Information Regarding Ketogenic Diets

[dizmouk2009]

Over the past few years I have been trying to understand the 'complex' workings of a Ketogenic Diet. I am fully aware of how and why ketosis occurs but however I am not a hundred percent sure about the following:

Before the starvation period (It varies but if I remember correctly this happens after 5 days - it depends on the person) what percentage of fat to muscle does the body 'burn'?

I understand that muscle mass is wasted but on a number of forums (and I'm talking about 20 (read over the last 3 years)) people, including doctors (apparently) have said the order goes like this....

1. Body fat stores are used (burned) primarily until there is no longer any fat stones left.
2. Unimportant muscle mass used (burned), this covers everything apart from major organs.
3. The body then starts to use (burn) its own organs (the heart being the last apparently) and eventually result in death.

I'd like to agree with this, especially if at the same time the person on a ketogenic diet were to be taking in high levels of protein each day; surely this would ensure that muscles were kept intact (as long as that person were to be exercising regularly) ?

I'm not interested in the nutritional dangers of this diet I mearly wish to try and get to the bottom of the question: "Which burns first - muscle or fat during a ketogenic diet whilst taking high levels of protein?"

Thanks in advance,
Dizmo,

P.S I tried this diet a few years ago and I dropped from 88.45 Kg down to 77.11 Kg within 3 weeks, during which I did not knowingly physically suffer from any ill side effects. Also just incase anyone mentions it, it wasn't water weight, no one loses that much in water and looks as good as I did.

[tamirra]

http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/ketogenic.html

[dizmouk2009]

"During starvation, the body first uses its store of glucose and glycogen, then begins to burn the stored body fat. When there is not sufficient glucose available, the fats cannot be completely burned and ketone bodies (acetoacetate and beta hydroxy butyrate) are left as the residue of incompletely burned fat"

So I'm am right, saying that the process is Fat > Muscle > Organs > Death...

Thanks for the link tamirra, I'm shocked I've never come across that website before, since I've spend days (litrally) looking for that information.

[tamirra]

http://www.mynchen.de...he_ketogenic_diet.htm

[tamirra]

Your welcome, i would`t try the diet if i were you. x

[dizmouk2009]

I have no intention to, I just got fed up of never getting to the bottom of it. The diet is perfectly safe if controlled properly; keeping high levels of protein in the body, drinking plenty of water and, the diet works better if you eat a high quality of carbohydrates every 6-7 days. Doing so stop the body going into starvation which, slows down metabolic rate to a more or less stand still.

[tamirra]

Think i will give it a miss thank you lol. x

[dizmouk2009]

*quantity

I found eating 3500 calories for just 1 meal (McDonalds saves the day again) increased the weight loss - and it was a tasty treat. Tuesdays was my 'eat and drink as much alcohol as you like day', and by that I mean 'as much as you can get down your neck'. :)

[dizmouk2009]

Well I bet you don't have a weight issue :p x

[tamirra]

Mmmm i sure do.

[dizmouk2009]

It's not how you look, it's how you feel :)x

[tamirra]

I feel fat, i have a large tummy, big thighs and lots of celulite, having had two children oldest being 22, hysterectomy at the age of 25, i feel old and fat at 44.

[dizmouk2009]

Early age to have a hysterectomy, was there a problem?
Sorry for being nosey, just ignore me if it's too personal. I'm just trying to get as much medical knowledge inside of me before going to Medical School.

[tamirra]

No thats ok, a bit personal and upsetting but it was a long time ago, when i was 17 i was raped by my then boss, he unfortunatly gave me the wart virus which was on my uterus as well as on my vagina and tops of my legs, it was only after i was married that i had problems after intercourse with painful sex and bleeding, they investigated and found that my womb had stuck to my spine, luckly i had 2 children before the operation so they saw no reason not to operate and remove it, i was told i would never be able to carry another baby with the womb and where it was stuck because the bigger i got the strain on my spine would have left me bed ridden throughout the later stages, that is if i managed to carry the baby in that situation which was doubtful. Hope that helped with your medical knowledge. Good luck.

[dizmouk2009]

Sorry to hear that tamirra, I hope the bas**rd went down for doing that!, Thanks for adding to my Medical knowledge. Take care x

[tamirra]

Dizmouk to tell you the truth i never reported it, i blamed myself, like we do, i blamed myself because i went to his house for a roast dinner and i shouldnt have done, he drugged my drink and it happened, i remember it ike it was yesterday, but hey life goes on and i survived, lots dont. Take care. xx