Diabetes Mellitus and Ketone Bodies

More than one person, found unconscious on the streets of some metropolis, has been carted to jail only to die of complications arising from uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. Others are fortunate enough to arrive in hospital emergency rooms. A quick test for diabetes mellitus-induced coma is the odor of acetone on the breath of the afflicted person. Acetone is one of several metabolites produced by diabetics that are known collectively as ketone bodies.

The term “diabetes” was used by the ancient Greeks to designate diseases in which excess urine is produced. Two thousand years later, in the eighteenth century, the urine of certain individuals was found to contain sugar, and the name “diabetes mellitus” (L.: mellitus, sweetened with honey) was given to this disease. People suffering from diabetes mellitus waste away as they excrete large amounts of sugar-containing urine. (more…)

For years, obese people have claimed that they gain weight even when they eat fewer calories than a person of normal weight. Now researchers are realizing that this is true. And at least part of the problem is the effect of dieting on lipid metabolism.

Some diet programs encourage very low caloric intake. The first time such a diet is used, the weight loss is quick and dramatic. At first this seems very encouraging, but inevitably, most of these dieters regain the weight within 2-5 years. Many gain even more weight than they had lost.

Well, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Right? Wrong! Many people go through several cycles of weight loss and weight gain-the yo-yo diet syndrome. One result is that their overall body makeup has less and less muscle and more and more fat. Each period of weight loss causes loss of muscle and fat, but the new weight gain is mostly fat. As a result of yo-yo dieting, some people can no longer lose weight-even on a very low calorie diet (800-900 calories per day).

The biological reason for the failure of diets to accomplish permanent weight loss is that yo-yo dieting increases the level of the enzyme lipoprotein lipase. This enzyme stimulates the storage of body fat.

Because fat tissue burns fewer calories than muscle and because the added lipoprotein lipase encourages storage of  body fat, these dieters do, indeed, gain weight on far fewer calories than a person of normal weight. The take-home lesson is clear. People shouldn’t begin a diet unless they are very highly motivated to stick with it. And the program selected should involve only moderate reduction in calories, a well-balanced diet, and an exercise program.

It is important to realize that certain foods are better than others at promoting weight loss. All calories are not created equal. A calorie of carbohydrate counts less than a calorie of fat. The reason for this is that the body uses 25% of the calories of dietary carbohydrates to store them as fat. But the body needs only 2.5% of the calories of dietary fats to store them as body fat. Thus only 75% of dietary carbohydrate, but 97.5% of dietary fats, can be stored by the body.

Recent advances in biotechnology offer the hope of understanding the metabolic problems of the obese. Metabolic typing with inappropriate diet match, insulin resistance, metabolic set point, hormonal imbalance such as hypothyrodism and lifestyle and hidden diseases could all be causes of obesity.  You will need to consult your nutritionist to identify the root cause of your weight gain. Choosing the right diet and supplements to reset your metabolic resistance is the key to reduce weight as well as  maintaining long term health.

This information is provided by © Copyright 2018 Genesis Health Inc. All rights reserved. This is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or nutritionist. Please consult your nutritionist for advice about a specific medical condition.