Atkins Diet Misconceptions: Ketosis vs. Ketoacidosis
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWl_ddr8hsI
This is the next one in my series of Atkins Diet Misconceptions where I combat all myths and misunderstandings regarding low carbing. Another one of the oft-misunderstood low carb concepts is the whole difference between ketosis and the diabetic condition of ketoacidosis. It should be rather clear what the difference is between the two:
* one affects low carbers who are eating very few carbs and have consequently low to normal blood sugar levels
* one affects almost strictly Type 1 diabetics who can’t produce any or enough insulin for their hyperglycemia (very high blood sugar)
Even though they sound the same and both involve ketones in the blood, they are dramatically different in terms of severity and cause. Here are the amounts I spoke of in the video:
Dietary ketosis vs. diabetic hyperketoacidosis
Normal state: 0.1 mmol/L
Overnight fast: 0.3 mmol/L
Ketogenic diet: 1-3 mmol/L
21 day fast: 10 mmol/L
Uncontrolled diabetes: more than 25 mmol
You can see where the uncontrolled diabetic has nearly 10-20 times the millimoles of ketones in their blood as the ketogenic diet follower.
Ketosis is safe natural state for the body to be in. Many hunter and gatherers were in a ketogenic state for most of the winter months. It is simply the body’s reaction to burning fat for fuel, and ketones are the normal by-product of that reaction. Everyone is in some state of ketosis every day.
Additional info:
http://www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/ketosis.html
http://www.lowcarbportal.com/archives/categories/low_carb_ketosis/index.php
[...] Original post by Kent A [...]
Pingback by Atkins Diet Misconceptions: Ketosis vs. Ketoacidosis | Bowulf … | Atkins Diet | Doing the atkins diet. You need supplementing | February 5, 2009