Ketosis and *protein* consumption

[Guest guest]

I was just reading a review of ketosis, (VanItallie and Nufert,

" Ketones: Metabolism's Ugly Duckling, " _Nutrition Reviews_, Oct.

2003.), and they brought up a good point that PROTEIN consumption can

inhibit ketosis.

Because protein can so readily be turned to sugar, a would-be

ketogenic diet with too high a percentage protein could result in

considerably less ketosis than one that is both low-carb and

low-protein:

" There is widespread confusion among both physicians and lay

individuals about what constitutes a ketogenic diet. Similar to

glucose, ketones are present in the blood at all times. As shown in

Table 3, the range of ketone levels that can be achieved by prolonged

food deprivation or by adherance to various diets is quite wide.

Hence, it makes no sense to speak of a 'ketogenic diet' without also

specifying the degree of serum ketone elevation that the diet is

intended to achieve.

" The serum concentrations sought for treatment of epilepsy range from

2 to 7 mM/L. Such levels can be achieved only by strict adherence to

a regimen like the 4:1 HKD -- one most patients find burdensome. On

the other hand, the kind of low-carbohydrate 'ketogenic diet' (e.g.,

30% protein, 8% carbohydrate, 61% fat [as proportions of total

energy]) that has recently become popular-- although much easier to

follow-- achieves BHB (beta-hydroxybutarate --Chris) levels of only

0.28-0.40 mM/L. (This 'popular' ketogenic diet, at 2000 kcal/day

intake, provides 127g of presumptive carbohydrate [40 preformed] plus

~87g derivable from 150g protein, not including the small quantity of

glycerol released in the course of adipocyte triglyceride hydrolysis.

At the same energy level, the 4:1 HKD would yield 33 g of presumptive

carbohydrate [10g preformed] plus ~23 g derivable from 40 g protein.

Thus the effective quantity of carbohydrate provided by the poular

ketogenic diet is almost four times that supplied in the 4:1 HKD.) "

I was just scanning the review. There is a section on how ketones are

*more efficient* energy than other sources, whereas I thought that

ketones are less efficient, but haven't read it yet. I'll post more

if there's anything else interesting.

Chris