Test Breath Ketones without a Ketonix (using a cheap breathalyzer)

ketonix
acetone
breath
#244

First time poster here. I stumbled upon this thread about a week ago and have since purchased the Greenwon breathalyzer.

My wife and I both recently started the keto diet and have gotten pretty consistent readings with the device. I’ve found that not taking a deep breath prior to exhaling into the device gives a good reading. I just breath normally and when it’s time to exhale (at the 7 second count down point) I just breath out moderately (I’ve tried exhaling harder without much change in results, but I don’t do this so that I can do the entire 7 seconds without inhaling deeply prior to exhaling) until it beeps.

Anyway, I’ve been eating pretty well the last week (usually fasting every morning until around 2pm and eating another meal around 7pm) and have been testing at 0.4g/l for the first few days of the diet, but that number has been moving up somewhat quickly. It went up to 0.5g/l about three days ago, 0.8g/l yesterday, and this morning, not having eaten yet, I measured 1.2g/l. I’ve taken several readings at a single time (usually within a span of an hour) and have gotten pretty consistent results. My wife has been testing consistently at 0.2g/l and last night 0.3g/l.

Has anyone noticed that when you exhale immediately at the ‘breath’ signal the countdown counter shortens? Mine jumps from 8 to 4 when I start immediately at 10. Otherwise, if I don’t start until 7, it will countdown all the way.

I’m hoping this really is a reliable way to test for ketones because that would mean I’m in ketosis (and my wife almost is…)!

Anyway, just wanted to give an update with the Greenwon. Thanks, everyone!

(Jim Russell) #245

I got my Ketonix Bluetooth and have been playing with it the last couple of days working on my technique. I think I have it down now.

I started fasting yesterday and plan on continuing for 3 or 4 days, so my ketones should start going up quickly.

NovaMax blood ketone meter: 0.9 mmol/l
cheapo breathalyzer: 0.4 bac
Ketonix: 5.8 PPM

(roxanna) #246

How do you guys see a counter when you’re blowing into it? I can’t see mine.

(Amber) #247

Great find! I will have to test this and see how it works.

(Paolo Di Donato) #248

Would be very interested in seeing how this varies over time if you continue tracking! Keep us posted :slight_smile:

(Bryan) #249

Just started the egg fast and have been reading up. I am on day 4 off the egg fast, pee strips are not showing anything. I just wanted to throw this out here after reading this whole thread.

Right now if you buy 5 on amazon it is 2.00 total…for 5. Add them to your cart and then go to checkout, and then advance to the payment section and it will show up. For prime members it is even 1 day free shipping…

https://www.amazon.com/GREENWON-Professional-Breathalyzer-Semi-conductor-Mouthpieces/dp/B00VFWWNXO/ref=pd_cart_vw_2_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=KFKN4VW67BVKZWS2JCKY

(Jim Russell) #250

Wow, crazy. I just ordered because… why not.

It does not show up at the $2 price until you are ready to pay. Before that the cost shows as $53. Then when you proceed to the payment screen a $51 promotion is applied.

(Bryan) #251

That is what I meant to say :slight_smile: I could not pass it up. Figured I would share with this place. Day 3 of my fast I am down 12.5 pounds…granted I started this for the first time after a week long boating vacation…

Hoping to start showing some ketone in my pee or this thing in the next few days.

#252

Hi Roxanna,

Do you use the Greenwon? The timer is on the small screen. I just turn over the device so that I can look down at it while I’m exhaling. Hope that helps!

(Jim Russell) #253

I think that I will do a morning and evening test of the 3 methods, at least until I am done with my fast.

cheap breathalzyer 0.4% bac
novamax blood ketone strip 0.8 mmol/l
ketonix 2.0 PPM

Hmm… Not sure what is up with the ketonix. I checked it this morning and it was 5.8. Then I mowed the lawn in 95 degree heat and afterward it was 8.5. Now 2.0. I think I will have to continue to test the ketonix at least before and after any exercise/heavy exertion.

My understanding of the way things work in general: ketone bodies are produced in the liver and they become either beta hydroxybutarate or acetoacetate in the blood. Both of these when metabolized break down into acetate. Acetoacetate is the ketone body that is used immediately. Beta hydroxybutarate is a temporary storage for acetoacetate for later use. If the beta hydroxybutarate is to be metabolized, it is first converted back into acetoacetate. Thus when either acetoacetate or beta hydroxybutarate are metabolized, acetone is the byproduct.

