Ketones

Everyone has them. Ketones are chemicals made in your liver. You produce them when you don't have enough hormone insulin in your body to turn glucose into energy. So your body uses fat instead. Your liver turns this fat into ketones, a type of acid, and sends them into your bloodstream. Your muscles and other tissues can use them for fuel.

If you don't have diabetes, should not be an issue, but with diabetes you may produce too many ketones in the blood and can be life-threatening.

Symptoms can be thirst, dry mouth, dry or red skin, frequent urination, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, trouble breathing, fruity smell to your breath.

How to test for ketones?

Blood test

This is the most accurate one. You can find many blood ketone meters like, Keto-mojo, Precision Xtra, Care Touch or Sibio just came out with a continues monitor.

Your ketone level should be under 0.6 mmol/L. If anything higher, you should test again in 2 hours. If your ketone level is 1.6-3 mmol/L, you are at risk.

Breath test

Breath acetone levels 2-40 ppm may indicate nutritional ketosis.

Urine test

This is a test, when you dip a strip into your urine and change the color of the presence of ketone acetoacetate. Darker the color, means you are in ketosis, but too dark may show dehydration. So you should be in the middle somewhere. These tests are the least accurate, so you better off with the first 2.

You can test daily, especially if you are just starting the ketogenic diet, but in time you may test weekly. Sometimes you can test if you want to see how your body is reacting for certain foods. Wait about 2 hours after meal.

You can also purchase ketone supplements, like Exogenous Ketones, which will raise your ketone levels. They may help to reduce appetite and put you in the state of ketosis in very short time. It is suggested to consume for athletes and if you are just starting the diet. Once you lower your carb intake, your body will produce ketones, but that doesn't mean you can not boost with supplements for faster results. Most available ketone supplements contain 8-12 grams of ketones per servings. Also some of them functioning as Electrolytes as well, what is essential on keto.

I finally just got my hands on KetoSpike, what is an instant coffee from Audacious Nutrition, made with Colombian coffee with electrolytes.

In the beginning of my journey I was using Perfect Keto Exogenous Ketone Base.

Bottom Line

If you are on the low carb or ketogenic diet, and eating right, you will be in ketosis soon or later. For weight loss, you don't always have to be in ketosis, but will help, as your body will burn fat for fuel.