Q&A: Dr. Ede on Sweetener Studies, Oxalate Dumping, Exercise & Bone Health

Can stevia fit into a ketogenic diet? What does the evidence say about oxalates? And how might a ketogenic diet affect bone health? In this episode of Metabolic Mailbag, Dr. Bret Scher and psychiatrist Dr. Georgia Ede answer listener questions about sweeteners, exercise, ketone levels, continuous ketone monitoring, and more. They discuss: - Why stevia can still be considered a keto-friendly sweetener, and why individual response matters - What the evidence does and does not show about “oxalate dumping” - Why oxalate intake and symptoms can vary so much from person to person - What research says about ketogenic diets and bone health in children versus adults - Why protein, resistance training, vitamin D, calcium, vitamin K2, estrogen, and cortisol all matter for preserving bone mass - Why some people see lower ketone readings in the morning and higher readings later - How food intake, exercise, sleep, and circadian rhythm can affect ketone levels - What continuous ketone monitors may teach us about daily ketone patterns - How exercise can both help you enter ketosis and temporarily lower blood ketone levels - Why even short bouts of movement can support metabolic and mental health Dr. Ede also explains why context matters with ketogenic therapy. A ketone reading or food choice can mean different things depending on the person and their health goals. 🔎 Have questions about how to apply metabolic therapies effectively? Submit them at https://metabolicmind.org/questions to be featured in a future Metabolic Mailbag episode. #MetabolicMind #KetogenicTherapy #QuestionAndAnswer *Expert Featured:* Dr. Georgia Ede, MD- Author, Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind - https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiaedemd/ - https://x.com/GeorgiaEdeMD - https://www.instagram.com/georgiaedemd/ *Resources Mentioned:* - Papers https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7600789/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14681845/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24606099/ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346560858_Hypercalcemia_in_Children_Using_the_Ketogenic_Diet_A_Multicenter_Study https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9932495/ Follow our channel for more information and education from Bret Scher, MD, FACC, including interviews with leading experts in Metabolic Psychiatry. Learn more about metabolic psychiatry and find helpful resources at https://metabolicmind.org/ *About us:* Metabolic Mind is a non-profit initiative of Baszucki Group working to transform the study and treatment of mental disorders by exploring the connection between metabolism and brain health. We leverage the science of metabolic psychiatry and personal stories to offer education, community, and hope to people struggling with mental health challenges and those who care for them. Our channel is for informational purposes only. We are not providing individual or group medical or healthcare advice or establishing a provider-patient relationship. Many of the interventions we discuss can have potentially dangerous effects if done without proper supervision. Consult your healthcare provider before changing your lifestyle or medications. In addition, it is important to note that people may respond differently to ketosis, and there isn't one recognized universal response. Therapeutic nutritional ketosis, or simply starting a ketogenic diet, is a powerful health and medical intervention that can change your body's metabolism and can dramatically alter brain function, medication levels, sleep patterns, energy levels, and other physiologic functions. If you have a psychiatric diagnosis, behavioral health symptoms, or take medications for a psychiatric condition, you should not start a ketogenic diet alone. Instead, consider starting a therapeutic ketogenic intervention with careful monitoring from your healthcare provider or an experienced clinician. We hope you will share information with your healthcare provider and discuss whether therapeutic ketosis is an appropriate, safe, and potentially effective intervention for you. *Timestamps:* 0:00 - Welcome to Metabolic Mailbag with Dr. Georgia Ede 0:38 - Stevia, Monk Fruit, and What The Science Says 4:10 - Oxalate Dumping and How It Affects Ketosis 10:15 - Keto, Bone Density, and Osteopenia 15:51 - Why Are Ketones Low in the Morning? 19:50 - Continuous Ketone Monitors and Tracking Ketosis 22:45 - Exercise, Ketone Levels, and Mental Health 29:15 - Closing Thoughts