What is ketosis ?
Ketosis is a metabolic process that is characterized by an increased concentration of ketone bodies in the blood caused by the degradation of fatty acid chains (ketogenesis). This is called a ketogenic condition and not a disease: ketosis is part of the physiological biochemistry of organisms.
Ketogenesis takes place when the breakdown of body sugars can provide enough energy to the body. As soon as there are low in carbohydrates (= sugars, such as glucose) present in the blood will be of a carbohydrate combustion after an induction phase proceeded to fat burning with consumption of fatty acids and ketones. This can be at a low glycogen stores in the liver, for example, in a prolonged or intense exercise, a low-carb diet or fasting.
Diagnosis of Ketosis
Or is a body in ketogenic state can be controlled by using special urine test strips, such as Ketostix.
If there is ketosis occurs in the body, the one smells often as acetone, sometimes described as "fruity breath".
Metabolic Pathway
Burn fat are fat molecules (triglycerides) split into one molecule of glycerol and three fatty acid chains. This process is called lipolysis. The major part of the body is able to use fatty acids as an alternative source of energy, in a process called beta-oxidation. One of the products of beta-oxidation is acetyl-CoA, which is used in the citric acid cycle. Acetyl-CoA is used to produce ketone bodies. The ketones acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate are then used for energy.
The brains can not use fatty acids for energy, because it is the blood-brain barrier is not able to pass. Ketones can. In the brains shall be integrated into acetyl-CoA, and then used in the citric acid cycle.
Ketosis Diet
If a person's diet changes from high-glycemic (= high carbohydrate) diet to a low carbohydrate diet that does not provide enough carbohydrates to replenish glycogen stores, the body goes through a number of phases to get into ketosis. During the initial stages of this process, the adult brain does not burn ketones; However, the brain makes direct use of this important substrate for the synthesis of lipids in the brains. After about 48 hours of this process starts the brain ketones derived from body fat, to burn in order to be able to more directly use make use of the energy of the fat stores, in order to use only the remaining glucose reserves for absolute necessity, and thus the exhaustion of the protein stocks in to prevent the muscles.
If the glucose reserves hit really threatening, eventually (muscle) protein is broken. This occurs when hunger strikers, starvation diets and example anorexia nervosa.
Ketosis is intentionally caused in a ketogenic diet, which is used to treat epilepsy: the number of seizures, this shows to be able to decrease drastically. Furthermore, low-carbohydrate diets are used to burn excess fat. Although there is still insufficient research these diets seem successful
Controversy
Some doctors consider ketosis as a dangerous and potentially life-threatening condition that overloads the liver and causes breakdown of muscle tissue. Ketogenesis, as discussed above, does not break down muscle. Ketogenesis can only occur as a consequence of the by-product of fat breakdown: acetyl-CoA.
The anti-ketosis views are challenged by a number of physicians and supporters of low-carbohydrate diets, which see ketosis as a normal metabolic process to get energy from stored fat. This stored fat would probably be largely formed at times when there were a lot of carbohydrates, so they are converted to fat for carbohydrate poorer moments. In addition, these diets are low in carbohydrates, but just that protein and also some high-fat, leaving enough alternative energy to do not break down muscle. It is argued that not only were groups of hunters who lived thousands of years mainly in ketogenic state, but there are also many documented cases of people (for example, Eskimos) living especially of fats and proteins. In the past, the large amounts of carbohydrates that we use in Western society, not available. Although some believe that it is necessary carbohydrate intake for prolonged strenuous exercise to replenish the glycogen stores exhaustive, studies have shown that after an adjustment period of two to four weeks of physical stamina is not affected by ketosis.
Ketoacidosis
All ketone bodies are acidic, but in normal circumstances, it may buffer the blood in order to keep the blood pH within normal limits. If this buffering capacity is inadequate, a grave keto-acidosis can occur, wherein the blood pH falls below 7.35.
Ketoacidosis is a medical condition that include acting in an unregulated diabetes mellitus or alcohol intoxication, and accompanied by hyperglycemia, dehydration, ketonuria and increased glucagonwaarden. Glucagonwaarden high and low insulin levels ensure that the body will create more glucose via gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis, and more ketone bodies through ketogenesis. High glucose ensure it fall short of tubular reabsorption in the kidneys, causing water to leak into the tubes is in a process that osmotic diuresis, which causes dehydration and further worsening acidosis.