# Ketosis

Category: Metabolism

Also known as: ketogenic diet, keto, ketones, ketone bodies

Ketosis is a metabolic state that Ray Peat argued activates the stress system when the body is forced to produce its own ketone bodies due to insufficient dietary sugar. Peat explained that turning on the process of making ketones means you aren't getting enough glucose or…

6 passages · 3 authors · 2007–2020 · Most-cited: [Ray Peat](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/voices/ray-peat/index.md)

Canonical page: https://bioenergeticoracle.com/concepts/ketosis

## Synthesis

**Ketosis** is a metabolic state that Ray Peat argued *activates the stress system* when the body is forced to produce its own ketone bodies due to insufficient dietary sugar. [Source 1] Peat explained that turning on the process of making ketones means you aren't getting enough glucose or fructose, which triggers **cortisol** production with its chronic harmful and developmental effects. [Source 1] Danny Roddy has elaborated that this state mimics the stress metabolism, noting that the enhanced mobilization and oxidation of fat is one of the fundamental responses to stress, and that becoming a "fat burner" through carbohydrate restriction is a hallmark of aging and disease. [Source 3] The mechanism involves a short-term increase in **adrenaline** to liberate free fatty acids, followed by a long-term rise in **cortisol** and other pituitary hormones that increase the rate of lipolysis, slowing the metabolism and bringing systemic renewal to a halt. [Source 3]

A central physiological defect of endogenous ketosis is the suppression of oxidative metabolism and **carbon dioxide** production. Roddy has pointed out that the oxidation of free fatty acids provides far less carbon dioxide than the oxidation of glucose, and that carbon dioxide is a basic anti-stress factor and a critical cofactor for the assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins. [Source 3] This shift in fuel oxidation also alters the cellular redox state. Peat described how carbon dioxide acts as a cardinal adsorbent that pulls electrons out of the system, shifting the **NAD+/NADH ratio** toward the oxidized side. [Source 6] Without sufficient carbohydrate intake, the organism mounts a chronic adaptive stress response that becomes less efficient over time, leading to what Roddy characterized as a *hibernation-like state* for humans, measurable by a declining resting pulse rate and body temperature. [Source 3, 4]

Despite these criticisms, Peat and Georgi Dinkov acknowledged that certain ketone bodies and related molecules have protective, GABAergic properties that explain the anti-seizure effects of ketogenic diets. Peat noted that **beta-hydroxybutyrate** is structurally close to GABA, and that other close analogs like gamma-hydroxybutyrate act as regulatory substances rather than mere energy sources. [Source 2] Dinkov emphasized that these anti-epileptic effects are specific to the type of fat consumed; they occur with short-chain saturated fatty acids and long-chain saturated fats, but not with polyunsaturated vegetable oils high in linoleic acid. [Source 5] This suggests that the benefit is not from ketosis itself, but from the *type of fat* being used. [Source 5] Peat further distinguished that dietary precursors which are partly formed ketones are "equivalent to sugar, only better," whereas endogenous production driven by sugar deprivation is harmful. [Source 1]

The therapeutic application of ketone bodies extends to mitochondrial repair. Peat cited evidence that providing ketone bodies can replace genetically defective mitochondria with genetically normal ones, and that medium-chain triglycerides can improve mental functions in Alzheimer's patients, a condition he described as "diabetes of the brain" due to slow glucose and oxygen utilization. [Source 2] However, the metabolic context remains crucial. Roddy and Dinkov observed that many on ketogenic diets experience increased muscle soreness due to the conversion of glucose to **lactic acid** in the absence of sufficient carbon dioxide, a phenomenon akin to the Warburg effect. [Source 5] Peat noted that diabetics, who are often described as unable to use glucose, typically have increased lactate in their blood, indicating wasteful glucose metabolism alongside fat oxidation. [Source 2] The elevation of free fatty acids and the reliance on lipolysis are thus seen not as a metabolic advantage, but as a compensatory stress response that precedes hyperglycemia. [Source 3]

## People also ask

### How does ketosis activate the body's stress system?

Peat argued that producing ketones from a lack of dietary sugar triggers cortisol release, while Roddy noted the process mimics stress metabolism by increasing fat mobilization and oxidation, slowing metabolism over time.

### Why does ketosis suppress carbon dioxide production?

The corpus describes how oxidizing free fatty acids yields far less carbon dioxide than oxidizing glucose, and since carbon dioxide is a critical anti-stress factor, this suppression undermines systemic renewal and vitamin assimilation.

### What type of fat determines the anti-seizure benefit of a ketogenic diet?

Dinkov emphasized that the anti-epileptic effects occur with short-chain and long-chain saturated fats, but not with polyunsaturated vegetable oils high in linoleic acid, suggesting the benefit comes from the fat type rather than ketosis itself.

