Keto Diet Part Five

Hi everybody. Hope you have been enjoying these BLOGs on the Keto Diet. I expect that my comments will stir up arguments from the proponents, but it's hard to argue with facts. This will be the last installment for this diet. There is a lot more than can be said, and maybe should be said, but I will limit further discussion for addressing questions not answered by these BLOGs.

It's amazing how things continue to cycle. Well, maybe not cycle. People have been using these types of diets for many, many years, especially athletes trying to get that little edge that is going to make them a winner. What they don't realize is that they are really taking the edge away from themselves. After using these diets for many years and seeing the results (and experiencing the consequences) and then using a real nutrition plan, it is truly amazing that people even consider using these diets for any reason. I guess ignorance truly is bliss. Enough of that. Let’s finish this discussion on the Keto Diet.

Promoter Pitfall: “Ketoacidosis occurs when the level of ketones in the blood gets out of control, which poses a severe health risk for diabetics. Nondiabetics need not fear, as the regulated and controlled production of ketone bodies allows the blood pH to remain within normal limits.”

Now the Reality:

They only mention this because it is well known how catastrophic ketoacidosis can be and they don't want you to think that you are at risk.

• They are correct in saying that if all of your body’s systems are functioning correctly, you are at a minimal risk of developing ketoacidosis.

• Even when everything is going fine, the ketone blood levels get high enough that it causes you to urinate a lot resulting in an excess loss of water.

  • The reason for the water loss is a process called osmosis which I previously discussed.

  • This is similar to the water loss experienced by diabetics due to high sugar levels (this issue was addressed in a previous segment, and is also a result of osmosis).

  • Potential kidney damage is not mentioned, but could result in stones or worsening of kidney disease.

Although ketone production usually doesn't turn into a life threatening situation, ketoacidosis can occur in nondiabetics.

• If it does, there is usually some underlying abnormality that may not be apparent under normal conditions.

• Things known to contribute to the development of nondiabetic ketoacidosis is-

  • severe starvation,

  • alcohol abuse,

  • certain endocrine issues.

  • It can also be triggered by

    • combining fasting with a low carb diet,

    • physiological stressors

      • pregnancy,

      • surgery,

      • many other things.

• A full discussion of the nondiabetic causes of ketoacidosis is quite lengthy and complex, and beyond the scope of this discussion.

• Why take the risk.

Promoter Pitfall: “What About The Anticatabolic Effects Of The Ketogenic Diet? Every reduced-calorie diet is catabolic, meaning the diet can cause you to lose muscle. This is largely due to the fact that you are consuming less energy, so your body relies on other tissue (i.e., protein) to serve as an energy source. Some dieters do excessive aerobic exercise, which can cause further breakdown of muscle. The brain can also call on protein to create more glucose for energy needs—a process called gluconeogenesis.”

The Reality is:

There are two terms used by physiologists to define some of the processes carried out by your body.

• Anabolism is the process whereby large molecules are made from smaller molecules and is considered a constructive process.

• Catabolism is the breakdown of large molecules into smaller molecules and is considered a destructive process.

• Both of these process occur naturally in the normal functioning of your body.

• A third term atrophy, which they didn’t mention, refers to muscle wasting.

  • This is normally used rather than the term catabolism.

• Catabolism occurs when your body does not get the needed nutrients from your diet.

  • Your body breaks down some of its own components, such as protein, to obtain the required nutrients.

  • Another example is the breakdown of fat for energy.

Protein is used in most functions of your body.

• When your diet is deficient, it obtains the required protein from your protein stores which happen to be your muscles.

• Although your brain can use ketones for energy, it cannot function without glucose.

• Remember that your glucose remains in the normal physiologic range even when you are truly starving.

  • This is because the liver has the ability to manufacture glucose using protein through gluconeogenesis.

  • If your diet is deficient in protein for any reason, your body will rob your muscles to make up for it.

  • This is the catabolic process they are talking about when you eat a reduced protein diet.

Your diet may have sufficient protein for its metabolic needs, including producing glucose in the liver as needed to maintain blood glucose.

• But your diet may not have sufficient energy for all of your metabolic needs.

• When this occurs, it produces aldehydes and ketones from your fat stores to make up the needed energy.

