Measuring ketosis is especially important at the beginning of a ketosis diet. This is the only way to know to what extent your metabolism has already changed. There are three different measurement options available to you for checking your ketosis, we will introduce them to you.
Measure ketosis – the cheapest option
Ketosis recipes are in fashion because they help you lose weight. However, it takes about three to five weeks for the body to adjust. With the help of various measuring methods, you can check to what extent your organism is already in the so-called ketogenic state.
- Measuring ketosis using urine test strips is the cheapest method. You can get the keto sticks in pharmacies or drugstores. You can get 100 of them for around four euros. Unfortunately, this method of measuring ketosis is not very accurate.
- Basically, the measurement method is only suitable at the beginning of the dietary change. The measurement method becomes more and more uncertain as the ketosis diet progresses, because the body learns to produce only as much ketone as it needs. This is then more difficult to detect in the urine.
- In addition, the urine reacts very sensitively to many other factors, such as illness or alcohol consumption, so that the result is also falsified.
- It is important that you always measure at the same time when using this method. It is recommended to do it in the morning after getting up, because your urine gives the most unbiased result by resting overnight.
- The measuring process itself is simple. You hold the strip in the urine for a few seconds. You can then see the ketone concentration from the discolouration of the test strip. The exact time and the meaning of the colours can be found in the respective manufacturer’s instructions.
Breathing air – how to measure the ketone bodies
It is even easier and, above all, more convenient to measure ketosis with the help of a breathing device. However, convenience usually comes at a price: the breathing apparatus will cost you around 40 euros. However, this covers all the costs; apart from the so-called ketone meter, you don’t need anything else.
- You blow into the breath tester for a few seconds and then the ketone body utilisation is shown to you on a display or by a colour button. You can also get devices that you can connect to your computer. With the help of the corresponding software, you can save the measured values and thus have a long-term overview.
- The way it works is similar to an alcohol test, except that in that case the acetone concentration in the breath is measured. Often the breath smells sweet and sour when you are on a ketosis diet.
- You can of course measure as often as you like. However, you should also set certain times, as the ketone body concentration in the body changes throughout the day.
- Just like measuring with test strips, however, this method of measuring ketosis also carries the risk of inaccuracy.
The safest method of ketosis measurement
The safest way to take a ketosis measurement is via the blood. In contrast to the other measurement methods, this variant takes several parameters into account at once. However, this measurement of ketone bodies is more expensive.
- In addition to the ketosis meter, you need a test strip for each measurement. The test strip will cost you approximately between 1.50 and 2 euros.
- In addition, you need to draw a little blood every day. The amount is minimal, but the daily pricking of the fingertip is not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea.
- For accurate results, it is best to take the ketone measurement in the morning on an empty stomach.
- The measured values are displayed in millimoles (mmol) per litre of blood.
- At a value between 0.5 and 1 mmol, you are already in mild ketosis. We speak of so-called ketogenic adaptation at values between 1 and 3 mmol.
- It becomes interesting at values of 1.5 mmol and above, because then you slowly enter the range in which the body begins to break down fat. To lose weight, by the way, you don’t have to reach more than 3 mmol.
