So I touched a little bit on ketosis yesterday in my discussion on the Paleo diet, but while further researching various diets, I realized that many are based on achieving a state of ketosis. That being said, I'll go a little more in depth so that you can see why it causes weight loss AND organ failure.
Typically, our body burns carbohydrates to fuel our metabolism, muscles, and brain. When we don't take in adequate carbs, our body starts to break down our fat stores and use them for energy. This is how weight is lost. Our body self-digests its own fat. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well, read on. As we break down the fat stores, a so called byproduct is the acidic ketone. These ketones travel through our bloodsteam and make our pH more acidic (bad news bears, but that's a whole different topic). They also travel through your liver and kidneys and can cause permanent, irreversible damage of those organs. When a state of ketosis is achieved, you become nauseated and have a decreased appetite, yet another reason it leads to weight loss. You respiratory system will try to increase your pH back to normal by blowing off the excess acid. You will develop fruity, foul breath. Your renal system filters out the ketones and passes them in the urine. This causes extra stress on the kidneys and can lead to severe, deadly renal failure. Additional things a state of ketosis from a severely carb restricted diet can cause are: osteoporosis, liver failure, high cholesterol, kidney stones, and cancer.
Notice the grumpy kitty? A severely carb restricted diet can cause grumpiness, mood swings, and depression. Carbs release L-tryptophan when digested. The L-tryptophan then triggers the release of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is responsible for happiness and mood stability. We only live this life once... I don't know about you, but I don't want to live it angry, sad, and on dialysis....
Typically, our body burns carbohydrates to fuel our metabolism, muscles, and brain. When we don't take in adequate carbs, our body starts to break down our fat stores and use them for energy. This is how weight is lost. Our body self-digests its own fat. Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well, read on. As we break down the fat stores, a so called byproduct is the acidic ketone. These ketones travel through our bloodsteam and make our pH more acidic (bad news bears, but that's a whole different topic). They also travel through your liver and kidneys and can cause permanent, irreversible damage of those organs. When a state of ketosis is achieved, you become nauseated and have a decreased appetite, yet another reason it leads to weight loss. You respiratory system will try to increase your pH back to normal by blowing off the excess acid. You will develop fruity, foul breath. Your renal system filters out the ketones and passes them in the urine. This causes extra stress on the kidneys and can lead to severe, deadly renal failure. Additional things a state of ketosis from a severely carb restricted diet can cause are: osteoporosis, liver failure, high cholesterol, kidney stones, and cancer.
Notice the grumpy kitty? A severely carb restricted diet can cause grumpiness, mood swings, and depression. Carbs release L-tryptophan when digested. The L-tryptophan then triggers the release of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is responsible for happiness and mood stability. We only live this life once... I don't know about you, but I don't want to live it angry, sad, and on dialysis....
This pretty well knocks out the ever so popular Atkins and Dukan diets, which are based on high fat, high protein, and little to no carbs. They do work for weight loss, but I'm
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