We talk about blood sugar regulation a lot on my past podcasts starting back with “FIT FAT FAST” (look on www.thewholeathletepodcast.com for archieves).

The blood sugar roller coaster, blood sugar dysregulation and brain health are all a priority.

We are run by our innate intelligence.  We are built upon millions of cells- the fundamental our unit of life.  The mitochondria in each cell is the powerhouse unit to produce energy.  From the cells we make energy – they use glucose and fat for energy.  To create ATP in the mitochondria in our cells we can use glucose, fat or ketones.  The four step process to create ATP in cells in called the Krebs Cycle.  

Food is energy.  Let’s review how we get fuel from our food we eat:

• Carbohydrates – simple sugars/starches- monosaccarides- glucose-blood stream-storage as glycogen or fuel
• Fats- triglycerides, fatty acids – lymph system- into blood- building blocks, fuel and storage
• Proteins- amino acids, polypeptides – blood – building blocks and fuel

We only need so much glucose in our body at one time.  Glycogen is the stored form of glucose – once the liver and muscles storage area for glucose is at capacity then the excess glucose gets shuttled to the fat cells by the hormone insulin. The brain is always working to monitor the blood sugar levels in our body- to keep homeostasis and keep a slow stream of glucose in our blood but instead the average person takes in huge loads of sugar at once creating the “blood sugar roller coaster” ride.  The hormone insulin is released by the pancreas when the blood sugar levels are too high (hyperglycemia) and when the blood sugar levels are too low – the hormone cortisol helps collect glycogen (stored glucose) for fuel to bring back up the blood sugar levels to optimal level by getting fatty acids and protein, as well as glycogen, to bring the body back into homeostasis.  Glycogen stored in the liver is needed to elevate the blood sugar back to ideal levels- muscle glycogen storage is only used for the muscles.

We need to get off the blood sugar roller coaster by reducing our dependence on carbohydrates as our main fuel and source of energy.  Fat metabolism is underused because of our high dependence on carbohydrates.  The process of beta-oxidation takes place in the liver by turning the fat into acetyl-coenzyme A – the process of creating ATP (energy production).  Fat metabolism for energy is ideal- and ketones.  The transfer of fats into the mitochondria (in the cell) needs nutrients to transport the fatty acids into the cell: L-carnetine helps to transport the fatty acids from the outside (fluid outside of cells) of the cell to the inside.

Glucose metabolism has an entire extra step that using fat for energy but we have an addiction to sugar and a fear of eating fat in our society (healthy natural fats!).  Even though we need a little bit of glucose – we do need to consume fats.  As I always say- eat sugar to get fat, eat fat to burn fat!  Fat metabolism is easier than carbohydrate metabolism- but it only happens if we reduce our carbohydrates.  Fat gives us more energy- as glucose = 36 ATP molecules as compared to fat molecules = 48 ATP molecules.

Ketones are water soluble fats that are a source of energy for the tissues as our muscles, brain and the heart.  The ketones can act as stand in for the glucose in the brain.  When we break down fat in the liver – the byproduct of fatty acid metabolism includes ketones which we can use for ATP.   The fat is the fuel in the car- and ketones is the exhaust byproduct (example in our NTP program).  

Our metabolism likes consistency- set up to burn fat and the best fuel for the heart are fats.  A steady flow of energy- FAT!

Carbohydrates burn fast and die quickly.  Fats are the opposite.  We are designed to use a balance of unrefined carbohydrates with good sources of healthy natural fats and proteins.  Think as carbohydrates as kindling to your fire…and fat as the slow burner Duraflame logs.  Our bodies are designed to run on fat- slow burner, steady source of energy for the body.  We run the most efficiently when we have a balance of the glucose and fat in our body.

Module Five:  Blood Sugar Regulation study notes by Debbie Potts

Nutritional Therapy Practitioner program: www.nutritionaltherapyassociation.