yourself one question........... Are you sure enough that Ketosis is completely safe???
When the body is starved of glucose, the body turns to fats, so during prolonged fasting, most tissues use fatty acids as fuel, but some cannot. Brain cells in particular, cannot get their energy needs from fatty acids. They can however burn some of the intermediate breakdown products of fatty acids that the liver releases into the bloodstream when it burns fats. These molecules, called Ketone bodies become inportant during starvation, when they build up to sufficient levels in the blood for the brain to take them in and use them as an alternative energy source - a situation called Ketosis. Remeber that highly specialized cells of the brain prefer to run on glucose, the simplest fuel. but an important fact of human nutrition is that, although our bodies can easily turn glucose to fat, they cannot turn fat into glucose. This basic biochemical limitation has profound implications for proplr who are staving and for those who restrict or eliminate intake of carbohydrates. Physicians have noted that people experiencing ketosis, when the brain is denied a source of glucose and is forced to burn ketone bodies often report feelings of wellbeing and the absence of hunger. Dr Atkins and his imitators suggest that the same situation obtains on their low carbohydrates diets, that people following them go into ketosis and experience decreased hunger and increased mental and physical emergy as a result. It is not clear that this is the case, because the popular low carbohydrate diets are very high in protein, the body can make glucose from protein when it is deprived of its usual sources. During starvation the brains demand for glucose causes the body to sacrifice its own muscle tissue in order to support 'gluconeogenisis' (greek for 'creating glucose from stratch), so that weightloss weightloss thru starvation represents not only the metoabolism of stored fat but also loss of lean body mass. The possibility that this may happen on low carbohydrate diets is cause for concern, even if people on these diets are eating alot of protein, the absense of dietary carbohydrate may still encourage the body to turn to its own muscle tissue as a source of amino acids for gluconeogenesis to feed the brain.
exerpt taken from book 'eating well for optimum health' by Dr Andrew Weil.
Obviously not is known conclusively about the longterm affects of being in ketosis will have, but in future years as the trend for high protein and low/no carbs diets....... we will soon find out. I think more tests need to happen before people are told that something is very safe when it is not. Obviously i know this discussion will open manny views and possibly bad reaction but i dont think there has been anyone posting any threads which are concerned enough about this or raises any questions about ketosis, and many people are told it is SAFE when noone is really sure at all, not even experts? so before you all 'shoot me down' with words ask yourself one question........... Are you sure enough that Ketosis is completely safe???