Energy substrates availability in milk
We calculated the ketogenic potential of different kinds of milk using the standard formula suggested by (Wilder, Winter, 1922) – see also The basics of the ketogenic diet
Ketogenic to Anti-Ketogenic Macronutrient Ratio
K:A=(0.9 fat +0.46 protein) : (1.0 carb +0.1 fat+0.54 protein) This formula essentially reflects the rate of utilization of either carbohydrate or lipid substrates depending of their availability The numbers in front of nutrient names are coefficients that are calculated based on nutrient ability to cause or resist ketosis. 1) Carbohydrate is assigned the coefficient 1.0 because it is an absolutely anti-ketogenic nutrient. The more carbohydrate grams contained in a diet, the less KB the body can produce 2) Fat is a 90-percent ketogenic nutrient 3)Protein can participate in the process of gluconeogenesis.
Here are K:A ratios of milk of some species.
Human milk – 0,568
Cow milk – 0,663
Goat milk – 0,779
Rat milk – 1,628
Mouse milk – 2,846
(Clinical data: out of 21,000 human neonates, 47 were in ketosis)
Source: Wilder R., Winter M. Thew threshold of ketogenesis. J. Biol. Chem. 1922 52: 393-401.
Ketosis dynamics in human newborns
Blood glucose concentration falls rapidly after birth, reaching its minimal level by 1 h of age and then rising to stabilize by 3 h of age even without feeding. During the first 8 h, newborns have low plasma ketone body concentrations despite adequate levels of precursor free fatty acids
Newborn brain potentially can utilize ketone bodies at a rate that is up to 40-fold greater than that of infant or adult brain
- Starting from 12 h of age, newborns show high ketone body turnover rates approaching those in adults after several days of fasting
- By the 6th postnatal day, breast-fed infants have lower blood glucose concentrations than formula-fed newborns but significantly higher ketone body concentrations and lower insulin responses
These findings suggest:
- ketogenic properties of breast milk, e.g., lipase content allowing delivery of fatty acids to the liver
- anti-ketogenic properties of protein, fat and energy load in the formula-fed infant
Sources: Denne, Kalhan, 1986; Kraus et. al, 1974, Bougneres et al., 1986, Hawdon et al., 1992; Persson B, Settergren, 1972; Stanley et al., 1979; Lucas et al., 198
Ketone bodies dynamics in neonatal rats
Related: Dynamics of ketosis in human newborns
- Ketone bodies are produced from fatty acids in liver mitochondria in response to low availability of carbohydrate fuel (in the blood plus stored as glycogen)
- Ketone bodies enter the cells by simple diffusion (beta-hydroxybutirate) or are carried by transporters (acetoacetate) thus supplying energy source that is 40% more efficient than glucose
(Glucose enter the cells being carried by transporters that are under the influence of insulin)
Ketone bodies are produced from fatty acids in liver mitochondria
- Ketone bodies are produced from fatty acids in liver mitochondria in response to low availability of carbohydrate fuel (in the blood plus stored as glycogen)
- Ketone bodies enter the cells by simple diffusion (beta-hydroxybutirate) or are carried by transporters (acetoacetate) thus supplying energy source that is 40% more efficient than glucose
(Glucose enter the cells being carried by transporters that are under the influence of insulin)
