Ketones are substances your body produces when itburnsfatsfor fuel instead of burning glucose. The fats get broken down into fatty acids, which then turn into ketones. This usually occurs when people are ill or fasting.
If you havediabetes, a high level of ketones in your body can lead to a serious condition called diabeticketoacidosis(DKA).
However, if you are on a ketogenic (keto)dietbecause you’re trying tolose weight, ketones help provide your body with energy. During the initial days when your body is getting used to burning fats instead of sugars, you may experience unpleasant side effects often referred to as “ketoflu.”
What is a ketogenic diet?
Aketogenic dietis primarily used forweight losswhere you eat more fats and fewer carbs. Carb intake is typically restricted to 50 grams a day to as little as 20 grams a day, requiring you to eliminate such things as grains, candy, pastries, potatoes and sugary softdrinksfrom yourdiet. The goal is to shed pounds quickly by depleting the body of glycogen and water.
In the long term, aketo dietsuppresses appetite, which leads you to consume fewer calories and thus maintain your desired weight.
Potential cons of a keto diet are:
- Constipation, which comes with a lowfiber, high-fat diet.
- Stresson the kidneys andliver.
- Keto flu
- Being prone to nutritional deficiencies
What is ketosis?
Eating a keto diet is usually done with the aim of encouraging your body to reach ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic state that occurs when your body doesn’t have enough sugars toburnfor energy so itburnsfats instead.
When eating an extremely low-carb diet, yourinsulinlevels go down. This causes the release of fatty acids into your bloodstream. Many of these fatty acids are transported into your liver where they are converted into ketones as a source of energy. This leads to a high concentration of ketones in your blood.
Glucose is also the main source of energy for your brain. So when you follow a low-carb diet, a larger portion of your brain will use ketones for energy as well.
Although ketosis is most often associated with ketogenic diets, it can also occur with:
- Pregnancy
- Infancy
- Fasting
- Starvation
What is the difference between ketosis and ketoacidosis?
There is a big difference between ketosis and ketoacidosis:
- Ketosis is a natural metabolic state and is generally harmless.
- Ketoacidosis is a life-threatening metabolic condition that needs immediate medical attention.
While high levels of ketones should be fine if it's due to your keto diet, it’s not good if it’s due to ketoacidosis. In diabetic ketoacidosis, high levels of ketones cause blood to become highly acidic, which can be very dangerous.
What causes ketoacidosis?
Ketoacidosis is typically seen in people withdiabetes, particularly uncontrolled type Idiabetes. Diabetic ketoacidosis can occur when someone with diabetes:
- Misses an insulin dose
- Works out intensely while having high ketone levels andhigh blood sugarlevels
- Suffers from an infection like the flu
- Abusesalcohol
QUESTION
Weight loss occurs in the belly before anywhere else.See AnswerMayo Clinic. Diabetic Ketoacidosis. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetic-ketoacidosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20371551
Mehta A, Emmett M. Fasting Ketosis and Alcoholic Ketoacidosis. UpToDate. http://www.uptodate.com/contents/fasting-ketosis-and-alcoholic-ketoacidosis?source=search_result&search=ketosis&selectedTitle=1~150
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Diabetic Ketoacidosis
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Why Are Ketones Bad?
Ketones, also called ketone bodies or keto acids, are a type of water-soluble compound produced from the fat breakdown in the body. Although ketones are a normal product of metabolism, they may be produced in excess in certain situations, such as diabetes.