Following Keto diet with Intermittent Fasting - why is my fasting blood glucose rising?

(Jennifer Tippie) #1

I have found some information on this but don’t have some questions about it. Why is it that while following the keto diet (5% carbs from veggies and nuts, moderate protein, high fat), coupled with 16/8 IF and moderate exercise, that fasting blood glucose rises? It seems like the lower carbs I eat, the higher fasting blood glucose rises.

Now, to be fair I do tend to cheat on the weekends so I don’t know that I’m fully in ketosis. The information I’ve found says that blood glucose may be rising due to insulin levels dropping and thus the body is able to release more stored glycogen, which would explain a higher fasting blood glucose. Is this true? Research to support this? And if so, does that also mean that once fully in ketosis fasting blood sugar will drop back down?

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #2

Yes and no. Once you are fully fat-adapted, which is the real point of the whole way of eating, your muscles become able to metabolize fatty acids as well as ketone bodies, so they start refusing the glucose and ketones made by the liver, so as to spare them for the organs that really need them.

The brain, for example, can’t burn fatty acids, because they can’t cross the blood-brain barrier, so it uses β-hydroxybutyrate, and loves it. The red blood cells have to have glucose, because they lack mitochondria and therefore can’t burn anything else.

The point is that your blood glucose should lower into the normal range, and then it may rise again somewhat. As long as your HbA1C stays in the normal range (i.e., below 5.5), you will be just fine. I would suggest waiting for at least six months on keto before getting bloodwork done, since it usually takes people’s numbers that long to settle down. In the meantime, keep calm, and keto on!

(Jennifer Tippie) #3

Great info. Guess I really gotta get a handle on my weekend cheating. Ooops. Lol. Thanks so much!

#4

Excellent response, @PaulL!
As usual, you are a veritable fount of information!