elmacri said:I am just staring my partner on a ketogenic diet and he is a type 1. I also believe it is the way forward to control sugar levels.
Remember, the primary fuel for neurons is glucose. When not enough of it is available, the brain stops working. We saw this demonstrated tellingly when Sophie wound up in the ER from hypoglycemia caused by her insulin overdose. Fat, protein, and carbohydrate can be used as fuel by the body. However, of the three, only glucose (what carbohydrates are broken down into) can be used by the brain. The good news is that ketones provide an additional fuel source for nerve cells, which our brains are full of. The not-quite-good news is that ketones are not available in grocery stores - directly.
When fats are partially oxidized (science-speak for what happens when fats are burned in cells), ketones can be generated. This happens very easily to a-linolenic acid. Stated differently, a-linolenic acid is very ketogenic. That means it produces ketones in the body. So, foods that contain a-linolenic acid are the source of a powerful brain fuel, and an additional energy source - one that is even higher octane than glucose! Whenever glucose is in short supply, ketones can fill in. Sources of a-linolenic acid are listed in tables 6.1, 6.3, 6.4, and 6.5.
It might be helpful to provide an example of why having an optional energy source (ketones) in addition to glucose is important. Since the brain doesn't care where its energy comes from (glucose or ketones), when glucose is in short supply, ketones can easily fill in. It's like hybrid cars being able to use ethanol instead of gasoline. The use of glucose and ketones in the brain is an analogous situation. This beneficial action might have been helpful for Sophie when she was taken to the ER suffering from hypoglycemia. She lost consciousness because there was insufficient glucose to produce all the energy the brain required. If ketones had been present, they could have been a substitute fuel for the neurons. When this happens, there is no power shortage, and no symptoms of brain starvation develop.
sharonValerie said:Hi there, I have always suffered really low blood sugar without any symptoms and I've always thought everything was ok. However, these values have been as low as 0.8 and I've still been conscious, but, there is a time when now matter how I feel, those around me become aware that something is terribly wrong and I usually end up in a coma with no memory afterwards. On one such occasion I fell down stairs and broke my neck, but there have been many just as scary incidents. Not feeling the hypo symptoms may make you feel normal, but I promise that it is far from that. I have even had a conversation with my doctor with a value of 2.1 and the doctor not be aware straight away. It makes you unsafe to drive and do many things as you don't know when you're going to go hypo. You must try and find a way to raise you blood sugar to a normal level to avoid any of the unpleasantness that can come from not knowing about it. Good luck.
Hooked said:Unawareness of hypos is a dangerous thing and can KILL.
iHs said:Hello Diamond
The reason why you are not experiencing any warning of when you are going low with your bg levels, is as Sam has said. Your brain has got used to your low bg. However, what you are doing is silly and so unecessary (IMO). You can be well with diabetes without going to the lengths you are taking. :crazy:
Please for the sake of your well being, aim to get your morning bg levels at 5mmol at least and try to keep bg maintained between 5 and 8mmol. This should be easy for you to achieve with/high protein diet/ low carb diet and will still give you a good hba1c level.
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