Ketones and Autism Part 2 - Ketones as a Brain Fuel to treat Alzheimer’s, GLUT1 Deficiency and perhaps more
Today’s post looks at the role ketones can play as a fuel for the brain. The research has already shown that in young babies there is insufficient glucose to fuel their power-hungry growing brains and so ketones provide up to 40% of the fuel to their brains. Glucose or Ketones at the pump? This does show any sceptics that you can indeed safely combine two sources of fuel at the same time in humans; we have all done it. This process works in tiny babies because their diet is rich in medium chain fatty acids, which become the ketones. Only mitochondria in your brain and your muscles can be fuelled by ketones; some elite athletes take advantage of this. People who are overweight have excess adipose tissue (fat) and when in ketosis, fatty acids from this tissue are released into your blood and travel to the liver where they produce ketones. Mitochondria can also burn fatty acids directly. People losing weight on the ketogenic diet are burning fat and ketones as their main fuel source. To l...