• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Type 1 Ketone Measurement

Tokolosh

Tokolosh

Active Member
Messages
26
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
Hi All. Very new to this forum so please go easy lol

I've recently be given 2 GlucoRx HCT test meters. I've had no problem taking my Glucose readings but have a query on the Ketone measurement. Both meters came with a single Ketone test strip. I've done a single test with both meters and both come back with the result 'Lo'.

Going onto the NHS site for Ketone, it states Below 0.6mmol is Normal and above Not.
I was expecting some number for the result but not sure I need to worry about the Lo result lol

I have assumed the actual result is simply lower than the meter can display but I cant find anywhere if the Lo means something could be wrong with not having any Ketone reading at all.

Can anyone help me with this Query?
 

On the NHS Site:-​

Diabetic ketoacidosis​

If you use a meter to test for ketones in your blood:
  • under 0.6mmol/L is normal
  • 0.6 to 1.5mmol/L is slightly high – test again in 2 hours
  • 1.6 to 3mmol/L means you're at risk of DKA and should speak to your diabetes care team for advice
  • over 3mmol/L is high and means you may have DKA and should call 999 or go to A&E
 
As a T1, you don't need to worry about ketones so long as they are low. So a 'Lo' on the meter is fine, this means you are in no danger of DKA which is probably the main concern right now.

T2's eating very low carb/keto and trying for nutritional ketosis (as opposed to DKA) may be disappointed getting a 'Lo' reading on the meter, however the actual ketones in the bloodstream drops even on a keto diet after the body adapts and starts using them properly for fuel.
 
Hi there @Tokolosh , I am sure a number of T1’s will be able to advise you about Ketone levels and what warning signs to look out for. There are a number of sub forums that discuss Ketones in relation to diabetic ketoacidosis. I will leave it up to our T1 members to reassure you on your current low ketone levels and talk to you about their own experiences . I can tell you that healthy none diabetics can frequently secrete low levels of ketones in their urine. As for me, My diabetes Type is undermined at this time, but I frequently find ketone levels in my urine around the 0.5 - 1.5 level using a pee stick. I have been assured by my Dr that as long as I am not testing positive for glucose in my urine, these low levels are perfectly fine.
 
@Tokolosh ... just to support @ianf0ster on this (was type 1 for a while, oddly, so this is really personal experience despite my T2 tagline).

The concern for T1 is out of control ketone production. In very low energy (ie, cells not getting energy because no insulin) events, your liver can start cranking out ketones to make up for it, and with no insulin to regulate it can get out of control, to the point that it changes the ph of your blood, thus
Ketoacidosis. Ketones are a form of cell fuel, based on fats, rather than sugars and are also totally normal under the right conditions ... simply that they are also regulated with insulin, so generally avoided in the type 1 community. (This is not 100%, but as a new type 1 your advice will be exclusively that any measurable ketones are a warning sign)

If you control your dosing, this should never be likely - and for the medium term, you can ignore everything related to Ketosis or Ketones as it is discussed in the wider cmmunity.. that one strip is there simply for emergencies, if you are worried that (because you also feel very unwell, I mean this would be quite a significant event...) you can do a test, and from memory, heading toward 3 you go straight to A&E.

But, in all my time of using insulin, I never measured any appreciable ketones, and the reading you got was perfectly normal.
 
Last edited:
I only test ketones when my BG is high. I test for high ketones and do not worry if my ketones are under 1.0.
The concern is DKA - diabetic ketoacidosis.
Low ketones are not on issue.
 
I got some Bayer Ketostix to measure ketones from urine. The problem is that the measurement is by matching colour against a set of colours on the pack. If you eat low carb Keto diet then your ketones can be in the 1.5-3 range. The colour patterns correspond to 0, 0.5, 1.5, 4, 8 so it is hard to tell if you are 3 and ok or 4 and need to call 999 especially as the colour on the darkens with time.
 
Thanks @ All.
I've been a Type 1 Diabetic for over 50 years now, since I turned 12. I remember having to do Ketone pee tests regularly in those days but not even been asked of it more recently. It just seemed to appear with this new Glucose meter hence my query on it.

Thanks again for the information.
 
I actually asked my GP for ketone testing strips (this is very much a type 2 thing and related to me only) ... she could not do that, but we agreed to keep glucose test strips on my prescription list.. I got them, and sure enough, there is additionally a 5 pack of ketone strips.

Useful for me to calibrate my breath monitor though, so I can't complain.
 
Art Of Flowers said:
I got some Bayer Ketostix to measure ketones from urine. The problem is that the measurement is by matching colour against a set of colours on the pack. If you eat low carb Keto diet then your ketones can be in the 1.5-3 range. The colour patterns correspond to 0, 0.5, 1.5, 4, 8 so it is hard to tell if you are 3 and ok or 4 and need to call 999 especially as the colour on the darkens with time.
Click to expand...
I use those. As a T2 on ~20g carb/day, I also ignore the "call 999" DKA advice from the NHS as that does not take any account of dietary ketosis.

I have certainly been well into the purple +4 on many occasions, most recently at 0730 this morning.
 
Back
Top