Keto Diet : Weight Loss

The ketogenic diet for weight loss is based on the idea that by depriving the body of glucose, which is the major source of energy for all cells in the body and is obtained by ingesting carbohydrate foods, an alternative fuel called ketones is created from stored fat (thus the word "keto"-genic). Because it cannot retain glucose, the brain requires the most glucose in a consistent supply, roughly 120 grams per day. The body first takes stored glucose from the liver and temporarily breaks down muscle to release glucose while fasting or eating very little carbohydrate.

If this goes on for 3-4 days and the body's stored glucose is depleted, blood levels of an insulin-like hormone drop, and the body switches to fat as its major fuel. Ketone bodies are produced by the liver from fat and can be utilised in the absence of glucose.

Ketosis occurs when ketone bodies build in the blood. During periods of fasting (e.g., sleeping overnight) and highly hard activity, healthy people naturally experience moderate ketosis. The brain will use ketones for fuel, and healthy individuals will typically produce enough insulin to prevent excessive ketones from forming, according to proponents of the ketogenic diet. If the diet is carefully followed, blood levels of ketones should not reach a harmful level (known as "ketoacidosis").

The length of time it takes to enter ketosis and the amount of ketone bodies that build in the blood depends on a variety of parameters, including body fat percentage and resting metabolic rate.