checking your ketones
What are ketones?
Ketone bodies are an alternative fuel to glucose.
When glucose availability is low (during fasting, carbohydrate restriction during a ketogenic diet, prolonged exercise), insulin levels drop and this leads to mobilization of fat (in the form of fatty acids) from fat depots, so that the liver can metabolize fatty acids to ketone bodies that can be used as an alternative energy source by most organs1,2.
What is nutritional ketosis?
The word “ketosis” indicates an increase in ketone bodies in the blood. Physiological or nutritional ketosis is a metabolic state that occurs physiologically in healthy individuals, when glucose availability is low (fasting, exercise, ketogenic diet) and the body uses ketone bodies instead of glucose as an energy source1,2.
KETOGENIC DIET
During a ketogenic diet without calorie restriction, nutritional ketosis is obtained by adjusting the macronutrient composition of the diet, i.e. by restricting daily carbohydrate intake to a maximum of ~50 g or ~10% of total energy, with adequate protein intake (1.2–1.5 g/kg/d) and the remaining energy intake coming from fat3. A ketogenic diet may or may not involve calorie restriction.
Ketogenic diets are increasingly used for weight loss. Athletes competing in specific weight categories, strength and power athletes may also benefit from a ketogenic diet4.
However, during moderate or high intensity exercise, carbohydrates are the main energy substrate, and depletion of glucose depots (glycogen) may be a limiting factor in performance5.
Before engaging in a ketogenic diet, ask your doctor whether this regimen is appropriate for you.
Why is it important to check ketone levels?
During physiological ketosis, beta-hydroxybutyrate levels in the blood are in the range of ~0.5–3 mmol/l1,6.
Checking ketone levels may be useful to:
Maximize the effectiveness of a ketogenic diet
- ensure nutritional ketosis is achieved and maintained during a ketogenic diet7
- make necessary changes to the diet and activity level to achieve nutritional ketosis4 (e.g. further restriction of carbohydrate intake)
- know when fat is being “burned” to be used as a fuel source1,2
Optimize athletic performance
- ensure nutritional ketosis is ended (e.g. after carbohydrate reintroduction before a competition8)
- know when glucose availability is low during prolonged exercise2, and carbohydrates should be supplied to replenish glycogen (glucose) stores6
- know when fat is being “burned” to be used as a fuel source1,2
How to measure ketone levels?
Urine dipsticks
These measure acetoacetate in urine. Urine dipsticks provide only qualitative results, and are subject to medication-related interference and colour discrimination errors when reading the test strip9.
Breath analysers
These measure acetone in the breath.
However, most breath analysers do not have any data regarding their utility for use in a ketogenic diet10.
Ketone meters
These measure beta-hydroxybutyrate in capillary blood. Ketone meters have been associated with earlier detection of ketosis, and are not subject to colour discrimination, unlike urine ketone dipsticks. Blood beta-hydroxybutyrate measurements provide more clinically useful information than methods that measure urine acetoacetate or acetone levels9.
In general, ketosis can be assessed by measuring acetoacetate in urine or acetone in breath, but blood testing is considered most accurate6.
When to check your
blood ketones?
for fitness
and wellness
for intense
sporting activities
during a keto diet
or low-carb diet
How to test your ketones with
GlucoMen areo 2K
3 simple steps and only 8 sec. to get the result
Insert the B-Ketone Sensor strip into the GlucoMen areo 2K
With clean and dry hands, insert the sensor into the instrument as far as it will go: you will hear an acoustic signal and the display will show Ket (ketones).
Place a the drop of blood on the tip of the sensor.
After pricking your finger, let out a drop of blood. Keep the tip of the sensor in contact with the blood drop until you hear the acoustic signal.
The result will appear on the display in only 8 seconds.
Dispose of the sensor safely thanks to the integrated eject buttons.
Start checking your blood ketones
handy, light, and discreet
GlucoMen areo 2K is an high-tech medical device available in a modern and pocket-size case.
Ergonomic and sleek design
Size: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1.8 cm
Weight: 46 g
How to get your new GlucoMen areo 2K?
References
- Paoli A. Ketogenic Diet for Obesity: Friend or Foe? Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2014, 11(2), 2092-2107
- Harvey KL, et al. Ketogenic Diets and Exercise Performance. Nutrients . 2019 Sep 26;11(10):2296
- Aragon AA, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: diets and body composition. J Int Soc Sports Nutr . 2017 Jun 14;14:16
- Moore AR, et al. Reliability and diagnostic performance of a new blood ketone and glucose meter in humans. J Int Soc Sports Nutr . 2021 Jan 7;18(1):6.
- Norgren J, et al. Capillary blood tests may overestimate ketosis: triangulation between three different measures of β-hydroxybutyrate. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab . 2020 Feb 1;318(2):E184-E188
- Kraeuter AK, et al. Chapter 4. Protocol for the Use of the Ketogenic Diet in Preclinical and Clinical Practice. In: Clinical and Preclinical Models for Maximizing Healthspan. SpringerLink 2020
- Valenzuela PL, et al. Effects of Combining a Ketogenic Diet with Resistance Training on Body Composition, Strength, and Mechanical Power in Trained Individuals: A Narrative Review. Nutrients . 2021 Sep 1;13(9):3083
- Mata F, et al. Carbohydrate Availability and Physical Performance: Physiological Overview and Practical Recommendations. Nutrients 2019, 11(5), 1084
- Nguyen KT, et al. Continuous Ketone Monitoring Consensus Report 2021. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology 2022, Vol. 16(3) 689– 715
- Alkedeh O, Priefer R. The Ketogenic Diet: Breath Acetone Sensing Technology. Biosensors (Basel) . 2021 Jan 19;11(1):26
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