ketones

[Guest guest]

This rather negative remark from

http://www.dietsimple.info/the_atkins_diet.html :

" Atkins says the essence of the diet is to eat all the meat, animal fat and

fat you want, but keep your carbohydrate intake to a minimum - about 20

grams per day (virtually zero carb-containing foods) - in order to produce a

condition in your body called “ketosis.†Ketosis is an unnatural

physiological state your body goes into when you are ill or starving - and

causes weight loss, if you think being ill is the best way to lose weight!

Atkins and other proponents of a no-carbohydrate diet believe being in

ketosis is desirable - as it leads to lowering of the appetite. "

This more benign statement from

http://atkins.com/Archive/2002/1/11-257541.html :

" Ketones are a natural fuel source for the brain and body. Ketones are used

when carbohydrate stores within the body are depleted, resulting in burning

fat for energy instead of glucose. Ketosis is safe in healthy individuals;

however, there are many metabolic abnormalities that produce excess ketones

in the blood. Benign ketosis as experienced on a controlled carbohydrate

intake should not to be confused with ketoacidosis, an elevation in the

acidity of blood, associated with specific disease conditions as noted

above. "

I have a great highly technical nutrition textbook, which neutrally says

essentially the same thing, but doesn't comment on the Atkins diet. This

textbook talks about the fed state, the postabsorptive state, the fasting

state, and the starvation state. In the last, a " protein-sparing shift from

gluconeogenesis to lipolysis " occurs and " the blood level of fatty acids

increases sharply " . BTW: " The brain cannot use fatty acids for energy " but

it can " oxidize ketones instead of glucose " . There's a long bit about this

process of " favoring the formation ... of ketone bodies " (one of which is

acetone) which leads to ketosis, but spares " valuable protein " in

starvation. My textbook does not distinguish ketosis and ketoacidosis, but

one can infer that it's mainly a matter of degree. Ketosis is dangerous on

several grounds, including acidification generally, but it's what the body

does to barely survive, when starving.

SUPPOSEDLY this is not so bad WHEN the body has ample other nutrients (i.e.

sort of SIMULATED starvation), but I don't trust this Atkins bit at all.

Especially for mito people. The " burning of fat " that Atkins diet stimulates

is NECESSITATED by the deliberate forced turn-off of glucose production.

Great, provided your body WILL burn fat. In my body, at least, there is

already way too much triglycerides, i.e. stored fat released into the blood

for use in muscles when " signaled " by needy muscles. This excess occurs

because my muscle cells, though crying for energy, aren't able to properly

metabolize this released fat. So just " backs up " in my blood.

I know the people on this list have many variations of metabolic

dysfunction, and some here use the Atkins diet. I'm not intending to offend

anyone, or claim superior knowledge. Just my two cents.

Steve D.

P.S. Atkins websites have ketone test strips available cheaply, OTC.

Date: Tue, 08 Mar 2005 04:23:16 -0000

Subject: Re: rubbing alcohol smell

Here's my question. If you have ketones... what do you do about

it? (I have the acetone smell in my urine on and off). We already

know I've had labs which indicate ketosis but my local doctor didn't

have any suggestions. My mito doctor is investigating a diagnosis-

but didn't specifically address this issue. At least, not that I

recall.

Maggie

> Good suggestion Malissa. Also, I know my mother used to used

strips you pass thru your urine to test for ketones. I do not use

them, probably should, but I am sure they are available over the

counter.

>

> Janet Sample

> Re: rubbing alcohol smell

>

>

>

> In a message dated 3/7/2005 5:14:34 PM Eastern Standard Time,

> loisanns@e... writes:

>

> I asked the

> pediatrician, he said there

> are diseases that put off a smell, but would have to do some

researching,

> so, I thought

> I would go to the experts. Has anyone ever had this? Any ideas

would be

> appreciated.

>

>

>

>

> HI Lois,

> It's possible that your daughters are producing ketones during

a fever. Nail

> polish remover has acetone in it which is what is also in

ketones, so

> sometimes people can get that type of smell when they are

producing ketones.

> Ketones are also what produces a similar smell in patients with

diabetes,

> especially before or during diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a

life threatening

> condition due to severely high blood sugars. I doubt that's what

is happening with

> your daughters since you said it often occurs during fevers and

they don't

> have diabetes. During fevers, metabolic patients have a harder

type compensating

> due to the physical stress their bodies are under. This can be

precipitated

> by the combination of an increased metabolic rate with the

fever and also the

> fasting which commonly occurs when people are acutely ill and

have decreased

> appetites. When your daughters have another fever and have that

smell, ask

> your doctor to do a urinalysis for ketones and maybe even get

their 3

> beta-hydroxybutyrate (marker for ketones) tested in their blood.

>

> Hope this helps.

> Malisa