Gluconeogenesis.: So, yesterday I posted that... - Diabetes India

Diabetes India

61,843 members12,095 posts

Gluconeogenesis.

MikePollard profile image
3 Replies

So, yesterday I posted that of the three macronutrients - protein, fat and carbohydrate, the only one you could live the rest of your life by not consuming is carbohydrate. I’ll say it again - if you never consumed a single gram of carbohydrate again, you would live a normal lifespan. So I have to make good on my claim. This is a very simplified explanation of incredibly complicated biochemistry.

The only cells in your body that require glucose for energy are red blood cells. Red blood cells do not have mitochondria (cell furnaces if you like that can burn fat or glucose for energy). All other cells in the body have mitochondria. 

It’s often said that the brain uses only glucose for fuel, not true - it runs perfectly, in fact optimally burning ketones - made from fat in the liver.

So having established that, there is still need for glucose, if you cut ALL carbohydrate from the diet, where does it come from?

That’s where gluconeogenesis (literally 'new sugar') comes in. This is glucose easily made from the breakdown of protein. So, if you have protein and fat as your food source (Inuit of Canada) then you’re good to go.

However, what if your only food is fat?

What then?

Well, not as efficient as synthesis from protein, but glucose can be synthesised from fat. And here’s the definitive example without me providing multiple links.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

This man, under rigid clinical conditions fed himself ONLY fat (from his stores) for 382 days, and if carbohydrate were an ESSENTIAL nutrient he would be dead. And by the way, that fat was SATURATED fat.

Am I advocating cutting out all carbohydrate? Not at all, green vegetables and other low carbohydrate, nutrient dense plants are just fine (but yes - when we come to highly processed, fast digested junk) but as an exercise in shifting thinking I think it works and illustrates the incredible efficiency of the body if treated properly.

And remember, keeping insulin low (by cutting carbohydrate right back) is an excellent way to lose weight, become insulin sensitive and reverse T2 diabetes.

Written by
MikePollard profile image
MikePollard
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
3 Replies

Good write up mike

songbird5 profile image
songbird5

Absolutely brilliant.

MikePollard profile image
MikePollard

Just added - the fat he was burning was the deadly saturated fat that will clog your arteries. 276 pounds of it!

You may also like...

Rationale of Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) diet

If you are a type 2 D, training your body to live with the impaired beta cells and the resultant...

Healing beta cells without drugs

beta cells is by lowering insulin resistance. According to Charles Burant, MD, All you have

Diabetes diet for Indians

5.Good fats such as Omega 3 and MUFA should be consumed as they are good for the body. Natural...

Alpha Lipoic Acid and its benefits

transport glucose into the cells in the absence of insulin. We have ALA inside our cells. Alpha...

Some known and unknown facts about blood sugar and diabetes.

opposite to insulin. IGF is just an extension of growth hormone.Its functions include, fat...