Ketosis is the condition in which the levels of these ketones in the body are higher than they should be. If the level of ketones in the body goes too high for any length of time, the condition can be very dangerous.
Ketones are created in the body when the stores of glycogen in the liver have run out. They are small fragments of carbon created when fat stores are broken down. The body uses them for energy.
Symptoms
When a person has elevated levels of ketones, they normally don’t feel as hungry as the average person of the same age would and even for themselves. Since the body normally uses carbohydrates to form glucose to use as energy, with there being fewer carbohydrates, the body turns to burning fat instead. This is where the idea comes from for using a low-carbohydrate diet for losing weight. A person takes in lower amounts of carbohydrates and in some cases, none at all, and after about two days, the body starts to burn the fat.
Technically if required, the body can get all of its energy from fat and protein but these are also needed for repairing the body. If the ketones are much higher than normal on a regular basis, it can actually do the body a lot of damage. Ketosis causes the blood to be more acidic because of the toxicity levels of acetone in ketones. This acidity will eventually lead to damage in the liver and kidneys. This is one of the reasons why prolonged diets that omit carbohydrates are not recommended or advised.
Causes
There are different root causes of ketosis, one of which has already been mentioned, and that is the [easyazon-link asin=”B000J3JNNI”]low-carbohydrate diet[/easyazon-link] that some people use to lose weight. Although Dr. Atkins designed this diet to keep the ketones at a safer level, some dieters do not keep their ketones in check. Since everyone is different, there are times when severe ketosis is caused by such diets, especially if such a diet is being implemented for a prolonged period of time.
The main cause of ketosis is through being on a diet but this type is not necessarily detrimental to the health because of the body’s stages of using up glucose and body fat. It normally takes two days before the body starts producing ketones. For careful dieters, keeping the delicate balance of elevated ketones with other bodily requirements is hard work but it prevents dangerous ketosis.
Should you keep a check on it ?
Those individuals who don’t keep a check on their ketones and eat a balanced diet, which happens all too often, can risk constipation, gallstones, kidney stones and other kidney conditions. This is most common for those who completely eliminate carbohydrates from their diet. This is not considered to be a healthy way to diet and anyone trying it should be under the supervision of a health professional.
Using this diet through a professional allows for the ketones to be checked on a regular basis so that if there is a higher level in the blood, the diet can be altered to lower then to a safer level.
