http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/article...x?articleId=221

Ketosis

1. Definition

Definition

Ketosis is a process in which your body converts fats into energy. During the conversion, ketones are produced as a by-product. Ketones can give your breath a sweet, fruity smell that may be mistaken for alcohol.

Your body normally uses glucose to meet its energy needs. Glucose comes from the carbohydrate in your diet. A healthy, balanced diet should provide you with all the glucose your body needs, so that ketosis does not take place. However, if your body does not have enough glucose, perhaps because your diet is very low in carbohydrates or you are starving yourself, it will begin ketosis to obtain energy from its stored fats instead. As a result of this, the ketone levels in your blood will rise. Prolonged ketosis can be dangerous as it can change the acidity of your blood beyond the level that your body can tolerate. This can eventually lead to serious damage to your liver and kidneys.

Recently, diets that recommend you eat lots of protein and very little carbohydrate have become popular. These high protein-low carbohydrate diets – known as ketogenic diets – are intended to work by forcing your body to begin ketosis to burn fats and create quick weight loss. Because long periods of ketosis are dangerous to your kidneys and liver, ketogenic diets are never recommended by health professionals for more than short-term use, typically no longer than 14 days. Many nutritionists warn their patients – especially women in the early stages of pregnancy – against following them at all.

If you are diabetic and you fail to have your injections of insulin for a prolonged period, you can experience ketoacidosis. The lack of insulin means that your body cannot use glucose to create energy and ketosis occurs. If left untreated, your body will release so many ketones into your blood that your blood will quickly become dangerously acidic. Untreated diabetic ketoacidosis can lead to coma and death.

what an absolute load of b*ll*x, Where do they get it from? Even doctors and gps know thats not true - I work with em!

Jo

Wow - they're not looking at the current scientific research at all. That's just the same misconceptions that low-fat, low-cal people have been spreading around for years.