Noah, Ketones & MCT OIL

If you've kept up on my blog, you know that I've been on the quest to stabilize Noah's ketones at the 160 mark. I'm not happy with the 80's that have been taking over since January 08. We finally settled on using the Polycytra K - Potassium based because of the extreme thirst issues that occured with the Sodium based Bicytra. The original precription was for 12.5 cc twice a day. I figured out through trial and error that he can only handle 5 cc at a time without freaking out his hydration levels and dropping the ketones. No explanation for the interaction. It's just Noah. So now he drinks 5 cc with each of his meals (5 per day). Good thing he is fantastic at taking meds!! Thanks for all of your emails about this Polycytra problem!! It made a huge difference!

The other major adjustment has been with Noah's water intake. Along with the Polycytra being divided up throughout the day, his water also has to be divided. He has to consume around 30 ounces of water per day. We don't want kidney stones or other issues. Noah can drink no more than 2.5 ounces each hour. Any more that the 2.5 ounces and his ketones drop. I know, I know..... blood ketones are not diluted by water. But, I believe between the Polycytra K & the water, something drops his ketones. The only way we've stabilized him back to 160 is with everything divided up.

Crazy!!

OK - MCT OIL - We're using it for Noah. I've learned to only add it to a couple of his meals or his tummy gets upset. We already use Coconut oil. So, between the two we're keeping Noah's ketones DEEP!

Here is a write up on MCT OIL from one of the many websites talking about Medium Chain Triglycerides. Thought you might be interested....

"MCT's have been shown to be a good addition to anyone's way of eating. It promotes weight loss. Improves appetite control. Is beneficial for exercise and athletic performance. Improves thyroid function. Improves heart health. Improves your immunity. Improves brain health when used in conjunction with a ketogenic diet. Jump starts ketosis when following a typical Atkins's type diet. Thus decreasing the induction side-effect of the dreaded "Atkins Flu". Assists in calcium, magnesium and amino acid absorption in people with malabsorption issues--think WLS.

Medium-chain triglycerides were first used in the mid-1900s to reduce seizures with the help of the Ketogenic Diet. In the 1980s, MCTs became popular in sports as a substitute for normal dietary fats or oils. They quickly became a favorite energy source for many athletes, such as marathon runners, who participate in endurance sports. These athletes require a quick source of energy, which is readily supplied by carbohydrates. However, diets high in carbohydrates may cause rapid increase in insulin production, resulting in substantial weight gain, diabetes, and other health problems. MCT is also a form of fat; therefore, it is high in calories. MCTs do not cause weight gain because they stimulate thermogenesis (the process in which the body generates energy, or heat, by increasing its normal metabolic, fat-burning rate)."