Why were my blood ketones so much higher this a.m.?

(ketohealthclub) #1

I test my blood ketone levels maybe once or twice a week, on the morning after I have fasted. Usually my ketone range between one and 1.5 whether I have fasted or not. Once in a great while it’ll be in the 2.5+ range. That’s rare, but this morning it was 3.3. My question, in the name of science, is what influences blood ketones to rise like this? I’m trying to see if this is predictable. My blood glucose was 92, which isn’t unusual. I semi-fasted yesterday- my only consumption was two coffees with cream last night, which I have done before. My test was 9 hours later. (Edited to add that I do alternate day fasting three days a week).

#2

Did you drink two cups of coffee and went to bed?

(bulkbiker) #3

My ketones go much higher than usual when fasting. I’m day 4 of a 7 day fast and they were 3.2 this morning from 2.8 yesterday and 1.4 the day before. Unfortunately I forgot to measure at the start.

(ketohealthclub) #4

My last cup was probably an hour or so before bedtime.

(ketohealthclub) #5

Mine haven’t been this high even after a fasting day. 3.3 was unusual.

#6

I’m not sure the science behind this but I took 400mg’s of caffeine while in a rush one morning without knowing and then proceeded to drink coffee like i normally do. At the end of the day I felt the really clean feeling of when i’m at 6-7 mmol. I tested my ketones and It was the same situation as you. Normally 1 - 1.5, but it was 3 something.

#7

Did you partake in any physical exertion the day before that was out of the ordinary? There’s sometimes a delayed reaction increase in blood ketones from increased fat burning during exercise.

(Bart) #8

Your body overnight was producing less insulin than usual. Insulin causes the kidney to turn off ketone production from what I understand. It is not the glucose directly, rather glucose causes insulin release which in turn slows down ketone production.

So why we see lower ketones usually is because of the dawn phenomenon which raises glucose which in turn causes an insulin response which in turn slows down ketone production.

My guess would be for whatever reason you did not produce as much glucose last night which in turn caused less of an insulin response which in turn resulted higher than normal ketones.

Even if your blood glucose was at a level it normally is in the AM, it could mean less insulin was required to get the glucose to that level.

That is my two-cents. DISCLAIMER I am not a doctor, nor am I a scientist. This is simply a theory I derived from the knowledge I have gained. It is strictly opinion and should not be assumed fact.

(ketohealthclub) #9

No- nothing out of the ordinary.

(ketohealthclub) #10

It appears logical, Bartdorman. I’m going to watch for a pattern. Thanks for your input.