Lurisia Dale wrote:

>Finally, Todd, your response presented a thoughtful
>analysis of some of the benefits of ketosis.  However,
>you claim that "You can get all your nutrients and
>stay in ketosis."  Considering that a couple pieces of
>fruit could be enough to bring you above the 70g of
>carbs usually necessary to maintain ketosis, I wonder
>how you reconcile your view with the Dr. Cordain's
>thoughts above?
>
>

Cordain is correct in pointing out that at least some ketogenic diets
may be nutrtionally lacking, but they certainly don't have to be.  There
is no nutrient in fruit that cannot be obtained from lower-carb foods,
such as berries, greens, nuts, and organ meats.  A ketogenic paleo diet
need not be nutritionally lacking.

>I have yet to hear of a professional athlete,
>professinal body builder, or marathon runner who
>competes while in ketosis.
>
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=6865776&dopt=Abstract

I guess cyclists qualify as endurance athletes.

The authors conclude, "These results indicate that aerobic endurance
exercise by well-trained cyclists was not compromised by four weeks of
ketosis."  In fact, the data showed a modest *improvement* in
performance after four weeks of ketosis.  On a balanced diet they
reached exhaustion at 147 minutes.  In ketosis it took 151 minutes.

The two kinds of exercise you mention above, body building (i.e., weight
training) and distance running are physiologically very different.  The
body builder preferentially works the fast-twitch muscle fibers, which
require glucose.  I'd be inclined to agree with you that being in
ketosis would probaby cause problems for high-intensity weight
training.  Distance running, however, is aerobic exercise, and ketosis
should be no problem.  Phinney's results suggest that after adaptation
one might even see some improvement in running times.  Why isn't anybody
doing this?  I have no idea.  Maybe they just don't know about it, or
have been indoctrinated into the "carb loading" mindset.  Also, the fact
that it takes several weeks of adapation would put a lot of people off.
Initially, performance would decline, and athletes don't like that.

Todd Moody
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