In a message dated 7/5/99 6:22:06 AM Pacific Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:

>
>  If no carbs are available, then
>  -ketone bodies will be formed from the fat (diet or body)
>   _and_
>  -protein will be converted to carbohydrate
>   Because some carbs are essential, and there is *no* means
>   for the body to recreate carbohydrate from fat
>
>  Amadeus
>

This isn't what all the ketogenic diets indicate. And it's not the way
the diets bodybuilders use work.  Your brain can use ketones for fuel.
If this is so, why do you need carbohydrate at all?  That's not to say
that the body won't *always* lose some muscle (catabolism) during
dieting, but it is greatly reduced by the presence of ketones.  This
is because the body doesn't need to break the protein down to make
glucose when it can use ketones.  And the process of using ketones
is a lot easier than gluconeogenisis, ie converting muscle to
glucose.

Anna