Ketones are lower

[Chefjames]

Hi! Brand new to the forum and only two weeks in my Keto diet. I’m using urine test strips that test Ketones and Glucose. I’ve definitely been in Ketosis since day three. Today I tested and my Ketone level was way down. I haven’t eaten anything different. Is this a normal fluctuation? Thank you in advance! Glad I found a place to share my experience with mike minded people.

[Momof5]

Welcome to the forum, James =).

I have been doing Keto since February and I have never tested anything. I just make sure to keep to 20 grams or less of carbs a day, no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, lots of proteins, healthy fats, water and electrolytes, and I have been doing just fine.

Unless you have diabetes, cancer or other serious illnesses, you don’t actually need the strips or monitors to do Keto. I know some people love having them and knowing, but you don’t Need them is all =).

[Chantarella]

I find that my ketones fluctuate too. I think it is tied into how much fat we eat and how much we burn. I made myself this delicious sauce béarnaise which is pure butter and egg yolks, and it was so good I ate all of it in one go- and after that my ketones went sky high. I guess I had eaten so MUCH fat that day to make my ketones jump like this. So quantity of eaten fat will play a big role, as well as how much of it we burn, or not ( and then see in our urine.).

[amwassil]

Is this a normal fluctuation?

Short answer: yes. As @Momof5 says, keep carbs sub-20 grams per day and you’ll be fine.

Longer answer: Urine test strips measure acetoacetate (mostly) that you excrete unused. The concentration in urine can change due to several variables. If you drink a lot of water (recommended on keto) and pee a lot, the concentration will be lower. If you don’t drink enough water and/or don’t pee frequently, the concentration will be higher. Synthesis of ketones by the liver varies a lot moment to moment. That’s why measuring ketones only tells you that you’ve got them. Good. Not how much you’ve actually got nor how efficiently they’re being utilized. Hope this helps.

Ketogenesis, Measuring Ketones, and Burning Fat vs Being in Ketosis

[Chefjames]

Thank ALL of you! I love Béarnaise btw. Been a Chef for over 40 years. I also make a mayo that is simply egg yolks, sea salt, garlic, lemon, Tabasco and Avocado/Olive Oil. Helped me kick the A-1 sauce craving lol. I know. A Chef who likes A-1. Anyway I use it on damn near everything. I think I need to lower the amount of broccoli and up fat. Thanks again for your help!

[amwassil]

You may find these of interest:

Keto Mayonaise Open Challenge

Mayonnaise is an emulsion , which is a mixture of two liquids that normally can't be combined. Combining oil and water is the classic example. Emulsifying is done by slowly adding one ingredient to another while simultaneously mixing rapidly. This disperses and suspends tiny droplets of one liquid through another. However, the two liquids would quickly separate again if an emulsifier were not added. Emulsifiers are liaisons between the two liquids and serve to stabilize the mixture. Eggs and g…

Mike’s Keto Hot Sauce Mayonnaise

46.7 gr whole egg (1 ‘medium egg’) 0.5 gr electrolyte mix 225 gr Western Family Light Olive Oil 20 gr Great Value White Distilled Vinegar 20 gr Great Value Prepared Yellow Mustard 10 gr ReaLemon lemon juice 15 gr Cholula Chipotle Hot Sauce [IMG_0153] Notes: Ingredient amounts can be changed to taste. The Western Family Light Olive Oil is probably not the best choice. It’s Italian sourced and apparently Italian ‘light’ olive oil is suspect of dilution with canola. Apple Cider Vin…

[OgreZed]

I’m using urine test strips that test Ketones and Glucose.

Urine test strips are designed for type 1 diabetics to check for excessive ketones being excreted, to be on guard for ketoacidosis. That has nothing to do with nutritional ketosis.

Why You Need To Stop Worrying About The Color Of Your Ketostix - Ketopia

[Regina]

Little changes can change ketone and bg levels. I decided to up my fats and start with heavy whipping cream again. Let’s just say the dose makes the poison. Those carbs add up when you add a little bit of coffee to your cream. I have been doing keto for a year and a half and I’m still experimenting, and still making boneheaded mistakes. Urine strip results are directly related to hydration levels. Don’t worry, just control the carbs. As you progress, you might consider a bg/ketone blood monitor.

[Momof5]

Lactantia® 35% Whipping Cream | Lactantia

I use this as my HWC and it says 0 carbs and when I put it into cronometer it says 0 too and it never seems to cause me trouble.

Is it much different then what you are all using and calling HWC?

[amwassil]

And…

Ingredients:

Cream, milk, dextrose, carrageenan, mono and diglycerides, cellulose gum, polysorbate 80, sodium citrate, disodium phosphate. CONTAINS: Milk.

Source

Also: note the serving size of 15ml. At 3.3 grams of carbs per 100, a 15 ml serving size results in less than .5 grams per serving. So this still has the same number of carbs as any other whipping cream. They just get to say ‘0’ by rounding down.

The Dairyland brand I’ve been using pulls the same stunt. I am currently trying to confirm the ingredients of Avalon, which apparently contains 100% cream and not all that polysaccharide gum.

Confirmation: Avalon organic 36% whipping cream is 100% cream, no other ingredients. So I’m switching.

[Momof5]

So since it says 0 carbs, how many does it have? I have none atm because there was no way I was paying $7 for it at Walmart, when it is under $5 at Costco.

Oh, okay, thank you Michael.

[amwassil]

Susan, Avalon is a local BC dairy. I don’t know if you can get it in Ontario. If not, there are probably some equivalent dairies there.

[Momof5]

I can only shop at Walmart, Costco, and occasionally Food Basics, so I just buy the Lactantia at Costco because it is the cheapest.

Thanks for the information though, is that one way better then what I buy? I have to follow a tight budget so I kind of squeeze it in is all, my weekly treat.

[Bubby1]

Welcome to the forum, James =).

I have been doing Keto since February and I have never tested anything. I just make sure to keep to 20 grams or less of carbs a day, no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, lots of proteins, healthy fats, water and electrolytes, and I have been doing just fine.

Unless you have diabetes, cancer or other serious illnesses, you don’t actually need the strips or monitors to do Keto. I know some people love having them and knowing, but you don’t Need them is all =).

Oh that’s refreshing to hear that you didn’t feel the need to use them. I don’t really want to. Plus I’ve heard that urine can be inaccurate and no way am I picking my finger every morning, owwww. Fingers hurt the most . I was going to ask if everyone gets tested but now I don’t have to. .

[Momof5]

They are very important for people with diabetes, cancer and some other things to do, but not necessary for doing successful Keto =).

[Bubby1]

Oh ok, that’s good to know. Xx

[Bubby1]

Welcome James . This is a great helpful Forum and everybody’s super nice. Xx

[Chefjames]

Thanks man. Much appreciated. Should I just not worry about it? I KNOW I’m eating right.

[Chefjames]

I need to check the label. I stopped cream today and still have inflammation in my foot. All other inflammation has gone away which is great. But this foot is killing me. Going to try carnivore and see if it goes away. If it does, I’ll slowly add stuff back. Thanks for your reply!

[Chefjames]

I do have type two diabetes. Someone else here told me those strips are for Type 1 and have nothing to do with being in Ketosis. Need to do more research.