Diabetes is a very serious bodily condition. It occurs when there is too much sugar present in the blood but at the same time, body cells are starved. In simple terms, the cellular uptakes of sugar is at halt. INSULIN, the Hypoglycemic hormone of our body, aids this cellular uptake.
Then cell’s uptake of sugars gets disrupted because:
- Insulin can become scarce in the body,
- It is more than enough but is not able to enter the cells,
- When one’s own immune system attacks the glandular cells that produce insulin.
Ketosis
When cells are starved of primary energy source (sugars or carbohydrates), they get ‘hangry’. Then, they start metabolizing fatty acids inside the fatty layer of skin. Breakdown of these fatty acids gives rise to a process called KETOSIS.
In Diabetes, the fatty acids are constantly broken down into simpler Acetyl-Co-A. Acetyl-Co-A links all the different metabolic pathways in our body. The number of Acetyl-Co-A molecules increase exponentially when these fatty acids are broken down:
- Fatty acids produce 9 kcal (37 kJ)of energy from catabolism of 1 gram of Triglycerides. While, the energy yield from a gram of carbohydrates is 4 kcal (17 kJ). Therefore they produce more number of Acetyl-Co-A than those produced by the degradation of glucose.
- Due to lack of glucose, these Acetyl-Co-A can not participate fully in ‘the citric acid cycle’ and hence, increase exponentially in the body.
Now, these Acetyl-Co-A molecules can’t keep calm. Because they are smaller in size, so they combine together to form Ketone Bodies. These Ketone Bodies include acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate. Acetoacetate, further spontaneous decarboxylation to produce Acetone.
Acetone is a volatile molecule. Our body excretes volatile molecules with the help of breathing exchange. So this Acetone is responsible for fruity breath in diabetic patients. Other ketone bodies are excreted through the urine. A condition, Ketonuria is very prevalent in diabetic patients. Uncontrolled diabetes is detected by Ketonuria.
Other Reasons for Fruity Breath:
Now if, the liver doesn’t get any carbohydrates for like, 8 to 9 hours, it automatically starts metabolizing fatty acids in the adipose tissue. So, in cases of prolonged fasting or starving, our body again starts the production of ketone bodies.
If someone purposely chooses to condemn carbohydrates, that is when you step onto a ‘Keto Diet’ then also, the body produces ketone bodies. Therefore, a person on Keto diet will also have a fruity breath.
