What Is Ketosis?

Nowadays, more and more individuals are going on the ketogenic diet to get their bodies into ketosis. Getting into ketosis has become an increasingly popular trend, as it is suggested to have several health benefits based on information from many studies. Despite the number of studies out there, research assessing ketosis' effects on health is ongoing. With that, ketosis is widely compared to another condition called ketoacidosis. Continue reading on what ketosis is, causes of the condition, its side effects, and differences between ketosis and ketoacidosis.

What Ketosis Is

Ketosis is the state in which the body burns fat for energy instead of glucose. The state occurs as the result of consuming low amounts of carbohydrates. Many sources suggest to not go over fifty grams of net carbohydrates per day for getting into ketosis. Normally, the body converts carbohydrates into glucose. The glucose is then transferred into the bloodstream along with insulin, the hormone secreted by the pancreas. Insulin is what enables glucose to be absorbed into cells and used for energy. Insulin is also important for helping the body store glucose for future use.

As the outcome of the body using fat for energy, the liver releases substances called ketone bodies into the bloodstream. The three known types of ketone bodies consist of acetone, acetoacetate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate.

Learn about the different causes of ketosis now.