Ketone test sticks

[ol_hilly]

Anyone have any experience with ketone test sticks? What I can gather from watching vids is it shows when you have excess ketones and your flushing them out in your urine. (I wish I had got some back when I did the 30 day carni challenge) Now I'm more or less Ketovore. Last week I was measuring small to moderate. Then after the family reunion, I didn't even test a trace amount. One half a deviled egg and one spoon of cheezy corn. (don't tell, but I wasn't impressed) Was probably that small slice of German cake without frosting. Anyhoo, two days later and I'm back to Small on the test stick. I think Small means you have a small amount of ketones your passing through?

I guess I'm asking if anyone is well enough versed on what they're about to explain it in layman's term. ???

[Bob]

I haven't used ketone test strips since the 90's when I did Atkin's for the first time. They are supposed to be able to tell you if you are in ketosis as you will excrete excess ketones in your urine when your body breaks down fat for energy. They would be a visible marker that you are now burning fat instead of carbs.

However, I've recently heard that when you become fully fat adapted, you will still be producing ketones and burning fat for energy, but they won't pill over into your urine anymore. So eventually nothing changes on the strip. There are ketone blood monitors that you can use that will pickup ketones in the blood. I haven't seen or used one but I imagine they are similar to a blood glucose monitor.

12 hours ago, ol_hilly said:

after the family reunion, I didn't even test a trace amount. One half a deviled egg and one spoon of cheezy corn. (don't tell, but I wasn't impressed) Was probably that small slice of German cake without frosting.

Yeah, the cheesy corn and the German cake would have bumped you out of ketosis until those carbohydrates were used up. 2 days later and you are getting a reading again.

From what I understand, you're good as long as you're reading something. It's not a matter of the darker the color the better or anything like that. You may see high readings at the outside, but they will naturally go down as you become fat adapted.

[ol_hilly]

I did spend a couple nights studying up on fat adaptation. I remember reading that one you get into ketosis, it will go up. And as you level out, so will the ketones.

I suppose it's another visual reward for eating right. Instead of lights and buzzers, it's your stick turning pink or purple.