Ketogenesis

Ketogenesis is a metabolic process in which the body, under conditions of carbohydrate restriction, actively starts using fats as the primary source of energy, converting them into ketone bodies.

This process is crucial for understanding how the ketogenic diet works.

When a person consumes carbohydrates in small amounts, the blood glucose level decreases, and the body starts looking for an alternative energy source. The liver begins converting fats into ketone bodies, which are then used as fuel for the brain and muscles.

Stages of ketogenesis:

1. Decrease in insulin levels in the blood due to reduced carbohydrate intake.
2. Breakdown of fats into fatty acids and glycerol in fat cells.
3. Transport of fatty acids to the liver.
4. Conversion of fatty acids into ketone bodies (acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone, which can be used by various tissues in the body as an energy source).

Ketogenesis and the Ketogenic Diet

Ketogenesis plays a central role in the mechanism of the ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet promotes the initiation of ketogenesis by strongly limiting carbohydrates and increasing fat consumption, while keeping the amount of protein moderate.

This diet may include the following foods:

• Meat and poultry.
• Fatty fish.
• Eggs.
• Cheese.
• Nuts and seeds.
• Fats and oils (e.g., coconut oil, olive oil).
• Non-starchy vegetables (e.g., leafy greens, broccoli).

By restricting carbohydrates, the body is forced to switch to an alternative energy source – ketone bodies, leading to a state of ketosis.