## Related concepts

- [Activated Charcoal](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/activated-charcoal/index.md)
- [Arachidonic Acid](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/arachidonic-acid/index.md)
- [Epilepsy](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/epilepsy/index.md)
- [GABA](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/gaba/index.md)
- [Mitochondria](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/mitochondria/index.md)
- [NAD+ and NADH](https://bioenergeticoracle.com/md/concepts/nad-and-nadh/index.md)

## Cited passages

Passage numbers match the `[Source N]` markers in the synthesis above.

### Source 1 — Ask the Herb Doctor: Vaccination & Immunity II

Ray Peat · Interview · Jul 18, 2014

> **Andrew Murray:** Interesting. Well, we actually have two more callers, but I don’t think we are going to get a chance to. I think if this caller can be very quick and your response, Dr. Peat, without cutting you short can be equally quick, then perhaps we can take it.
>
> **Caller:** My question was about the ketosis concept. I'm curious about ketosis.
>
> **Andrew Murray:** Ketosis.
>
> **Caller:** And it’s actually the best idea to eat mostly fat and a little bit of greens, but not grains and no sugar I’ve heard.
>
> **Ray Peat:** No, I think it activates the stress system if you’re having to produce the ketones yourself.
>
> **Caller:** That’s not good? Are you supposed to eat grains?
>
> **Ray Peat:** If you have some in your diet, precursors that are partly formed already ketones, those are great and are equivalent to sugar, only better.
>
> **Caller:** I'm not following here.
>
> **Ray Peat:** Well, if you have to turn on the process of making them, it means you aren’t getting enough sugar in your diet, enough glucose or fructose.
>
> **Caller:** Where do I find this information because everywhere I look it says the opposite.

### Source 2 — The Gaba System Defenses and Tissue Renewal

Ray Peat · Article · 2007

> A ketogenic diet produces acetone, acetoacetate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate ("ketone bodies") and these are protective against seizures (Rho, et al., 2002). Besides providing energy to mitochondria, hydroxybutyrate is structurally close to GABA. Other close analogs, gamma-hydroxybutyrate, gamma-butyrolactone, and 1,4-butanediol, clearly act as regulatory substances, rather than as mere energy sources, though mitochondrial energy supply is an important issue in seizures. Even acetate itself is protective (Urion, et al., 1979).
>
> A feature common to many antiseizure chemicals is a series of saturated carbon atoms, for example valproic acid (2-propylpentanoic acid), valeric acid (pentanoic acid), dipropylacetic acid, isoleucine (2-amino-3-methylpentanoic acid), and leucine (2-amino-4-methylpentanoic acid).
>
> The main difference between metabolism of glucose and metabolism of fat for energy is that fat can't be metabolized into lactic acid, while glucose and fat can both be metabolized to carbon dioxide. When mitochondria are damaged, cells compensate by producing and excreting lactic acid. Alzheimer's disease has been described as "diabetes of the brain," because the demented brain uses glucose and oxygen very slowly. The easily metabolized medium chain triglycerides can improve mental functions in Alzheimer's patients (Reger, et al., 2004).
>
> Although diabetes is described as an inability to use glucose, diabetics usually have increased lactate in their blood, indicating that glucose is being used wastefully, at the same time that some energy is produced from fat. Mitochondria damaged by chronic exposure to PUFA have a low rate of oxygen use and energy production. In old age, and sometimes in younger people, mitochondria lose some of their DNA, and are unable to produce the proteins needed for full metabolic activity. In younger people, a type of mitochondrial defect causes seizures and lactic acidosis. The production of lactic acid tends to raise the intracellular pH (especially when carbon dioxide isn't being produced) while it tends to lower the blood's pH. High intracellular pH is excitatory.

### Source 3 — Ketosis, or: How to Induce Metabolic Stress

Danny Roddy · Video Transcript · Nov 26, 2014 · https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHL7CyKoHPE

> This resulted in the organism mounting an adaptive stress response to restore stability. Over time, this chronic adaptive stress response would become less and less efficient, leading to the disorganization of the entire organism and ultimately death. Another way to think about it is that glucose, oxygen, and especially carbon dioxide are the most basic anti-stress factors. and that you wouldn't want to do anything to interfere with the utilization or the generation of these substances. So now that that's out of the way, let's talk about one reason why ketosis actually mimics the stress metabolism. If there's one thing to take away from this video, it's that becoming a fat burner, as they say, or increasing the rate of lipolysis through carbohydrate restriction voluntarily is a hallmark of aging and disease. For instance, one study found that free fatty acid levels increase long before hyperglycemia becomes present, and another said that there seems to be little doubt that there are signals for increased mobilization of fat in shock, trauma, and sepsis. And another quote, the enhanced mobilization and oxidation of fat is one of the fundamental responses to stress. The mechanism here is that in the short term, adrenaline is increased, squeezing all of the glycogen out of the liver and liberating free fatty acids into the blood. Over the long term, cortisol and a variety of other hormones, especially from the pituitary, increase the rate of lipolysis, slowing the metabolism and bringing the renewal of the entire organism to a screeching halt. Another way ketosis mimics the stress metabolism is by producing less carbon dioxide. This happens primarily by the oxidation of free fatty acids providing much less carbon dioxide than that of glucose. Glucose oxidation by way the link reaction and the enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase provides far more carbon dioxide than the oxidation of free fatty acids. In addition to being a basic anti-stress factor, Dr. Chris Masterjohn has recently pointed out that carbon dioxide is a critical cofactor for the assimilation of the oh so important fat soluble vitamins. a point that the entire paleo and ancestral health community has completely ignored. The final point I wanted to get across is that ketosis is essentially a hibernation-like state for humans.

