Why does ketosis feel so good? Anyone who’s ever experienced ketosis will know what an amazing experience it is. You feel less hungry, you crave less unhealthy foods, you feel more focused, and your energy levels go THROUGH THE ROOF.
So what’s going on here? How is it that simply switching your energy source from carbs so fat can have all these amazing feeling benefits?
Well, when you’re low enough on glucose, the liver builds ketone bodies from fat reserves. Interestingly, even when you’re deep into ketosis, the body still uses glucose as fuel. This would usually come from carbs, but glucose is not an essential nutrient, meaning you don’t actually have to consume it because the body can create what it needs on its own. We can’t say the same for all healthy fats..
However, in ketosis, ketone bodies are the PREFERENTIAL form of energy, especially for the brain. In ketosis, our brain is powered by around 75% ketone bodies and 25% glucose. So why does it make this switch? Why use so much more ketone bodies, when the liver CAN create glucose on its own. Well, clearly we’ve evolved this way for a reason, and in this case, the reason lies in our mitochondria..
You may remember from high school science class that mitochondria are the powerhouses of our cells. So how do ketone bodies affect the mitochondria? Well, when you’re on a carb based diet, mitochondria combines with glucose to create energy. However, on a keto diet, mitochondria combines with ketone bodies to create energy. ketone bodies are a lot more effective here because for every unit of oxygen they combine with, they’ve been shown to produce MORE ENERGY than glucose. So basically, every time you breath in, YOU CREATE MORE POWER.
But that’s not all..
Studies have also shown that when you consistently power your brain with ketone bodies, the gene expression in your brain changes for the better, allowing you to create MORE mitochondria. So not only can ketosis make each POWERHOUSE MORE POWERFUL, it can also create MORE POWERHOUSES. Pretty impressive stuff.
And that’s not all..
A keto diet may actually INHIBIT a major source of neuronal stress. The human body is not perfect. An example of this is an unfortunate byproduct of cellular metabolism; something called reactive oxygen species.
Normally, oxygen atoms have two electrons each. Reactive oxygen species have just one. This makes them highly reactive, which can cause havoc when they roam through the body, bombarding into proteins and cell membranes, wrecking their structure. Ketone bodies directly inhibit the production of these violent molecules, and enhance their breakdown. The direct result of less of these reactive oxygen species not reacting with the brain is that you’ll be able to THINK CLEARER.
There’s a lot more we could cover and the source below is well written and goes into great detail into the science. But to keep this short and sweet, we’ll say “but that’s not all” just one more time..
Brain neurons exist on a balance between excitement and inhibition through two main neurotransmitters, the excitatory glutamate and the inhibitory GABA. Too much glutamate can cause chaos in the brain, leading to anxiety and stress. GABA is the opposite; it allows you to relax and process information in a very calm and collected way. Ketone bodies have shown to directly inhibit our neurons from overloading on glutamate and improve GABA receptors. As a result, your brain is a lot more able to THINK CALMER.
To conclude, we’d like to remind you that none of this is exact science and it would be wise to consider your doctor before changing your diet if you haven’t already. But we’ve experienced all of this; more energy, clearer thoughts and calmer thoughts. And if you’d like to SUPERCHARGE your way there, then check out our #1 Biohacking tool, the drinkable fermented ketones that put you in a state of ketosis without being on a strict Keto or Low Carb diet. They are ideal for those looking to improve fat loss, energy, mood, sleep, skin, digestion, and energy.
Sources
The Fat Fueled Brain – https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/the-fat-fueled-brain-unnatural-or-advantageous/
