When keto strips are innaccurate on urine do they tend to under-report or over-report?


#1

Hi. I’ve just started after being freaked out by a 6.7 a1c and being told by doctors that I was pre-diabetic for years. I don’t tend to do carbs much, but as I start I’ve really cut them down to 10g.

I decided to buy some keto strips yesterday and use them with urine. The color match closer to 80 than 40 on the scale, which they categorize as “large.” That is sort of freaking me about since I’ve only started about four days ago. I’m urinating quite frequently too. Is this typical?

Any chance the strips are over-reporting?


(Full Metal KETO AF) #2

Ketone urine strips aren’t very accurate, they aren’t made for ketogenic diets really. Their purpose is for Type 1 diabetics to make sure they aren’t getting into the keto acidosis range. Any ketones you see in urine now indicates you have burned through your glycogen stores and your liver is producing ketones. You aren’t good at using them so they are being excreted with your urine. That’s all it is, nothing to be alarmed about. Now that you know you’re in ketosis I recommend putting those strips away, the numbers aren’t going to be helpful, just confusing and giving you stuff to worry about that you don’t need to as long as you keep your carb intake under 20 net carbs per day. I am sure others will post some links like “Why you shouldn’t worry about the color of your test strips”

I leave you with this advice as a start

Good luck with keto and welcome to the forum. :cowboy_hat_face:


(Scott) #3

Carbs below 20g and the rest will sort itself out is the short version.


(mole person) #4

Don’t be freaked out. People confuse getting into ketosis with getting fat adapted all the time. If you are doing the diet correctly, which your results suggest that you are, you can be fully in ketosis in less than 48 hrs from starting. Also, the high result is not a bad thing at all. I always register between 40 and 80 myself even after two years on keto.


(Scott) #5

Ketosis is fast, fat adaption is slow. It took me about three months but it is not like an on/off switch. It is a slow transition but it will happen. The only marker for me was that I felt stronger runs and no longer needed to rest during the run=more energy.


(mole person) #6

Oh, in answer to your original question they can both under and over report depending on how hydrated you are, how dilute your urine is, and when you use them.

Try to always use them at the same time of day. The best time for me is right before dinner or right before bed. Early readings tend to be low due to something called the dawn phenomenon. Also readings can be influenced by being too soon after a meal or after exercise.

If you hold these effects more or less constant you can better gauge the relative effects of dietary choices on your ketone levels.


#7

Thanks all. I’m feeling much better and much better about all of this.