Keto vs starvation ketones

(Heather Barnes) #1

Did a blood reading 96 mg/dL (5.3 mmol) shows I’m in starvation Ketosis? This was done while fasting before eating. What does that mean? Have I burned through any glucose and now burning stored fat? So many things out there, head spinning

(Ethan) #2

It means you had 5.4mmol ketones. Nothing more.

(Heather Barnes) #3

So that’s good? Bad? I’m overloading myself with too much info i think…

(Ethan) #4

How long have you been keto? How long had you been fasting?

(Heather Barnes) #5

I started mid March. Been doing 16-18 hour fasting since week 2

(Ethan) #6

So that means you are only getting keto adapted now. The 5.4 reading is higher than many, but it is not alarming. I don’t really agree with the term starvation ketosis. It has a very loose definition. For a carb burner, ketones > 3 probably means having fasted for several days (starving). For a well-adapted keto burner, ketones > 3 are less common, but 18 hours into a fast it isn’t unreasonable. I wouldn’t worry about it at all.

(Heather Barnes) #7

Just want to make sure I’m on the right track. There’s so much conflicting info it’s hard to know what/who is right. Guess that’s why they say to base it on how you feel…

(Allie) #8

There is no such thing as “starvation ketosis” ALWAYS judge by how you feel instead of buying into the random BS that circulates online.

(Heather Barnes) #9

Agreed. I had the glucose meter which I haven’t used in over a month. Thought WTH, let’s see what it says… then saw starvation and wasn’t sure of that was a good or bad term for Keto. I am definitely feeling way better than I have in years. No naps, sleeping through the night, weight loss. Haven’t even missed bread, rice, pasta. I’m mentally strong enough to not crave or want them. Happy with that.