Ketone urine strips only test for the ketone body acetoacetate. As you get deeper into ketosis and become keto-adapted, your body will begin to efficiently convert acetoacetate and, as a result, produce more of the ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which cannot be detected using urine test strips. For this reason, experienced keto dieters who have been in ketosis for a while may present with very few ketones on their test strips. In reality, they are no longer producing a lot of acetoacetate[ *][ *]. Depending on how you treat your diabetes then you might need to use a monitor and test strips to manage your diabetes. Here we’re going to take a look at what monitors and test strips are, and how you can get them. Blood glucose monitors An ICU study evaluated the effectiveness of blood ketone testing versus urine ketone testing for DKA patients. The blood ketone testing group of patients left the ICU 6.5 hours earlier than the urine ketone testing group. This led to savings of 22 hours of nursing time and 375 laboratory investigations, for a total savings of €2,940. 1 It’s not necessarily good or bad… it depends what you are aiming for. The accuracy of the tests can be questionable, and I would say other markers of health (and how you feel) is more important than a ketone score.

The strips are much more accurate than urine test strips, which don’t test for a particular ketone and which may throw off their results. These blood strips only require a tiny example of your blood to tell you what you need to know and can give you results in 10 seconds. That’s among the fastest on the market. Ketogenic diets can have positive effects, but they aren’t the right fit for everyone – some people do better with more carbs. Duncan AE. Hyperglycemia and perioperative glucose management. Curr Pharm Des. 2012;18(38):6195-6203. doi:10.2174/138161212803832236 A preferable blood level of ketones for dietary ketosis is 0.5 – 3 mmol/L (9 – 54 mcg/dl) ( 11). Summary I would first consider whether the diet is right for you – there are many different ways of dieting, and if you don’t feel well on a sensibly planned keto diet it may be worth looking at something else.No meter preparation or calibration coding steps are required. Insert a ketone strip and StatStrip Glucose/Ketone meter automatically recognizes the strip and converts the meter to ketone measuring mode. Vanelli et al. (2003). Cost effectiveness of the direct measurement of 3-β-hydroxybutyrate in the management of diabetic ketoacidosis in children [Letter to the editor]. Diabetes Care, 26(3), 959. You can get a range of different types of blood glucose monitors. There are some meters that have extra features such as USB connections that allow you to log your readings on a computer. There are also meters that have calculators for insulin to carbohydrate ratio, and that you can link up with your smartphone. For instance, if someone is drinking large amounts of water, then it may dilute urine to the extent that affects the reading.

Urine test strips come in a small container and don’t require anything other than the strip itself (no fancy add-ons). This makes them perfect for when you’re traveling as you can just throw them in your bag, and you’re good to go. With DKA, the blood becomes acidic when ketones build up and blood glucose levels are usually high because there is no insulin. If you want to lose weight while managing your diabetes our information might help you. Where to find support

Some people mistake the keto diet for being low in carbs and high in protein. But consuming too much protein will not allow your body to enter ketosis ( 15). The doctors will talk to you about what caused DKA and give you advice on how to reduce the risk of it happening again. How to reduce your risk of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)

Each test strip can provide super-accurate results once inserted into the monitor and you only need to provide a small amount of blood to get accurate readings.

These keto strips are also among the fastest in the market, being able to provide you with results and 15 seconds. Understanding your accurate readings is also easy since there’s a chart located right on the box and bottle alike, and it’s simply color-coded so there’s no chance for confusion. This speed and accuracy are fantastic for those on heavy ketosis diets or diabetics. Hi Nicole, thanks for the comment! I don’t think you can really attribute a set time to this, unfortunately, and everyone will be different. But yes, there are more accurate (but more invasive) ways to measure ketone levels. The most accurate way at home would be by using a blood glucose & ketone meter, there is a very well-rated one called ‘Precision Xtra’ which you can find online for reasonably cheap. To put that differently, urine strips only show the number of excessive ketones that our body couldn’t use. However, they are probably not necessary for the average person who just wants to lose a bit of weight or finds a keto diet beneficial. DKA usually affects people with type 1 diabetes, but it can also happen in people with type 2 diabetes who need insulin.