Approved A better way to check ketones?

Hi Daniel, I haven't checked my ketones for a few years. I have a Glucomen LX plus glucose meter which doubles as a ketone meter. If your sugars are over 13.5 it gives an alarm and tells you to check ketones, you then just load a ketone testing strip into the same meter and test a drop of blood. My sugars are never that high so I haven't tested.

I tend only to test ketones when I am sick or have especially high blood sugars (greater than 14mmol/l) and use an optium exceed with a ketone test strip to check blood level.

I prefer the blood tester since it is much more precise and there is no time lag which you can get with urine testing.

@MrMaggs, Ketone testing is something that the majority of diabetics don't do frequently. Ketones are an issue with prolonged high blood glucose, so checking is a back up to confirm what level of issues you have when BG levels are very high, and take appropriate action. As a result, either blood or urine stickls are good enough. In answer to your questions:


1. Roughly how many times a week would you say you check your ketone levels, and how? (test strips/blood reader/breath analyzer) Pretty much never for Diabetes and maybe once every couple of months when undertaking a ketotic diet.

2. If you don`t check your *blood* ketones, why? Is it because urine strips are good enough, or because of the cost, or because you are already drawing blood for glucose checking and don't want to do this again for ketones? There simply isn't any need to check for ketones in normal day to day life. They only ever need checking when you have bg levels >13mmol/l. And I don't get any kind of prolonged levels like that as I manage them down before ketones would be an issue.

3. If there was a convenient way to test the same ketones as a blood reader (BHB) through your urine for significantly less cost, would that be of interest? Why/why not? As above, it's such an irregular thing that there's not a great deal of point in doing something new from my perspective. What I have now works well enough. In addition, in the UK, you'd need to sell this idea to the NHS as they provide the testing mechanism free on prescription to T1 diabetics.

As with the others, I hardly ever test, only if blood glucose is higher than 250mg/dl or if I am ill. Both are rare occurrences

1. Roughly how many times a week would you say you check your ketone levels, and how? (test strips/blood reader/breath analyzer) if its above 14 then maybe i'll check but if my sugars come down within the hour of correcting i wont.

2. If you don`t check your *blood* ketones, why? Is it because urine strips are good enough, or because of the cost, or because you are already drawing blood for glucose checking and don't want to do this again for ketones?
Its not neccesery unless you're running high constantly.
3. If there was a convenient way to test the same ketones as a blood reader (BHB) through your urine for significantly less cost, would that be of interest? Why/why not? No because urine ketone checking is less accurute

There is a whole other market for ketone measurement beyond Type 1 diabetes - like people following a ketogenic diet for various health conditions (epilepsy, cancer, neurological conditions, etc). There is even one already on the market that measures breath ketones called the Ketonix. I believe there may already be others under development.

1) Don't test weekly and hardly ever test for ketones, only time being if I'm ill or having issues with my pump which results in high bg levels. Use a bg/ketone meter to test and get the ketone strips on prescription.

2) No need to check for ketones if well and bg levels are under control, bg meter (together with the Freestyle Libre) works just fine.

3) Given the amount of times I test for ketones the cost consideration wouldn't be of a concern.

Never have done and thats 38 years so far.

MrMaggs said:

1. Roughly how many times a week would you say you check your ketone levels, and how? (test strips/blood reader/breath analyzer)

2. If you don`t check your *blood* ketones, why? Is it because urine strips are good enough, or because of the cost, or because you are already drawing blood for glucose checking and don't want to do this again for ketones?

3. If there was a convenient way to test the same ketones as a blood reader (BHB) through your urine for significantly less cost, would that be of interest? Why/why not?

Thank you so much!

Daniel

Click to expand...

1) I'm type 2 using a very low carb/ketogenic to help control glucose levels and weight; I generally test mornings and bedtimes to check whether I'm in ketosis.

2) I don't use a meter to check blood ketones due to high price of strips, and as I have to fund my own glucose test strips I can't afford the extra cost involved. I use a Ketonix unit to test breath ketones.

3) As a woman I found urine test strips slightly messy to use, and they became inaccurate the longer I was in ketosis, due to more efficient use of ketones, so less of them being passed in urine.

Robbity

I am a T2 diabetic, diet and exercise controlled, and eat a mainly ketogenic diet.

1. Roughly how many times a week would you say you check your ketone levels, and how? (test strips/blood reader/breath analyzer)

I don't test, although I do have some Freestyle keto testing strips. They were ridiculously expensive, so I wouldn't waste them on casual testing.

2. If you don`t check your *blood* ketones, why? Is it because urine strips are good enough, or because of the cost, or because you are already drawing blood for glucose checking and don't want to do this again for ketones?

I don't test. I have been in and out of ketosis for years, and don't trust the accuracy of Ketostix. Tend to go by the 'feeling'. I am also confiendent that my blood glucose is controlled enough to prevent ketoacidosis (always under 13mmol/l and with adequate insulin production).

3. If there was a convenient way to test the same ketones as a blood reader (BHB) through your urine for significantly less cost, would that be of interest? Why/why not?

Wouldn't be interested, I am afraid. The longer we are in ketosis, the more efficient we get at processing ketones as fuel. So there will be fewer ketones wasted in the urine. I still have them, and still use them for energy, but my urine won't indicate that.

I understand there is a breath checking gadget called the Ketonix that gives a better indication. Rather expensive. But more accurate. Spending that amount of money (£100 I think) doesn't appeal either...

Hope that helps.

MrMaggs said:

Robbity,

Thank you for your reply! Very interesting to hear this. Did you ever have any drawbacks with the Ketonix unit? I.e. accuracy problems etc. If you could test blood ketones for the same cost as a Ketonix, would you still use the latter?

Dan

Click to expand...

The only drawback there might be with the Ketonix is it shows a colour range rather than actual figures, but it's sufficient for my requirement in checking dietary ketosis.

It's main benefit for me is it's portability/accessability - I added a rechargeable usb power pack so I can use it any time, anywhere. It was also a one-off cost which makes it cheaper the longer I have it.
It also gives me the information in "real time". Unfortunately, I can't see any significant benefits in using urine testing, it's messy (for me anyway!), and not very convenient as you need access to a bathroom, and as I understand it, measures only waste ketones which don't give an accurate/current picture - point (3) in my previous post. Unless you have found a way round this??

Robbity

MrMaggs said:

Hi all,

I hope you had a great weekend. I`m an entrepreneur based in Japan developing smart sensors for advanced ketone detection. I got involved in this area after one of my friends was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I`d be very grateful to ask a few questions on checking ketones:

1. Roughly how many times a week would you say you check your ketone levels, and how? (test strips/blood reader/breath analyzer)

2. If you don`t check your *blood* ketones, why? Is it because urine strips are good enough, or because of the cost, or because you are already drawing blood for glucose checking and don't want to do this again for ketones?

3. If there was a convenient way to test the same ketones as a blood reader (BHB) through your urine for significantly less cost, would that be of interest? Why/why not?

Thank you so much!

1. 28 x week

2. Strips which are very inaccurate

3. Yes built into BG meter perhaps with other functionality like BP and lipid panel

Daniel

Click to expand...

Sent from my iPad using DCUK Forum mobile app