Ketones: Necessary for Optimal Fat Loss?

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References [Copy & Paste DOI into Search Engine]
[2] doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.27326

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[jameslester]

Being in Ketosis helps with food addictions and as times goes by, I don't feel the need to emotionally eat.

[upaiaq]

When I'm in ketosis I don't have cravings for anything that will spike my blood sugar. When I spike my blood sugar as with carbs, I get cravings when my blood sugar drops. For me, it works to keep it that simple.

[joeydebra]

I believe the main difference is that the more ketogenic style diets are easier to maintain since you have more control over your hunger and thus will have an easier time being in a small deficit required to actually transport those fatty acids from the fat cells into the liver for conversion. Ketosis is more of sign that your body is actually shedding more calories. Staying on a high carb diet will be harder to maintain due to increased hunger and you will need to watch your insulin levels more closely if you actually want to burn fat.

[kiwikim]

I first saw you in a video you made three years ago. Then I watched several of your recent ones. You look so much more manly and healthy now.

Ive been experimenting with h tracking my macros 80% calories from fat and 20% calories from protein plus 72 hour fast weekly for five weeks. What I learned was eating fat increases ketones and also fasting really increases ketones. So we make ketones when eating fat and when also when burning our own fat.

[chrisshepard]

Can you do a video on taking bhb salts/ketones and if they work, at what dose, and anything else you can think of. You'll potentially be saving me a lot of money lol

[EdOConnor]

My (layman's) understanding of the medical literature on fat metabolism is that *all* fat burning comes from stored fat. In other words, the fat must first be stored in order to be burned. The exception to this, i.e., where dietary fat can be burned immediately upon absorption, is in the case of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT oils) which are found in small to modest amounts in dietary fat (but more significant in fats like coconut oil).

This is in contrast to carb metabolism, where dietary glucose can be burned immediately upon delivery to cells.

[mgib]

Obviously not science based; just anecdotal, but I love being on Keto. Very little hunger, two meals a day in a 4 hour window, can easily do 36 hour fasts weekly, and 3-5 day fasts every 2-moths, and most importantly, it tends to naturally steer you towards eating more healthily; i.e. no processed food, no sugar, no alcohol, grass fed meat, pasture raised eggs etc. I am down 100lb in 18-months, but more importantly lots more energy, clear brain, stable emotions etc. Again, I know it is not science based, but it works well for me.

[skaltura]

Blood level ketone bodies could remain low if they are being used, perhaps elevated levels are when not all of them are used and liver makes them for reserve in case there's a sudden energy demand?

Also in some studies ketone levels start dropping over time, some explained that body learns the right level over time. This was only 8 weeks, and in those cases it's been said it takes months. Adaptation takes time.

[martinwallace]

1:06 "necessitous". I think you mean "necessary". Necessitous means "lacking the necessities of life." Excellent video... I'm just a hopeless pedant.

[batlin]

One of the biggest practical differences between low fat diets, continuous energy restriction diets and keto is the effect on nutrient-sensing hormones and their impact on hunger. Subjects enrolled in an isocaloric study with predetermined meal plans and frequent measurements are going to have some extrinsic motivation to really stick with the diet (whether LC, LF, CR or IF). But normies won't have that same sense of external accountability, and are more likely to fall victim to hunger pangs. But there's pretty good evidence (and mechanistic explanations) for a hunger suppression effect of ketosis. So while both low fat and low carb diets CAN work, it's important to ask whether they are LIKELY to work for normal people who are not being regularly monitored as subjects in a controlled study.
That's not to say that keto is trivially easy to stick to -- I've gone on and off it many times. The first time I last about 2 months and lost 9 kg, but after that I'd only manage a few weeks before bailing because of a work party or other social event with the best donuts you've ever seen... But there is definitely an appetite suppression effect that makes it easier to stick to the diet and avoid binging, as long as some basic prep work is done (e.g. always having keto-friendly ingredients in the fridge, because you're not going to find a lot of options when out and about).

[netional]

What I think confuses many people is that they equate fat burning with ketone production. But normally you burn fat in the citric acid cycle without any ketone production. This is even the case when burning much more fat than carbohydrates.

[my_stuff]

lol..oh my. What was the funny piece around 2:17 referencing? An 90s Saturday morning cartoon PSA? I am trying to remember, but its escaping me.

[JulAlxAU]

The only benefit of a ketogenic diet for weight loss is the great appetite control that is achieved by stabilising the blood sugar which in turn causes a better control over the caloric intake. That is also achievable by a high carb, low fat diet. It’s all about stabilising the blood sugar.

[peterz]

I am not on a "ketogenic" diet, but do eat within a 8 to 9 hour window. Prior to first meal my ketones are typically around 0.4 mmol, sometimes a bit higher, suggesting low insulin. HbA1c run 5% +- 0.1%. hsCRP typically 0.3 mg/L. Diet is mostly plants, including brown rice and potatoes. I eat nuts and olives and olive oil so not low fat. been doing this for 10 years. 69 yo male.

[apriljohnson]

Very, very well done. Thanks for proving your point so well on presentation bias.

[CarnivoreTalk]

While I agree there is more than one way to shed the weight, I must say that I do so more easily with ketosis. I have more sustained energy, and I feel fuller longer. My previous low fat or calorie restricted diets had me starving all the time.

[richardcottone]

since high-school, I've been between 145 and 155 lbs. I'm 81 years old, 5 ft 10 in. I eat a lot of bread, pasta and sweet treats . I still work 20 hrs a week. In my work I regularly lift 30 to 60 lbs. often during the day. On occasion, I will load a 95 lb. bag of portland cement. I do have thalassemia minor, but it's not a problem. The problem with most people is that they don't do enough physical work. If you get a job doing that you don't have to work out, plus you get paid for it . I retired at 55 from my job at United Airlines, where, on an average day I would load ( that is pick up and carry) about 30 thousand lbs. My travel benefits allowed me to travel all around the world . Life is still good, being a poor uneducated slob

[Magnulus]

I've experienced low grade ketosis on a high carb, calorie restricted, whole foods diet. When I eat a eucaloric diet, I stop producing any breath ketones after a week or so, and weight loss also stops.

[stefanweilhartner]

"when controlling for energy intake, the effect disappears"
that is exactly the point. keytones might have a hormonal impact on ghrelin, which is part of the success. also running your brain partially on keytones is great. like high octane fuel.
sadly, 4 packs of antibiotics destroyed the health of my L-cells / gut health and my blood glucose level is higher now and preventing body fat loss for me. that is what i try to fix now.
maybe a few gram of glutamine in the morning turns things in the right direction. lowers cortisol and boosts the health of my L-cells.

[Manweor]

Fat adaptation is obtained by going low carb in general. And fat adaptation helps you intake less energy effortless. Being in ketosis helps even more. None are necessary but both help a great deal to maintain the diet. And if you reduce the food intake you want more nutrient rich food like you get in most keto diets. It also makes it much easier to go on fasts, which have great health benefits in addition to weight control.