It can take some time for the body to learn to use fat stores instead of glycogen. A person may experience fatigue as their body adjusts. Ketosis occurs when a lack of carbohydrate forces the body to use fat as its primary energy source instead of sugar.
A person looking to reach ketosis, whether for weight loss, to reduce the risk of heart disease , or to maintain and control blood sugar levels, should aim to reduce their carb consumption to 20 grams g per day or less.
However, this is not a set number. Some people may be able to eat more carbohydrate and still get into a state of ketosis, while others will need to eat less.
Fasting, or going without food, can help a person achieve a state of ketosis. Many people can actually go into ketosis between meals. In some controlled cases, a doctor may recommend a longer fasting period of between 24 and 48 hours. A person should speak to their doctor before deciding to fast for longer than a few hours at a time. Fat fasting is an alternative form of fasting. Fat fasting involves significantly reducing calorie intake and eating a diet consisting almost entirely of fat for no more than 2 or 3 days.
Early research indicated that this might have a positive effect on weight loss. However, fat fasting is difficult to maintain and may not be the best option for most people. Very small sample sizes and the lack of more robust evidence mean that people should be cautious about taking this approach. As carbohydrate intake decreases, most people replace the loss of carbohydrates with an increase in healthful fats. Some fats that a person can eat include:. However, for people looking to lose weight, it is important to keep the total calorie count in mind as well.
Eating too many calories in a day can make it harder to lose weight. One method that can help a person achieve a state of ketosis is monitoring the levels of ketones in the body. There are several tests available for this, including:. Using one or more of these tests can help a person track their progress, allowing them to make educated adjustments to their diet.
Ketone test strips are available to purchase online. Coconut oil contains fats called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs.
The body can absorb MCTs quickly and easily. A ketogenic diet not only helps you lose weight but is also linked to numerous benefits, such as increased levels of HDL good cholesterol and reduced blood sugar, insulin, and triglyceride levels 2 , 3. However, some people find that it takes them much longer to enter ketosis than others. To reap the benefits of a ketogenic diet, your body must enter a state called ketosis.
This is a metabolic state in which your body converts fat into molecules called ketones, which it uses as its main source of energy when glucose — a type of sugar —is limited 4. In your digestive tract, carbs are broken down into sugar molecules — such as glucose — so they can travel across the bloodstream and be used for energy.
If your body has excess glucose, it can be stored in your liver and muscles in its storage form, glycogen. By drastically reducing your carb intake to under 50 grams per day, your body is forced to use up its glycogen stores for energy — and eventually, switch to using ketones as fuel 5. The time it takes to enter ketosis varies from person to person 6 , 7. In general, it takes 2—4 days if you eat 20—50 grams of carbs per day.
However, some people may find it takes a week or longer to reach this state 6 , 7 , 8. Some factors that can affect how long it takes to enter ketosis include your typical daily carb intake, your daily fat and protein intake, exercise, your age, and your metabolism. For example, people who typically consume a high-carb diet before starting a keto diet may take longer to enter ketosis than those who generally eat a low-to-moderate carb diet.
This is because your body needs to deplete its glycogen stores before entering ketosis 5. It typically takes 2—4 days to enter ketosis if you eat fewer than 50 grams of carbs per day.
However, some people may take longer depending on factors like physical activity level, age, metabolism, and carb, fat, and protein intake. There are three types of ketones — acetoacetate, acetone, and beta-hydroxybutyrate — that you can measure through your urine, breath, and blood, respectively.
Acetoacetate levels can be measured through your urine with a ketone urine strip, which turns various shades of pink or purple depending on the ketone level of your urine.
Darker colors typically mean that your urine contains higher levels 9 , Acetone levels can be measured with a ketone breath meter, such as a Ketonix. Studies show that ketone breath meters are fairly accurate Beta-hydroxybutyrate levels are measured using a blood ketone meter, which works similarly to a glucometer — a tool that measures blood glucose levels at home.
To use a blood ketone meter, simply use the small accompanying pin to prick your finger and draw blood, then let the top of the strip come in contact with your blood Less common are ketone esters, which are the purest form of ketones. People also use medium-chain triglyceride MCT oil — or partially manmade fats — to put the body into a state of ketosis. Griffin says it depends on your expectations. Instead, they should be viewed as supplements to the keto diet. But, yes, you still have to put in the work.
Though research involving ketone supplements is still in the early stages, it seems promising. One study published in February in Obesity suggests exogenous ketone esters lower hunger hormones and act as appetite suppressors. Another study published in February in the Journal of Physiology found drinking a ketone ester supplement may lower blood sugar. The study was done on healthy individuals but could be helpful if similar results were found among people with type 2 diabetes.
Both Griffin and Langer say that money could be better spent on whole foods.
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