Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body produces ketones for some organs to use as fuel, so that glycogen can be reserved for the organs that depend on it. When searching for information on ketosis, it’s important not to be confused with ketoacidosis, a very unhealthy state of being. Unfortunately, it is all too common for information sources to conflate these two and therefore pronounce ketosis bad.
Because glucose is commonly accepted as the body’s primary fuel source, putting the body in a state where it burns something other than glucose for fuel is subsequently considered a form of starvation. However, the human body has a well-defined mechanism for literally burning fat for fuel (I think it’s important to realize that even in the presence of glucose, some tissues in the human body prefer to use fat for fuel. Ironically, the heart is one of them, despite the fact that the goal of low-fat diets is to save the heart). When the body uses fat for energy, it is in a state of ketosis.
When you stop eating glucose (i.e. carbs), your body begins the ketosis process. In ketosis, the liver begins to break down fat cells so that your body can use the fatty acids for fuel. It also produces ketone bodies, which the body also uses for fuel, especially the brain. The benefits of ketosis are numerous: lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower triglycerides, improved insulin sensitivity, and weight loss without regard to calorie count. Other reported benefits are common: lack of hunger, lack of cravings, improved mood, decreased anxiety, and increased mental focus. Variations of ketogenic diets are used to manage various medical conditions, including acne, heartburn and acid reflux, thyroid problems, epilepsy, and type 2 diabetes.
Negative side effects of a ketogenic diet include dizziness, headache, lethargy, weakness, feeling cold, diarrhea, and nausea. These side effects are only temporary and go away once the body has made the full switch from burning glucose to burning fat (within the first week). They are almost universally recognized as sugar withdrawal symptoms.
The body is very capable of regulating ketone bodies, so unless there is a major problem (alcoholics and type 1 diabetics often have problems with ketone regulation), you should be fine. However, those people who have a significant problem can develop ketoacidosis. Essentially, their bodies no longer regulate blood ketones and they start to build up. The more they accumulate, the more they change the acidity of the blood in your body, and that is very dangerous. Complications of ketoacidosis include halitosis, extreme thirst, frequent urination, constant fatigue, dry skin, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, and mental confusion.
If you’re looking to lose weight without eating less, improve your mood and mental sharpness, or even solve some common health problems like acne or acid reflux, a ketogenic diet (also called a homeostatic diet) may be exactly the right tool for you. you. Just keep an eye out for the symptoms of ketoacidosis, and you shouldn’t have any problems once you get over those nasty withdrawal symptoms.