@Lewis Congratulations taking the plunge with Ketonix. Now you’re getting real BrAce numbers. But I think you’re taking the numbers too literally. BrAce results from the ‘spontaneous’ breakdown of acetoacetate into acetone and CO2, which then vent primarily via the lungs. Some acetone vents directly through the skin. A small amount of acetone is also metabolized. These portions can not be measured as BrAce. Most acetotacetate, however, ‘spontaneously’ converts to/from β-hydroxybutyrate. In addition, much acetoacetate is used directly by lipolysis. BrAce represents only that portion of acetoacetate that stays in the blood long enough to ‘spontaneously’ breakdown and vent through the lungs. So although there is an apparent relationship between BrAce concentration and acetoacetate concentration, it is not a simple 1:1 ratio and you’re only fooling yourself to think so. That’s not a constant number. Plus, you don’t measure every single molecule that ends up in your lungs no matter how good your sampling technique. With BrAce, sampling technique can have a bigger influence on the reading, than the actual amount of BrAce being sampled.
This is a very dynamic system. It responds very quickly to changing metabolic conditions, inputs and outputs. You can easily demonstrate this for yourself by taking BrAce readings hourly for two or three days in a row. So it makes no sense to get obsessed with the numbers you detect with your Ketonix.
AND ESPECIALLY do not concern yourself with the blue, green, yellow and red segments of the Ketonix meter display. Yes, the folks at Ketonix will tell that BrAce is the ‘best’ measure of overall ketosis and those colours mean something significant. Maybe, maybe not. If you detect BrAce, then you are in ketosis. If you detect more BrAce at noon than at 9am, you have more acetoacetate breaking down at noon than you had at 9. Why - you don’t know. Is more at noon ‘better’ - you don’t know.
Finally - do not compare your readings with your wife’s readings and draw any conclusions. Most folks starting keto vent a lot of BrAce and pee out a lot of acetoacetate simply because their cells and organs don’t know what to do with it. They’re still waiting for the glucose to arrive and only utilize some ketones and fatty acids when the glucose doesn’t arrive in sufficient concentrations. Initially, your liver pumps out ketones to excess, again because it’s doing something new and can’t yet match demand with production. That will come slowly, just as cells and organs wil eventually utilize ketones and fatty acids more efficiently. Less will vent.
Always keep in mind - BrAce is a peep hole on a huge system. You’re seeing a very small part of what’s actually going on. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re seeing more than you are.