hi TammyJoi,

Ketones are a normal and efficient source of fuel and energy, produced by the liver from fatty acids, in response to the absence of glucose/sugar. In a ketogenic diet, such as Atkins ... or diets used for treating epilepsy in children, the tiny amounts of glucose required for some select functions can be met by consuming a minimum amount of carbs or can be manufactured in the liver from PROTEIN. By the way, the brain and muscles work very efficiently with ketones as the energy source ..

In ketoacidosis, the key element is ACID, not ketones. The blood pH becomes dangerously acidic because of an extremely high blood SUGAR level (the diabetic has no insulin, or doesn't respond to insulin .... so blood sugar rises ... ketones are produced by the body to provide the fuel necessary for life, since the cells can't use the sugar). It's the high blood sugar, and the acid condition that is so dangerous. Ketones just happen to be a part of the picture, and are a RESULT of the condition, not the CAUSE.

Doreen