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Best Time of Day for Ketone Testing?

Rachox

Oracle
Retired Moderator
Messages
17,555
Location
Oxford
Type of diabetes
I reversed my Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I don’t think I’m in ketosis with eating 30g - 50g carbs per day which keeps my type 2 well controlled. However just out of curiosity as I use a blood glucose meter that will test for both, and I needed more glucose strips, I added some ketone strips to the order. So my question is as in the title
 
I found mine are usually higher mid afternoon.. after not eating during the day. Lower morning although not really sure why .. maybe DP reduces ketone production. Unfortunately too expensive to test too often so I tend to only do blood glucose and ketones when fasting. Will have to do a week of testing while eating too.. time for some more strips I think..
 
Mid afternoon wouldn’t be the same for me as I eat breakfast and lunch! The strips are pricey so that’s why I asked the question to work out the best use of them.
 
Personally I test once per week. Fasting on a Sunday morning. I don’t chase ketones and I’m not really concerned with times of day. I just choose the same time on each occasion so that the data is at least relevant to me.
 
I don't think it matters so long as you're consistent. Tend to do mine once a week immediately after FBG test.
 
Ha ha! I just opened my delivery and ssshhh but they have sent me two boxes when I only ordered and was charged for one! So I thought I’d squander one and test straight away. Result is 0.5, so bottom end of light ketosis according to this: https://www.diabetes.co.uk/keto/measuring-ketosis-on-a-keto-diet.html
Will try first thing in the morning tomorrow and see what that shows.
 
Purely as a frame of reference, I’m usually at somewhere between 3-4 which I consider optimal for myself. Sunday just gone was 3.7mmol/L. I’ve been over five on occasion but that was when fasting for 36h+
 
Unusually I had lunch today scrambled eggs and frankfurters just measured at 0.7.
I'll try and remember to test ketones and blood at the same time tomorrow a few times..
 
In the interests of science I will measure my ketones and glucose before dinner this evening and report back.

@Rachox can pay for the strip though
 
Hiya wow good news re the two boxes never happened to me!
Fastingis key to get your best results when I did a 56 hour fast recently it went higher as the fast progressed until it was higher than my bg.
When eating in my normal way I test just after my fasting bg first thing in ambut usually now just once a week on a Friday when I also record my weight for my records too. I only test more when I’m fasting. I’m sure that’s when you’ll get your best result but sounds like you are humming along if a random test resulted in a 0.5 atleastit is registering so you clearly are operating in ketosis will be interesting what it’s likefirst thing.
 
I find I register 0.5 when I really don't think I'm in ketosis (yes, I did get through a fair number of strips!) Being still very overweight, I am still swimming in glucose and it takes a 24 hour plus fast to get me into the 1s.

I've been doing OMAD with strict carb restriction this week, a little more successfully than usual, but my slight overeating of protein is hampering ketosis, I think. I've only tested a couple of times this week, and it's been below 1 (around midday - early afternoon).

But as for the question (good one by the way), I found the same as @bulkbiker, ketones highest early-mid afternoon when fasting. I tend not to test when not fasting at the moment as I now know they're pretty low.
 
I tested first thing this morning after overnight fasting. Seems this will be my high spot as I eat regular meals throughout the day. Ketones this morning are 0.7 with a fasting blood sugar of 4.9, happy with that
 
I test for ketones about 2 - 3 times a week. Either in the morning, or more often just before my evening meal. The AM readings average about 1, the evening readings average around 2.5. I don't often have breakfast in the morning, Usually I'm on TMAD, eating in a 7 hour window, 12 to about 1830. Just the odd snack of a few nuts.
 
I have an elderly Ketonix (colour coded breathalyser type tester) and used to test religiously first thing in the morning at the same time as my fasting glucose test. I don't bother much any more and don't worry about actual levels - since I've been "fat adapted" I switch in and out of ketosis all the time depending on what I've eaten and what fuel my body's currently needing to use.

If you compare the signs that you're In ketosis with the benefits that you can get from low carbing, they're actually very similar, and probably many low carbers are producing/using ketones without being aware of it.

Robbity
 
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