So I was on keto for 6 months and lost 50 lbs. I took a month break and eat a standard american diet. I gained about 5 lbs but that was to be expected. I am back in keto now for about 2 weeks. My body did really well. I kicked into keto in 24 hrs. The issue is I am getting high readings. The prior 6 month keto I was on the exact same diet as I am on now with the only change being I cut out a few vegetables to save carbs for energy drinks. I’m still using good fats. MCT oil, olive oil, and avocado oil. I eat lean meats and add the oils. Normally my readings would fluctuate between 1-2.5 mmol/L My readings have been really high lately. tonight I got a 3.4 approx 6 hours after my last meal. I am IF 20 hours. first hour I eat only mct oil. the second hour I eat and the 4th hour I eat. I checked my blood glucose and it was at 109. I am not diabetic but diabeties runs in my family so lossing wait and getting healthy will hopefully keep me from getting it. I need to know if these numbers are alarming. I was told that for optimal fat loss you want to be around a 1-1.5 mmol/L What happens biologically when the ketone levels are high? Please help me out. I’ve lost 14 pounds in the two weeks on keto with no flu it was seemless.
High ketone readings, need help
Means there is very little insulin being secreted by the pancreas and into the blood stream to communicate with the liver…
Note: “low insulin” NOT “no insulin”
References:
[1] ”…Ketones are an inverse indicator of insulin because insulin inhibits ketone production (i.e. ketogenesis) [1, 2]. In other words, if insulin is high, ketones are low; if insulin is low, the liver breaks down fat into small pieces called ketones (insulin in fact tells the liver to make and store fat) [1]. …” …More
3.4 mmol/l ketones are fine…
If you are fasting for 20 hours or so don’t worry.
I’m assuming you are talking blood ketones?
Your reference points and mindset on all of this is completely out of whack. First, you’re slacking on veggies which are actual nutrition so you can drink garbage energy drinks? Really? On the ketone levels, your numbers aren’t even a little high, let alone “really high”. With that said it wouldn’t matter even if they were because you’re guzzling MCTs, you realize that raises ketones right? Stop wasting money on ketone strips because your ketone levels and weight loss don’t link up together! “Chasing Ketones” is stupid. Unless you have a medically relevant reason to have them high and keep them up there you’re only wasting time and money. Higher Ketone levels do NOT equal faster weight loss! Your 14lbs in two weeks was muscle glycogen, body water retention, and a little fat. Nobody keeps that up.
You say you want to be healthy, you need to stop eating random things, drinking every oil you can find, and formulate a healthy diet.
Ketone levels while fasting are going to be a bit higher than when eating ketogenically. Unless you are a Type I diabetic, you have no need to worry at the level you are reporting.
For Type I diabetics ketoacidosis becomes a concern when serum β-hydroxybutyrate gets up to 10 and serum glucose up to around 150. For anyone whose pancreas is still functioning, diabetic ketoacidosis is hardly a concern.