A metabolic state where the body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates, producing ketone bodies as byproducts. This occurs during fasting, very low-carb diets, or in diabetes when insulin is insufficient.
From Greek 'keton' meaning acetone (a type of ketone body) plus the suffix '-osis' meaning condition or state. The term was coined in the early 20th century as scientists began understanding fat metabolism.
Your brain normally runs on glucose, but during ketosis it switches to using ketones as fuel - a remarkable metabolic flexibility that helped our ancestors survive famines. However, diabetic ketoacidosis is a dangerous form where ketone levels become toxic, highlighting how the same process can be life-saving or life-threatening depending on the context.
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