What does the brain use when on LOW carbs, not NO carbs?

[SteelWeaver]

The brain needs about 100g of glucose per day, right? But can also use ketones when there's no glucose around, i.e. when one is in ketosis.

But what about when one is NOT in ketosis, but is still going LOW carbs, like 50-90g or so. what does the brain use then?

 

[Bigsatan13]

I thought it was fat.

 

[The Shadow]

The body can produce it's own glucose by breaking down protein

 

[CrystalChick]

If the body breaks down protein could that be counter productive to growing muscle?
Wouldn't it be better to be in Keto or not in keto?
One or the other so to speak

 

[MS]

If you mean a low carb but high protein diet, then hopefully most of the carbs will come from dietary proteins rather than skeletal muscle. This is why people on lowish carb diets eat a lot more protein than folks on keto diets (or folks who don't care about retaining muscle). It is assumed that a large majority of the dietary protein will be oxidized for fuel on this type of diet.

 

[SteelWeaver]

DOH! Gluconeogenesis. OK, I knew that. I hadn't figured out why protein was so low on keto though ...

Thanks!