Urine ketone test strips detect only acetoacetate, i.e. ketones that have not been utilized by the body.

Blood ketone test strips detect only beta hydroxybutarate. i.e. ketones that have been stored in the blood for possible later use.

Breath ketone testers (both ketonix and cheapo breathalyzers) detect acetone.

So my understanding of the different ketone testing methods is this:

Urine strips detect only the ketone bodies you didn’t burn.
Blood test strips detect only the ketone bodies that are in your blood. They may be burned or flushed out of the system through urine and breath.
Breath tests detect only the ketone bodies that have been burned.

Please feel free to correct anything that I have gotten wrong.

(Todd Allen) #254

My Greenwon beeps when I start blowing and beeps again and I stop blowing and the screen has the reading. The time between the start and stop beeps shortens as my ketones go up. I’m contemplating trying to write an app for my cell phone to listen for the beeps and report the time between them. I suspect it might be possible to get a more sensitive result that way then what is displayed on the Greenwon’s screen. But that only matters at the lower levels when one is not yet or just barely in ketosis.

A few weeks ago I started a medication pioglitazone which is typically prescribed for type 2 diabetes and boosts insulin sensitivity by increasing adipogenesis. Since starting it my fasting blood glucose has roughly dropped from 0.95 mg/dl to 0.80 mg/dl. But it also makes me hungry and I’ve been gaining weight pretty fast, a little muscle but mostly fat. So 3 days ago I suspended the medication and began a fast. And this time my ketones rocketed up much faster. Normally I target and am at 0.03% BAC on my meter when eating - I’ll up my carbs and/or protein when I go higher. And I am normally at 0.06% 2 days into a fast, This time at 2 days I was at 0.10% and 12 hours later today I blew 0.12%. These are levels I’ve never before hit even on longer fasts. I’m guessing the medication has improved my insulin sensitivity and lowered my base insulin level though I haven’t had that measured. Another point which makes me believe this is my fast is going much easier than before with less hunger and more energy and I have a sense I’ll be able to sustain it much longer.

(Amy pettis) #255

Ordered 5 for $2.00! Thank you so much!

(roxanna) #256

Ahh this must have been a mistake that they have now fixed.

(Jim Russell) #257

This morning’s results:

cheapo breathalyzer: 0.3% bac
novamax blood strip: 0.6 mmol/l
ketonix: 3.9 ppm

I’ve been fasting for about 36 hours. I had expected my ketones to go up, not down. The body is fascinating.

(m) #258

I just got my Greenwon yesterday and am disappointed :frowning: My blood ketones were anywhere between 0.7 and 1.5 yesterday, but the Greenwon isn’t giving me anything but 0.00 when I try it.

I thought maybe it didn’t work at all, so I used some mouthwash and blew (it was early, didn’t wanna drink quite yet) and got 0.19, and then later last night after 1 vodka I blew 0.07 BAC. So it definitely works, for alcohol at least.

#259

I ordered the cheapest breathalyzer I could find on Ebay. It’s not the Greenwon. I didn’t think it worked at all, even with the 6 second hack and I was very disappointed!. I finally figured mine out. I have to start blowing during the countdown. When the countdown gets to 2, I start blowing and keep blowing as the count starts going up to 10. Mine beeps as soon as it registers and it’s worked every time since I started doing it this way.

(Jim Russell) #260

This evening’s results:

blood ketones: 0.8
breathalyzer: 0.4
ketonix: 4.0

(Sonia A.) #261

It seems like your blood ketones are always 2 times higher than the number on the breathalyser. It’s interesting. We’ll see if we can deduct a pattern from your n=1 experience. Thank you for doing this :blush:.

(Jim Russell) #262

Yes, that is interesting. I find it strange that the ketonix reading goes up and down a lot but the breathalyzer seems to stay in a very small range.

(Jim Russell) #263

60 hours into my fast. Ketones are finally starting to rise.

blood: 1.2 mmol/l
breathalyzer: 0.05%
ketonix: 5.2 ppm