When limited calories are consumed, Ketosis is a danger. Burning high numbers of calories with limited water available may cause an athlete to go into ketosis.
Ketosis can cause:
- Low blood pressure
- Kidney Stones
- Constipation
- Nutrient Deficiencies
- Heart Disease (Heart issues)
The research, reported in the Armed Forces Medical Journal, stated that the soldiers needed to have rations that protected their bodies from entering ketosis or creating excess ammonium.
The government experimented with four different versions of rations for men exerting more than 2500 calories a day. The rations, in the form of a bar, were created to keep the men alive and sustain them for up to ten days without losing body mass. In addition to keeping them alive, the researchers wanted them to be able to function mentally at a high level which required a form of glucose.
The research also found that the soldiers needed sugar to function mentally.
The final bar formula consisted of a mixture of 72g percent protein, 75g carbs.
