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From: jak@mtgzz.UUCP (j.a.kushner)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: Need Advice on Limited-Carbohydrate Diet
Message-ID: <1425@mtgzz.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Nov-85 09:40:56 EST
Article-I.D.: mtgzz.1425
Posted: Wed Nov 20 09:40:56 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 21-Nov-85 04:57:00 EST
References: <508@cylixd.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Labs, Middletown NJ
Lines: 29

The loss of weight is certainly due to burning fats and excreting them through
the urine.  These fats are NOT making glucose, or other CHO's, though.  They are being broken down to 2 carbon units which, with sufficient CHO intermediates,
would normally produce a lot of energy (ATP) by going through the Krebs cycle
and then the respiratory (electron transport) chain.  They are building up in
excess and the only thing the body can do is to form 'ketone bodies', the keto-
acids acetoacetic, beta-hydroxy-butyric, and acetone (the volatile substance
giving the 'fruity' odor on the breath of a diabetic approaching diabetic coma).

By ridding yourself of these 'energy units', you certainly will lose weight
without exercise (similar in fashion to the anorrexic!)

What the body does to battle this acidosis is really the main problem.  The
dieting/weight-loss theory is fine, but the body cannot withstand the low pH.
The kidneys are the main compensatory organ (what is your urinary pH?), and
get some help from the lungs (how fast are you breathing).  The most serious
response is that the cells in the body will attempt to buffer the pH by 
exchanging intracellular K+ with extracellular H+.  The rest of the body sees
a relatively normal blood pH, thanks to all of the compensators, but inside the
cells the normal electrical potential gradient is upset.

Your irritability can be related to the low potential difference surrounding
the cell membrane.  The cells 'fire' very easily, with little stimulus.  Also,
your lack of energy is related to the fact that you are burning a lot more
calories than you are taking in, but by not producing the 'normal' amount of
ATP from these calories, you are feeling fatigued, constantly.


Hope some of this helps.  Good luck.
Jeff