9 Ketosis Signs In Your Body & Everything About It

9 ketosis signs in your body and everything about it

Ketosis is the phenomena in which our body metabolizes fat instead of carbohydrates to produce ketones, which is further used by our cells to provide the energy to perform their normal functions.

Ketosis is the metabolic state of the body where the blood contains ketones, typically above a range of 0.5mmol/L.

In ketosis, your body metabolizes its fat stores for energy. You enter ketosis when your body doesn’t have enough glucose (carbohydrates) available.

Ketones are byproducts of the body breaking down fat for energy that occurs when carbohydrate intake is low.

While a lot of people follow the ketogenic diet, their purpose is to bring the body into a state of ketosis, which is high fat, adequate protein, and low carb.

Mechanism of Ketosis

1. Cutting the Carbs

When we cut the intake of carbs in our body, the glucose and glycogen levels in our body decrease, which decreases the blood sugar and insulin levels. That is when our body needs other fuel sources and burning of fat comes into the picture.

2. Breaking Down Fats

Ketosis breaks down fats for fuelling energy into the body the process of which is known as beta-oxidation. Here, the body experiences an increase in acetyl-CoA, which turns into acetoacetate.

Acetoacetate then changes to beta-hydroxybutyrate, which is the ketone element that stays in your bloodstream to provide energy to your mind and body.

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9 Symptoms That Show Your Body is in Ketogenic State

1. Oral Odor

There are often reports of bad breath from people who have reached the ketogenic state, which is quite a common side effect.

This is majorly caused by increased ketone level in the body, specifically, acetone that leaves the body through urine and breath [5].

While the bad breath may hinder your feel-good-factor but the good news is that it indicates that your ketosis diet is going well.

Signs of ketosis in your body
Signs of ketosis in your body

 

You do not have to get worried about the bad breath as it would not stay for long. It is not permanent.

2. Rapid Weight Loss

When you see that your body is undergoing rapid and consistent weight loss, know and be happy that your body is in ketosis. Ketogenic diets prove to be highly effective for weight loss [6].

When your body goes under the ketogenic state, it may experience fast weight loss during the first week.

While it appears to be fat loss, in reality, it is the stored carbs and water which is being used [7].

After the initial burning up of carbs and water weight, you should experience a consistent fat loss if you remain true to the diet.

3. Increased Ketones Levels in the Blood

The basis of the ketogenic diet is a reduction in blood sugar and increase in ketone levels in the bloodstream.

Further progression into the ketogenic diet entails burning of fat and ketones as the main energy provider to the body.

You can easily check the ketone level in your bloodstream by a specialized test that calculates the amount of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in your blood [8].

4. Increased Ketone Levels in Breath or Urine

Breath analyzers certainly have diverse utility besides checking the levels of alcohol in your body and here, you could use it to check the ketone levels in your breath.

While the use of breath analyzer to analyze the level of ketones in breath is pretty accurate, it is definitely less accurate than analyzing it through the blood monitor method.

If you wish to check the ketone levels in your urine, you could do it with the help of special indicator strips.

5. Suppressed Appetite

Many people who follow the ketogenic diet experiencereduced hunger pangs and appetite in general.

The reason for this phenomena is still being researched upon [9]. It may be because of increased protein and whole foods like vegetable intake along with induced changes in your hormonal levels.

6. Increase in Energy, Agility, and Focus

Low carb diet followers often experience brain fog, tiredness, fatigue and a feeling of sickness when during initiation of the diet. This is called the “keto flu”. This, however, is not the case with long-term ketosis diet followers.

In fact, long-term ketosis followers report feeling rejuvenated, energized and infused with agility and brain focus. Like any other natural phenomena, your body takes time to adjust to ketosis and it takes its own sweet time to start functioning properly.

Ketones have been tested to treat brain illnesses like memory loss and Alzheimer’s [10] [11] [12] and that is why people following ketosis experience clarity and improved brain functions.  

7. Short-Term Decreases in Physical Performance

When our body is used to utilizing carbs for energy, removing carbs from the diet leads to general fatigue in the beginning, which thus decreases the physical performance also.

After a few days into ketosis, the physical performances return to normalcy and in fact with a bang.

A study found that athletes who followed ketosis burned 230% more fat while exercising as compared to athletes who did not follow ketosis [13].

8. Digestive Problems

The initial foray into ketosis requires a major shift in the type of food you intake and this causes digestive issues such as constipation and diarrhea, which is one of the most common side effects.

Most of them subside after some time into ketosis. Ensure to consume healthy low carb vegetables, which contain plenty of fiber.

9. Lack of Sleep/Insomnia

Another crisis which ketosis followers face in their early days into the diet is that of sleeplessness or insomnia. This primarily happens because of the change in their diet.

A lot of people report insomnia or sleeplessness at night when their carbs intake is reduced drastically,

However this pattern improves in a few weeks when their bodies get accustomed to ketosis. Long term ketosis followers even report better sleep than they experienced before.

Benefits of Ketosis

Benefits of ketosis
Benefits of ketosis

As opposed to the belief that energy can be derived from only sugars in the body, ketosis, in the past few years has gained tremendous popularity as an energy-providing mechanism.

There have been various studies on its benefits which makes it hugely popular among mankind [14]. We have listed out a few of its benefits for you.

1. Accelerates Weight Loss

In ketosis, your body directly uses fat as the energy source which makes you lose weight rapidly. This is because the body metabolizes the stored fats in the body instead of the sugar you consume.

2. Gives Improved Energy Levels

Ketosis provides your body with consistent and sustained energy levels because it uses your own body fat for energy.

3. Increases Mental Agility and Focus

Wired naturally, fat comes across as a more consistent energy source and a preferred one too by the brain. This means you do not have many ups and downs in energy, agility, and focus.

4. Offers Prevention of Diseases and Longevity

The benefits of ketosis range from prevention of various diseases like inflammation [15], Alzheimer’s [16], cancer [17] and diabetes [18]. As a result, this also results in longevity.

5. Increased Physical Performance

In ketosis, oxygen is used more efficiently which helps in avoiding physical crashes of low blood sugar.

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FAQs
Q. What are symptoms of ketosis flu?

The common symptoms of ketosis flue are fatigue, nausea, dizziness, stomach irritability.

Q. Is dry mouth a sign of ketosis?

Ketosis is often seen to increase urination and hence, this can cause dry mouth or thirst sensations.

Q.What is the cause of ketosis?

Ketosis is caused by following a very low carb diet or even starving.

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2 thoughts on “9 Ketosis Signs In Your Body & Everything About It

    • somaraghavendra says:

      Hi Jenn! Thank you and glad to know that you liked our article. It explains the benefits of ketogenic diet.Keep following our blog to know more health information.

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