ADVICE REQUIRED - Ketone Urine Level

#1

Hello,

I’m new to KETO but stuck to it religiously for 2 months now.

Down to 18 stone from 21 stone. In the gym 6 days a week.

Loving it!!!

I have started testing my urine for ketone levels and the colour that comes up on the chart says 8mmol/l.

I’ve read that I should be closer to 3mmol/l and that any higher I could be risking Ketoacidosis.

I’m really confused as to how the Ketone level is so high and what if anything I should be doing about it.

I still feel great, drinking loads of water, plenty of electrolytes and eating so clean. Net carbs must be lower than 20g per day.

I would really appreciate any good advice anyone can offer.

(Cancer Fighting Ketovore :)) #2

Those sticks are for people with Type 1 diabetes.
The strips are only showing that you have ketones in your urine. The numbers may start to go down soon.

What is the reason you are testing your urine?

(Lazy, Dirty Keto 😝) #3

This

But…

And finally:

(Robert C) #4

3 stone (42 pounds) in 2 months is not what is expected during the first two months of Keto (fat adaptation by eating more fat, eating to satiety).

Fasting gives higher numbers like that - but, if you are not Type 1 diabetes - no need to worry about Ketoacidosis.

What you should worry about is that you might be severely calorie restricting.

Eating 1500 calories of Keto food and burning an extra 800 calories at the gym will slow your metabolism (due to the actual 700 daily calories). Of course, I don’t know your actual numbers but, initial weight loss in severe calorie restriction could be 42 pounds in 2 months but, if you slow your metabolism - you’ll bounce.

You need to decide what you are actually doing.
If it is “eat less (although Keto type foods) and move more” it will lead to what calorie restriction almost always leads to - weight gain, maybe more than the start.

To lose weight at a more reasonable pace on Keto - maybe you should exercise 3 days a week - and eat extra calories on those day (to avoid metabolic slowdown). Otherwise, you might have to exercise harder and harder or eat less and less to keep losing weight on a (likely) calorie restricted diet.

#5

Thank you all for the advice and for replying so soon.

This has really put my mind to rest and I’m going to stop testing and just go with how I’m feeling.

I think the weight loss will slow down now I had a lot of water weight and I’ve seen myself drop almost a stone in a week before on other diets - no joke.

I’m going to take in the information as I’m still getting to grips with it all so I really appreciate it.

Just for the record - is the best advice not to test for Ketosis - i.e. no urine, blood, breath etc???

And if so, how does everyone know that they are definitely in Ketosis - is it just a case of trusting that if you follow the plan it will work?

Many thanks

(Susan) #6

Some people really like doing this; for varying reasons. For the people that are fighting illnesses, such as cancer, diabetes, etc. I think it is important for them that they test.

I am doing Keto for the health benefits (for sure) but also for weight loss, and I have heaps to lose still. I have been doing Keto since February; more properly and strictly since May though. I have never used any testing strips or machines. If they were free, I probably would. For me it is about cost, we are on an extremely tight budget already, so I cannot do it so I don’t.

I think if you can afford it and it makes you happy or it you have other medical reasons to do it, then go for it =).

Keto is a very diverse way of eating. There are the basics of keeping to 20 grams or less a day of Carbs, NO sugar, and getting adequate proteins, healthy fats, and drinking lots of water and keeping your Electrolytes and salt up. Beyond that, there are many variants amongst people. Some do strict Keto, some do lazy, some do really lazy. Different ways work for some, and others have a different way that works for them.

You will figure out what works best for you as time goes on. Just follow the basics, especially the 20 grams or less of carbs a day. If you want to track, which makes it easier, you can download cronometer.com a free app to use. It sounds like you are doing really well already and on track, so keep at it and best wishes in your journey!

(Cancer Fighting Ketovore :)) #7

For reference:

As @PaulL says, “If you are keeping carbs under 20g and are breathing, then you are in ketosis”

Trust the process. KCKO (keep calm & keto on) :slight_smile:

(Robert C) #8

This depends on what you are going to do with the blood monitor (blood is best).

You don’t need to use it all the time, but you can use it to help yourself.

If you just want to check if you are in ketosis - likely no need for any monitoring if you are under 20 grams of carbs per day.

But, what if you are finding 20 grams too restrictive. Just a few Brussels sprouts with garlic and a little broccoli at breakfast or lunch and now you have no carb grams left for dinner.

The point of the choosing 20 grams (vs. a higher number) is that it is pretty much a “sure thing” that you are in ketosis based on any genetics and activity level.

But, what if you are a bit athletic and have great Keto genetics - what if 50 grams per day of carbs keeps you well into Keto territory (2.0+). That might be good to know so some of your shopping and eating decisions can loosen up. In the above scenario - you could have sweet potato for dinner - which is just about impossible to fit into a 20 gram capped carb limit.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #9

The easiest test for ketosis is as follows:

  1. Are you eating less than 20 g/day of carbohydrate?
  2. Are you breathing in and out?

If your answer to both questions was yes, then your liver is indeed producing ketones. :grin:

Test or not, at your pleasure. The urine strips are subject to great variability, and they are affected by how well-hydrated we are, whether we are fat-adapted or not, how adept our kidneys have become at filtering ketones out of the urine and back into the bloodstream, how long we have been fasting, and so forth. The strips were developed to provide a means for Type I diabetics to assess their risk of ketoacidosis. The instructions tell them to start worrying at the equivalent of a blood ketone level around 10 mmol/L, because they need to get to the hospital before becoming incapacitated. The real risk comes at a blood level closer to 20 mmol/L. In diabetics, ketoacidosis is diagnosed by examining both blood ketones and blood sugar.

Diabetic ketoacidosis is not a risk for anyone whose pancreas is capable of producing even a small amount of insulin.

(Cancer Fighting Ketovore :)) #10

Personally I do lots of testing. My goal is low glucose and (relatively) high ketones for the best cancer-fighting “super-powers”.

I just ended a 74 hour fast.
BG: 51, BK: 6.1, GKI: 0.46

*GKI is an indicator. It’s found by dividing glucose (in mg/dL) by 18, and then dividing that by ketones.

As @PaulL said, keeping carbs under 20 (yep, fasting does that!) and still breathing = ketosis.

Yup, I think I have those 2 points covered!

(Allie) #11

Throw the sticks away and carry on doing what you’re doing. Best advice.