Keto sticks reading

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(Allie Talbot) #1

Hiya, firstly I want to say I know keto sticks are the most unreliable way to check your ketones. But I cant afford a blood monitor, and the only positively reviewed breathalyser which doesn’t need more cost to replace parts is the ketonix, which is no longer available in the uk. I’ve currently just finished 8 of 10 weeks of fat adaption training, so have bought ketone sticks to monitor how food is affecting my levels. Before I have been using the ketones on a urinalysis kit that I had leftover.

Now that my ketone sticks have arrived, I’ve been submerging them for the required 2 seconds and they change colour to 8.0mmol after 15 seconds wait as pack requires but a couple of minutes later they are 16mmol. Which reading do I take as correct?

My other question is as they are still reading as high does this mean I can not be fat adapted at 8 weeks? I’m not diabetic but am pcos

(Allie) #2

Go by the reading shown at the time specified so 15 seconds, it’s specified for a reason, but really you’re wasting time and money on those things.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #3

It could, but not necessarily. Some people continue excreting ketones well after becoming fat-adapted. I wouldn’t worry about it. In any case, you know you are in ketosis, because your carb intake is low and you’re still breathing in and out.

(Allie Talbot) #4

I know but surely it’s better than nothing, when I’m experimenting with new foods and recipes? Great name btw :wink:

(Allie) #5

Potentially not as they can be extremely misleading. The best guide you can have is your own body and how you feel.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #6

Pee Stix are measuring excreted, unused ketones, mostly acetoacetate. Of minor interest. As @PaulL says don’t worry about it. Just keep carbs sub-20 grams per day, and the lower the better, and you’ll be fine. As for ‘experimenting with new foods and recipes’ again just keep carbs sub-20 grams. Or are you diddling with carbs here, trying to determine how much you can eat and stay in ketosis? If so, my advice is to stop. Unless you get really serious and attentive about selection, carbs are pretty much unavoidable in small and incidental amounts. Don’t think of carbs as a ‘target’ or ‘allowance’. Think of them as a ‘tax’ you want to minimize.

(Joey) #7

+1 to everything @amwassil said above ^

Question: Your profile says you’ve been doing keto since early 2019 … did you stop and recently restart?

Either way the keto sticks are an entirely unreliable source of insight into what’s happening. As noted above, at best they measure what is NOT happening (acetoacetate you’re peeing away, i.e., not using).

But if you’ve been on keto for quite some time then the pee stick’s usefulness is roughly zero. Don’t get caught up trying to make sense of what their color means after this or that number of seconds have elapsed - it’s just gibberish.

Meanwhile, stay to course with carb-reduced eating habits and enjoy the benefits that will be coming your way. Best wishes!

(Allie Talbot) #8

No I just tend to look at total carbs and then freak out that I’ve for example eaten too many tomatoes or used too much garlic (garlic is 18g!)

(UsedToBeT2D) #9

Drop the ketone strips in the trash. Rely on your weight, body measurements, and how you feel.