I’ve been reading about Keto Diet and considering trying it. So from what I understand, ketones are produced when cells can’t get enough glucose either by lack of insulin or lack of glucose itself (keto diet). Then Fat is broken down into ketone bodies and utilized as energy source.
My question is, does ketones need insulin to get into the cell and be utilized as energy source?
Please, correct me if I am wrong at anypoint.
@Taty - the short answer is no. In fact, an excess of insulin puts the brakes on ketosis (ketone production).
" The ketone bodies are released by the liver into the blood. All cells with mitochondria can take ketone bodies up from the blood and reconvert them into acetyl-CoA, which can then be used as fuel in their citric acid cycles, as no other tissue can divert its oxaloacetate into the gluconeogenic pathway in the way that the liver does this. Unlike free fatty acids, ketone bodies can cross the blood-brain barrier and are therefore available as fuel for the cells of the central nervous system, acting as a substitute for glucose, on which these cells normally survive.[1] The occurrence of high levels of ketone bodies in the blood during starvation, a low carbohydrate diet and prolonged heavy exercise can lead to ketosis, and in its extreme form in out-of-control type 1 diabetes mellitus, as ketoacidosis. "
For more info see Ketone bodies - Wikipedia
I’ve been on a carb restricted diet for 16 months now, and my body is fuelled by ketones
Thank you so much for your reply!
However, with me , if my ketones are high enough to show in my urine I get insulin resistance and I need a lot more insulin to combat high sugars. I’m sure there is a sweet spot but when I have a cannula coupe out and I don’t know I become acidotic very fast and where a 250 sugar should take 2 or 3 units to bring to normal, if I’m spilling ketones it could take 10 units to bring it down. I have never understood why it is the case. But for me it certainly is