What is keto-adaptation?

VirtaHealth

By Dr. Stephen Phinney and the Virta Team

When maintained for several consecutive weeks, nutritional ketosis fundamentally changes the way cells work. This includes switching the mix of fuels they use, as well as awakening genes that are silenced by high-carb diets. Over time the body refines its metabolism to run on fat and ketones, ultimately manifested by two-fold higher rates of whole body fatty acid oxidation. Meanwhile glycolysis, insulin concentrations, constituitive inflammation, and oxidative stress are all decreased. As a result, keto-adaptation can have prompt and potent therapeutic effects; most notable reversal of clinical signs of metabolic syndrome and type-2 diabetes. Many other disorders/diseases may be amenable to keto-adaptation. This is an early-stage but burgeoning area of scientific investigation.

Read more in our deep dive on ketone basics here: https://blog.virtahealth.com/ketone-ketosis-basics/

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