I think my blood ketone meter is lying to me/broken/possessed

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #18

I’m half way through week 10 and have been fat adapted since week 5.
I am going to start testing and doing lots of science experiments on myself with my ketone levels and then with fasting to see what happens. Interesting :slight_smile:

#19

FWIW…

I’ve been in ketosis (according to my meter) for about eight months now. There have only been a few days with ketone readings less than 0.5.

I’m pretty sure that I’m fat adapted. I’m able to go mountain biking for five hours or more, starting in a fasted state. Likewise for hiking; on some hikes, I’ve been out for up to 14 hours without food. I find that I often feel better later on than I do at the start.

Anyway, with all of that as a preface…

When I take blood ketone measurements in the morning, I still frequently see readings of over 1.0 mmol/L. Last seven days, working backwards are: 1.0, 1.1, 2.0 (but after an 8 mile hike), 1.2, 4.3 (after 11 mile hike), 0.9, 0.8.

For a while, earlier this year, I saw a drop in my morning BK measurements; they were often 0.5 to 0.9. I thought at first that I was seeing that drop due to my body processing ketones more efficiently. But I now think that maybe my carb and/or protein intake was somewhat higher than it should have been during those months.

So, anyway, for someone at 10 weeks in, based on my own experience, I’d expect to see higher blood ketone readings. If you’re really in ketosis, but are only seeing readings of 0.1, I strongly suspect that something is wrong with either the meter or test strips.

(Melissa Kinder) #20

You have a lot of good information. Let me help explain why ketone levels drop first thing in the morning. It is because of a hormone everyone has called cortisol. This is a long term stress hormoneused to wake you up in the morning. Cortisol comes from the adrenal glands that sit above the kidneys and reacts on the liver. It reacts different on a lot of parts of the body but lets focus on the liver. The produces ketones when it has run out of stored glycogen. The liver can also make glucose (sugar) through a process called glycogenosis (building sugar). Cortisol tells the liver we need lots of energy and we need it now. The liver will stop making ketones in the morning to give the brain the energy it needs to wake up. One will always have lower ketone levels in the morning than in the afternoon. Example would be 1.0 in the morning and if you are fasting let say 14 to 16 hours you wake up at 8am test and then test again at 12pm before eating you will see a much higher reading like 1.8 or something. The cortisol will have left your system by then. People struggle getting into ketosis because of high stress levels and the hormone cortisol.

(FRANK) #21

I have been low carb/ keto/carnivoire for over 2 years now and rarely register above 0.5 mmol/L. One time I registered 1.7 mmol/L and almost fell out of my chair. Most days its only 0.3 - 0.5.

(Bob M) #22

Same here. I’ve been low carb/keto for 6.5 years, and both my blood and breath ketones are much, much lower than they used to be. If I measure at night, I MIGHT get >0.5. For me to get 1.0+, I have to fast multiple days.

(Ron) #23

Same here. LC/Keto for almost 3 years and average 0.2 / 0.3
Fasting might get me to 0.7 or 0.8 but not much more.
When the body gets used to operating on ketones there is not much that gets wasted that you can measure. At least this is what I keep telling myself, lol.

(Bob M) #24

I do think that’s true. I’ve even had high carb meals, such as ice cream, for some type of celebration, and still had blood ketones (breath ketones are a bit wacky and can read higher with carbs) that were still low but non-zero, at least the day after eating high carb.

I think your body doesn’t like to change quickly, which is why everyone has the keto flu when they go from high carb to low carb. We probably can’t switch to carb burning that fast any more. (Though that would be an interesting test.)

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #25

That is exactly why I purchased the Lumen. Big disappointment that it can’t show RER numbers instead of its useless ‘scale’. Although, maybe there’s a flickering light on the horizon:

(Bob M) #26

Let us know if you get it working for a test like that.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #27

Guys this post is almost 2 years old, why are we responding to it? Lol :stuck_out_tongue:

(PJ) #28

ha! I don’t even notice dates on posts most the time. A forum is not just for that-person, it’s for everyone-reading, so threads become eternal. Someone else might find it here or via search engine in the future, to good use, who knows. :slight_smile:

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #29

I have been Keto for 3 years and this post is 2 years old, thanks :slight_smile:

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #30

So have you broken the 0.1 barrier? You left us hanging. :roll_eyes:

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #31

Ketone levels are so irrelevant to me now ;>
I have to fast for 3 days to see anything above 1.5!
I know I’m in ketosis by the way I am feeling and have been adapted for ages. I guess my body just uses them as it makes them and they don’t like hanging around. But it’s not my focus any more. Some people go fuckin’ nutty about them.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #32

To answer your question I hang around 0.3 - 0.8 daily.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #33

But I also eat upwards of 50 carbs a day.

(Ron) #34

@ava_ad0re
I think @FGH was responding to @Mkinder 's post and we were responding to that. Something to talk about and update on is all.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #35

That’s fine, I’ll just mute notifications, they’re distracting and clog up my email ;> Carry on!

(Ron) #36

Ha Ha, yeah, I did that a long time ago.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #37

I feel pretty much the same way, but the Dudes feel that for ease of reference it is better to resurrect old threads instead of always starting a new one.