Join me as we chew the phat of ketogenic lifestyles PeriScope style and answer many questions like, “Why do I get ‘hangry’?” What causes hypoglycemia? How many times a day should I eat? and many more . . .
We talk briefly about why 60% of people with insulin resistance may need methylated folic acid to help with B vitamin absorption/use and where it can be found. (See me recent article about this called The Power of a Good Vitamin.)
You can see the whole PeriScope conversation on Katch.me/docmuscles with the comments scrolling or you can see the video stream below:
I’ve heard this question at least 5-6 times per day for the last 20 years. The problem has been, there hasn’t been just one or two products that fit my or my patient’s needs. I’ve seen many that are close, but no one seems to understand the needed nutrients for insulin resistance, leptin resistance and the tremendous effect adequate nutrients has on inflammation, atherosclerosis, uric acid, sodium balance, cholesterol and blood pressure. That is, until I found a company that would let me design my own vitamin.
Working with a world renowned lab, I put together what I know to be the best ketogenic multivitamin on the market. I give you the “KetoNutritionals Multivitamin.”
It provides the nutrients that we recognize are essential to the TCA (tricarboxylic acid) or Krebs cycle. I call it the Multivitamin Adult Formula, because it has the potential to enhance the body’s ability to use insulin, leptin and regulate normal blood sugar and maintain ketosis. Now, it is essential that I inform you that these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and that this product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Methylated Folic Acid
However, 60-65% of pre-diabetic and diabetic patients I see in the office do not correctly convert Folic Acid (Vitamin B9). It is suspected that over 40% of the population in general has a genetic deficiency in the gene that codes for MTHFR. MTHFR (also called methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) is a genetic sequence that encodes for an essential enzyme in your body that helps make the active form of folate. Your body cannot make folate on its own, so it requires enzymes including the one encoded by the MTHFR gene, to make it from the foods that you eat. MTHFR enzyme also has an important role in making amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, by helping convert the chemical homocysteine to methionine in concert with Vitamin B12. Homocysteine is a harmful chemical made by your body that can damage the lipid membrane of cells leading to damage of the walls of your blood vessels, and may affect your blood clotting. In contrast, methionine is an amino acid required by your body for normal functioning. Supplementing the methylated folate helps to provide the needed components for methionine production. KetoNutritional Multivitamin contains both forms of active isomer, naturally occurring folates. MTHFR deficiency can easily be tested for through a simple saliva test in the office.
The conversion of methionine to SAMe is essential in this pathway. SAMe (pronounced Sammy) is necessary for methylation. It is essential in the formation of neurotransmitters like serotonin and liver detoxification through the methylation pathway. Serotonin is key in the treatment and prevention of depression, chronic pain, and liver detoxification. In a number of cases, just fixing this methylation has dramatically improved symptoms of depression that would have otherwise been treated with strong psychogenic medications.
N-Acytylcysteine
Cysteine is used by the body as a source of sulfur for detoxification and the production of glutathione. Glutathione is your body’s chief anti-oxidant and protector against all kinds of damage. This is where Vitamin B6 plays a major role. Vitamin B6 is also a cofactor in hundreds of different chemical reactions necessary for healthy hormones like estrogen, and progesterone. It is also essential for the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA for proper brain function.
Carnosine
KetoEssentials contains the essential vitamins to allow these metabolic pathways to function properly. May people on a ketogenic diet don’t get the full effect of weight loss until adequate Vitamin B12 and Vitamin B6 are supplemented. It also contains Vitamin B1, and carnosine that have been found to decrease the effect of inflammatory glycation and damage caused by higher blood sugars like diabetic retinopathy. High gamma Vitamin E has also demonstrated retinopathy protection.
Alpha Lipoic Acid, Taurine, ECGC
Alpha lipoic acid combined with biotin has been shown to augment a more natural, healthy insulin secretion thereby promoting a more effective glucose metabolism. Taurine, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) from green tea and Vitamin D have all been shown to improve the effect of the insulin you produce.
Improving insulin use and production has a direct effect your triglycerides. We now know that when your triglycerides are “out -of-whack,” leptin transport across the blood brain barrier is affected and this worsens your risk leptin resistance. Leptin is that amazing hormone that tells your brain that your fat cells are “full” and to stop eating.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A as a carotenoid acts helps aid immune function and Molybdenum aids in detoxification processes in the body.
Zinc
Added zinc, taurine and EGCg to reduce the damaging effects that fructose can have in the liver, and also enhancing your insulin signaling. Added zinc also helps stabilize your testosterone and sex hormones.
Chromium, Manganese, Vanadium
But, these vitamins and anti-oxidants don’t help if they’re not absorbed correctly, so magnesium, chromium, zinc, manganese and vanadium help to enhance absorption. Correct supplementation of these nutrients may have the effect of normalizing glucose, insulin and leptin levels an reduction in risk for long term cardiovascular disease, diabetic complications, water retention, and more effective weight loss.
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