Ketogenic Amino Acids

Amino acids are classified as essential and non essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are the acids which our body can't produce on its own, whereas non essential amino acids are the acids which body can synthesize on its own. When the body's energy sources are limited, it seeks protein degradation, for instance, amino acid degradation, as back - up energy source. 'What is ketogenesis?' Ketogenesis is the process which degenerates ketogenic amino acids.

Categories

Ketogenic amino acids can be defined as amino acids which can be converted into ketone, by the process of ketogenesis. Some amino acids can be transformed into acetyl CoA. Acetyl CoA sometimes get converted into acetoacetate. In wake of low blood glucose, acetoacetate, can rarely be consumed by brain as a source of energy. It should be noted that lycine and lucine are sole ketogenic amino acids, as they can't produce glucose at all. Rest amino acids are partially glucogenic. Glucogenic amino acids can be defined as amino acids which get transformed into glucose by the process of gluconeogenesis. Glucogenic amino acids degenerate into pyruvate, which gets converted into glucose, in wake of low glucose content. Fumarate or glucogenic amino acids include threonine, asparagine, glycine, alanine, valine, arginine, methionine, aspartate, histidine, cysteine and tyrosine, to name a few. Phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine, isoleucine and threonine are considered to be glucogenic and ketogenic, since they can be catabolized to acetoacetate and fumarate.

Mnemonics

It becomes difficult to remember all of these amino acids, since it is a long list. You can make a mnemonic to recall these. For instance if you want to memorize all essential amino acids, the best mnemonic for memorizing would be: 'PVT TIM HALL'. Each letter of this mnemonic stands for the name of an amino acid. P - Phenylalanine, V - Valine, T - Threonine, T - Tryptophan, I - Isoleucine, M - Methionine, H - Histidine, A - Arginine, L - Leucine, L - Lycine. Remember, last 2 acids are ketogenic amino acids.

Ketogenic Diet and Ketosis Diet

Ketogenic diet comprises proteins and fats and is poor in carbohydrate content. When a person suffering from disorders like seizures does not respond to medication, this diet for seizures is recommended. However, it is mandatory to follow this diet under medical supervision, since it leads to increase in ketone bodies or toxic acids. Sometimes also termed as ketosis diet, involves following a diet which starves your body of sugars and carbohydrates. While on ketogenic diet for weight loss, your body gets build up with ketone, also called ketosis. As a result, ketone content in the blood goes much higher as compared to glucose content. During ketosis, your body starts burning fats and insulin level lowers and glucagon production takes place. Within 3-4 days of starting a low carb diet, your body shows ketosis symptoms, such as, nausea along with stomach ache, headache, weariness, cold feet, thirsty feeling which persists for longer period and bad breath, also referred to as ketosis breath. In some cases, ketosis side effects may last up to a week, till the body gets acclimatized to fat burning.

There is a debate between health professionals about ketosis diet. People against it claim that carbs are vital for sound body functioning and excess ketones may lead to toxicity. However, people for it claim there is no harm in following ketogenic diet in moderation, since energy received from ketosis enhances heart functioning, provided it's in moderate quantity. This was about ketogenic amino acids and ketosis diet. I hope you found this information useful.