• This is the process of using fat stores for energy needs which results in weight loss.

• Note that it does not require a large amount of protein to provide the protein and glucose needs of your body while losing weight.

When you work your muscles, they become stimulated to grow to handle the stress placed on them.

• I discuss this in my book and coaching programs, so I won't go into details here.

• I don't believe that the muscles are actually damaged by the work, but the cells need to build more fibers to handle the stress.

  • To do this, the muscles need protein.

  • If your diet is deficient, where can they get the extra protein?

    • It is counterproductive to breakdown muscle tissue to build muscle tissue.

    • Therefore, your muscles cannot build and if stressed enough, they may actually lose the ability to perform the same amount of work.

    • Dietary protein is essential for proper functioning of your body regardless of your diet.

Promoter Pitfall: “Ketosis is different, because, when in the state of ketosis, the brain will prefer ketones over glucose. For the dieter this is good! The body will not have to break down protein for energy. In turn the body will be forced to use its fat reserves, a.k.a. your love handles, for its energy. This is why a low-carb diet is such a good method of dieting.”

This is the Reality:

Even in the state of ketosis, the brain cannot function without glucose.

• It never prefers ketones to glucose for its energy needs.

• If it did, the blood sugar would essentially fall to zero in ketosis.

  • However, it continues to remain in the normal physiologic range.

  • This is of course because of gluconeogenesis in the liver which uses protein to manufacturer the glucose.

    • There is no other source for the glucose.

    • It is estimated that in this state, the brain uses approximately 25 percent ketones and the remaining energy from glucose.

ANY diet that is deficient in energy sources will result in the consumption of body fat to make up the needed energy.

• Remember that if your diet has a deficiency of protein, your body will use some of its muscle protein to make up the deficiency.

• Some people who eat an inappropriate diet when trying to lose weight will experience this muscle loss.

• If you eat sufficient energy in your Keto Diet, your body WILL NOT consume any of your body fat.

• In fact, if you eat too many calories of protein, it will use the protein for energy and then convert the excess protein into fat.

• It will however consume some of your body's protein if you do not have an adequate protein intake.

• Protein is not an issue on a Keto Diet as you are eating excessive protein which supplies all of your protein and energy needs.

• If your protein intake is greater than your body’s metabolic needs, it will convert the extra protein into fat.

• Unless you eat fewer calories than your body needs, it will not reduce your love handles.

There are other possible benefits of ketosis such as treatment of epilepsy, and some neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease.

• However, there is no regard for the person’s previous diet or even how healthy their present diet is, and the effects it can have on these conditions.

• The studies that compare effects of diet on disease never take this into consideration.

• All of the study groups need to be on the healthiest diet possible for many months before comparison studies can be performed with any validity.

• Even this approach is not adequate as it cannot factor in irreparable damage caused by years of a nutritionally deficient diet.

In the early 1970s when I was taking a genetics class, I asked the instructor, who was deeply involved in research, how much emphasis research placed on nutrition. His reply was that they weren't placing any emphasis on it, but when they did, it had a profound effect on the results.

• Knowing this back then, how is it that research still has not placed nutrition at the top of the list when performing studies?

• The problem is, there really is no way to assess one’s true nutritional health.

  • Therefore, you are considered healthy unless you are showing signs of disease.

  • Since people usually exaggerate their diet to make it appear more healthy, assessing a person’s diet is also not adequate to determine their level of nutritional heath.

Thanks for reading these BLOGs on the Keto Diet. This brings us to the end of the Keto Diet discussions.

I’ve kept the discussions quite basic as trying to expound on these facts would make this discussion quite long and difficult to follow.

Understanding what I discussed in these Keto Diet BLOGs, I don’t know why anyone would want to follow any high protein, low carb diet.

• This is especially true if you knew everything that is contained in my book and coaching programs.

• Eating a truly healthy balanced diet does not require any special diet plan, special foods or use of any supplements. 

There is so much more that could be said. I hope these discussions have answered some of your questions and given you a desire to know more about true nutrition and health.

If you have any questions or comments, you can leave them in the comments below or email me directly at drmeline@ss-health.com. I look forward to hearing from you with any health, nutrition, exercise or other related questions or comments you may have. Take care. Until next BLOG.