[log in to unmask] wrote:

  that gluconeogenesis
> is a very inefficient process, and only occurs when the conditions are
> right. Seems like 58%, as a rule of thumb, is high.

As a source of glucose it is less efficient than sugar (part of it's
advantage) -- but it is not rare at all -- it goes on all the time. Any
excess protein is turned into glucose and if that's not used as glucose
it's made into to fat. All the metabolic pathways in the whole
biochemical soup that 'we are' are always going on -- more or less
depending on substrate - enzyme availability. Protein is less likely to
be used for energy if it is limited and there is sufficient fat in the
diet to displace the absent carbs on a low carb diet. I think most
people on low carb diets probably rely too much on protein and not
enough on fat -- but then it's hard to sit down to a slab of butter and
call it dinner.

Namaste, Liz