Without insulin, the body cannot use glucose for energy and instead breaks down fat, producing acidic ketones.

Cells need glucose to live. But without insulin, glucose is locked out of the cells, stranded in the bloodstream. The body panics. It senses starvation. To survive, the liver rapidly breaks down fat reserves for energy. This emergency backup plan produces acidic compounds called ketones. When these ketones accumulate faster than the body can clear them, they build up to toxic levels, disrupting the delicate chemical balance of our blood.