### Source 4 — Ketosis, or: How to Induce Metabolic Stress

Danny Roddy · Video Transcript · Nov 26, 2014 · https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHL7CyKoHPE

> a point that the entire paleo and ancestral health community has completely ignored. The final point I wanted to get across is that ketosis is essentially a hibernation-like state for humans. Rather than taking my word for it, you the viewer can actually measure your metabolic rate and see if carbohydrate restriction or an increase in carbohydrate consumption or ketosis is having a measurable impact on your metabolic rate. My two favorite self-diagnostics are the resting pulse rate in combination with the body temperature, and measuring those a few times a day can provide insight into the rhythmic changes of the metabolism. Hans Selye found that the pulse could barely be felt in extreme stress situations, and Landsberg et al recently wrote a paper describing the association between a low body temperature and several different health problems. That's all for me. Please leave your constructive comments and criticisms in the comment section, and I'll talk to you guys soon.

### Source 5 — #16: Keto Diet, DHT, Lactic Acid, EMF, Morphostatic Immunity, and Medical Fraud with Georgi Dinkov

Georgi Dinkov (with Danny Roddy) · Interview · Feb 8, 2020 · https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ROH12GLna1r8f1GEfsMaj

> **Danny Roddy:** That's something I've thought about, of whether ketogenic people that intake exogenous ketones do better than people that are just kind of all natural. And because if they were to get a source of acetoacetate, they would be kind of maybe possibly mitigating some of the effects of the ketone body ratio and the beta-hydroxybutyrate in acetoacetate.
>
> **Georgi Dinkov:** Right. But also some of the short-chain fatty acids, there's a drug called valproic acid. It's sold usually as a sodium salt. And I think it's basically closely related to valeric acid. So these are short-chain fatty acids, and they're known to be basically potent GABA agonists. So these anti-epileptic effects that people are seeing from the keto diets, they only – first of all, I want to emphasize, they only occur if you're using short-chain fatty acids, which are the saturated ones, and or long-chain saturated fatty acids. They do not occur if you ingest corn oil, canola oil, or any of the other vegetable oils that are high on linoleic acids. So it's not really the ketosis here that's – it suggests that it's not the ketosis that's the benefit. It's something about the fat itself, the type of fat that you're using.

### Source 6 — Carbon Dioxide, Redox Balance, and The Ketone Body Ratio with Ray Peat  [Generative Energy #26]

Ray Peat · Interview · Apr 21, 2016

> ## The NAD+/NADH Ratio and Ketosis
>
> **Danny Roddy:** Speaking of carbon dioxide, a lot of people are talking about ketogenesis and ketosis diets. I think I read that carbon dioxide stimulated NADH oxidase. Would that be something, besides supporting mitochondrial respiration in general, that would support the NAD+ to NADH ratio?
>
> **Ray Peat:** Yeah, I think it's the function in Gilbert Ling's sense: an adsorbent that pulls electrons out of the system and makes a protein more actively acidic. I think it has that effect all through the cell. One of the effects of that is to let the cell release any excess water, so it has an anti-swelling effect. The retraction of the electrons by that cardinal adsorbent action on the proteins shifts the whole electronic state of the cell, making electrons scarcer. That ends up shifting the ratio between NAD and NADH towards the oxidized NAD side. After reading Gilbert Ling, I read Ephraim Racker and Albert Szent-Györgyi talking about electrons in cells. Szent-Györgyi's book was called *Bioelectronics*. Ephraim Racker coined the phrase "Nothing Dehydrogenases." Szent-Györgyi, working in England in the 1920s, studied related things—that there seems to be electrons or the equivalent of hydrogen from unidentified sources in living cells. Ephraim Racker removed all of the known fuel sources from cells, but his indicators of reductants kept getting reduced. He said the dehydrogenases were causing these chemicals to be reduced, but without a known source, it seemed to be an endless supply of electrons. So he called them the "nothing dehydrogenases." Szent-Györgyi theorized that these were some of the mobile electrons in the cytoplasmic protein-lipid systems and nucleic acid systems. Some of his associates were showing semi-conductive properties for both nucleic acids and proteins based on this mobility of electrons.

_Generated 2026-07-20 from the Bioenergetic Oracle corpus._