When we are doing the Ketogenic Diet, we often here about the term ‘Ketosis’. We will hear fitness gurus and health experts discuss the effects of Ketosis and why it is good to be in a Ketogenic state.
We grew up thinking that we burn calories by exercising, burning fats by sweating it out. In order to lose weight, we must make sure that we do high intensity training or cardio work out.
Studies have shown that there are also other ways to burn fat without engaging in heavy exercises and this is being in a metabolic state called Ketosis.
What is Ketosis?
Human body utilises energy that comes from food. Our food is made up of macronutrients and they are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Physiologically, our body burns carbohydrates first and they are broken down to glucose. Proteins are broken down to amino acids and fats to fatty acids.
When you have a very low carb intake, your glucose level will be low and it will lead to a metabolic state called Ketosis. If glucose level is low, instead of breaking down glucose, your body breaks down fats. This process will produce ketones that will be used by your brain and body as the main source of energy.
In short, your body is utilising your stored fats and, thus, making your body a mean fat burning machine!
How can you reach Ketogenic State?
In lowering your carbohydrate intake, like when you are on a Keto Diet or Induction Phase Atkins Diet, one can be in Ketosis. In a Ketogenic diet, you are only allowed not more than 20g of carbs per day. It will ensure that you continuously use your stored fat in producing ketones and this will be used to fuel your body.
Carbohydrates and proteins are both known to be insulin sensitive meaning they can cause insulin spikes when consumed. Fats, however, do not react to insulin, that is the reason why in a Ketogenic Diet, it is very important that we increase our fat intake.
Maintaining a low carbohydrate, moderate protein and high fat diet is the key in achieving ketosis. An increase in carb content in your food will increase the glucose level and insulin in your bloodstream. Your body will then shift to burning glucose instead of fats and this will kick you out of ketosis.
Another tool that will help you achieve ketosis is intermittent fasting. Fasting for a long period of time will switch the body to burning fats instead of glucose. Again, this process will produce ketone bodies and this will be used as fuel for your body.
What are the signs and symptoms that you are in Ketosis?
When your body reach the metabolic state of ketosis, your body will show some signs that you are running on ketones instead of glucose. Though not all people will show exactly the same signs, and this will totally be dependent on the biologic and metabolic state of one’s body.
1. Weight Loss
Ketogenic Diet, being a low carb high fat diet, is also calorie restrictive. The shifting of the body from using glucose to burning stored fats causes shrinking of the cells. In addition to this, excess water is being expelled out of the cells.
Having low glucose level, will eventually decrease the insulin level of the body. Insulin being known as the fat storage hormone, has a lot to do the weight loss during ketosis.
2. Increased Ketones in the bloodstream, urine and breath
Due to the low level of glucose, body is burning fats and there is increased production of ketones in your blood, urine and, yes, even your in your breath.
There are ways on how to measure ketones. The most accurate is doing a ketone test using a ketone meter. This is getting a blood sample by pricking the tip of your finger and analysing it through the ketone meter.
Another test is the urine dip where in you use a test strip to check the presence of ketones in the urine.
The last one is the acetone breath analyser. Acetones are types of ketones that are being produced when you are in ketosis. They act as biomarker when you have reached a ketogenic state. This will produce a fruity scent or a nail polish remover scent in your breath.
3. Not feeling hungry
As you on a high fat diet, you will notice that this has an effect on your satiety.
It is said that ketones have an effect on the hunger centre in the brain causing appetite suppression. This is one good thing about following a Keto Diet since you don’t feel hungry and you tend to not snack in between meals.
4. Fatigue and Flu-like symptoms
It will take several weeks before your body switch into a ketogenic state. Before that phase, some people report to experience flu like symptoms termed as Keto Flu.
These symptoms are natural and it’s almost like suffering from withdrawal from glucose. Probably one of top reasons why people stop their Keto Journey and not achieve the health benefits of Ketosis.
5. Increased mental focus
As your body uses ketones to fuel your brain, this results to improved brain function. According to studies, ketones might have a positive effect on transmitting signals between synapses and can increase nerve cell growth factors.
Is Ketosis safe?
Being on a long term Ketogenic diet, as some of the critics will say, is not sustainable and might harm your body. It will always be safe to be consulting your doctor especially if you are with a medical condition or taking any medication that can alter blood glucose level.
Ketosis, however, is a great tool to achieve weigh loss. Having said that, one should be very cautious on the long term effects on one’s body.
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