Week 3 Case Study: Metabolism and Nutrition
1. Identify 2 potential causes of ketonuria.
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when your body
produces high levels of blood acids called ketones. The condition develops when your body can't
produce enough insulin. Insulin normally plays a key role in helping sugar (glucose) — a major
source of energy for your muscles and other tissues — enter your cells. Without enough insulin,
your body begins to break down fat as fuel. This process produces a buildup of acids in the
bloodstream called ketones, eventually leading to diabetic ketoacidosis if untreated. Excess
ketones build up in the blood and eventually "spill over" into the urine (Mayo Clinic Staff,
2020).
Alcoholic ketoacidosis (AKA), a form of metabolic acidosis, can also lead to ketones in
urine. In heavy drinkers, alcohol is a primary energy source. This leads to depleted levels of
carbohydrates and protein. Heavy alcohol use can also impair the liver’s ability to synthesize and
release glucose. These two factors decrease the body’s normal levels of readily available energy,
and it responds by breaking down fat and producing ketones. Alcohol also contributes to
ketoacidosis through water loss. Vomiting caused by alcohol consumption can lead to
dehydration, which may, in turn, cause low blood pressure and stress response from the body that
causes further ketone production. These factors combined lead to an abnormally elevated level of
ketones in the body and an overall change in the body’s pH balance (Houchins, 2021).
2. Identify the nutrient involved in the formation of ketones.
According to Westin (2020), “If excess acetyl-CoA is created from the oxidation of fatty
acids, acetyl-CoA is diverted to create ketone bodies. Ketone bodies can serve as a fuel source if
glucose levels are too low in the body. Ketones serve as fuel in times of prolonged starvation or
when patients suffer from uncontrolled diabetes and cannot utilize most of their circulating
This study source was downloaded by 100000836546216 from CourseHero.com on 05-16-2022 13:08:45 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/128815076/Week-3-Case-Study-Metabolism-and-Nutritiondocx/
1. Identify 2 potential causes of ketonuria.
Diabetic ketoacidosis is a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when your body
produces high levels of blood acids called ketones. The condition develops when your body can't
produce enough insulin. Insulin normally plays a key role in helping sugar (glucose) — a major
source of energy for your muscles and other tissues — enter your cells. Without enough insulin,
your body begins to break down fat as fuel. This process produces a buildup of acids in the
bloodstream called ketones, eventually leading to diabetic ketoacidosis if untreated. Excess
ketones build up in the blood and eventually "spill over" into the urine (Mayo Clinic Staff,
2020).
Alcoholic ketoacidosis (AKA), a form of metabolic acidosis, can also lead to ketones in
urine. In heavy drinkers, alcohol is a primary energy source. This leads to depleted levels of
carbohydrates and protein. Heavy alcohol use can also impair the liver’s ability to synthesize and
release glucose. These two factors decrease the body’s normal levels of readily available energy,
and it responds by breaking down fat and producing ketones. Alcohol also contributes to
ketoacidosis through water loss. Vomiting caused by alcohol consumption can lead to
dehydration, which may, in turn, cause low blood pressure and stress response from the body that
causes further ketone production. These factors combined lead to an abnormally elevated level of
ketones in the body and an overall change in the body’s pH balance (Houchins, 2021).
2. Identify the nutrient involved in the formation of ketones.
According to Westin (2020), “If excess acetyl-CoA is created from the oxidation of fatty
acids, acetyl-CoA is diverted to create ketone bodies. Ketone bodies can serve as a fuel source if
glucose levels are too low in the body. Ketones serve as fuel in times of prolonged starvation or
when patients suffer from uncontrolled diabetes and cannot utilize most of their circulating
This study source was downloaded by 100000836546216 from CourseHero.com on 05-16-2022 13:08:45 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/128815076/Week-3-Case-Study-Metabolism-and-Nutritiondocx/
