Medical and Therapeutic Applications of Ketosis: An Overview

Abstract

Additionally, certain types of athletic performance have been shown to be enhanced through a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet and body composition has dramatically improved in clinical research of subjects on a ketogenic diet with an almost universal reduction in body fat. In order to properly mimic the benefits of fasting, the ketogenic diet was described in 1925 by Dr. Peterman, a physician at the Mayo Clinic, as "1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight in children, 10-15 grams of carbohydrates per day, and the remainder of the calories in fat", a calculation very similar to that used today by nutritionists and physicians [19-25]. Mechanisms The severe reduction of carbohydrate intake, whether through a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet or through fasting has several metabolic effects on the body, including reduced levels of insulin and increased levels of glucagon. Urinalysis is usually sufficient for the purposes of diet modification, however, for higher accuracy, blood serum levels of ketone bodies can be tested to indicate a state of ketogenesis.