A question about measuring ketones

One thing I've noticed with using the ketostix is that if I test at night before I go to bed I end up with a significantly high reading on the stick...but ater I wake up in the morning..I measure at trace! I don't eat while I'm sleeping..and ketones are byproducts not something our body uses up..so why so much lower by morning? why lower at all?

[bethany]

I've noticed that mine are higher in the morning, and then get lighter throughout the day...I assume that's because I am drinking so much water. (I believe Dr. A recommended PM checks, but that doesn't work nearly as well for me)

I'll be interested to hear the professional opinion on the change patterns.

Mine get steadily darker throughout the day..and I drink well over a gallon of water each day..so yeah...the answer should be interesting to find out.

[bethany]

LOL...it's clearly a YMMV kind of thing!

[bybs54]

One idea is maybe that by drinking all the water you are "flushing" out the ketones.....just a thought.

[Atkins_Nutritionist]

The more ketones you release, the more fat you have dissolved.
But the color on the stick can be affected by many things, including how much water you drink. Keep in mind that even those who are not following a carb controlled diet may be producing ketones in the morning. This is because you are not eating over night so your body may be switching to fat burning metabolism if there is no carbohydrate source stored to burn for energy while you sleep. Measuring ketones is a motivating factor for some people, but is not necessary in order to measure your progress. If you are losing weight and inches, have more energy and feeling better, that is the real success.

You missed the point entirely!

Can you try again?

[Lisa Rae]

Mandy,

I never show first thing in the am (in the days when I used the sticks) and showed moderate by early evening. I can tell you that you go in and out of ketosis by the sticks all day. Many things can change your readings..food you eat, exercise, water, even hormones (many show less ketosis when they have their TOM)

I believe the AN had a great response. Would you rather have a dark stick or lose? the sticks are just one tool..not the rule..and over the 4+ yers I have been on Atkins..I have seen many diffrent readings..and still hit goal.

If your unsure your in ketosis..you might want to look for the signs of ketosis vs. the color on the sticks. Some signs of Ketosis are: Dragon breath, stong smelling urine or sweat, lack of appitite, more energy..and last but NEVER least...loss of inces and or lbs.

My personal advice..save the money and go buy a good steak if your losing

[lmt_24fan]

Funny...I came here tonight to ask the AN a similar question: Once I eat carbs, how long does it take for my system to "process" these and show up as reduced ketones? Is it within hours? Overnight? The next day? Longer???

With the holidays coming, I'm curious to know how long my Thanksgiving dinner is gonna play a role in my ketosis measurements.

Thanks!

I've never had any doubt that I'm in ketosis and have never not shown on the sticks and I have never not lost...NEVER had a stall!..that wasn't my question! My questions was as follows:

Why is it darker in the evening when I'm at my most well hydrated state and faintest in the mornings after no carb/food intake all night?

Seems backwards so wondered why...was only for my own interest not to get anyone going ..and btw..I eat plenty of steaks how do you think I lost 110 in less than 10 months???

[bethany]

Originally posted by MandyDee
Why is it darker in the evening when I'm at my most well hydrated state and faintest in the mornings after no carb/food intake all night?

Just trying to think this through further....maybe you eat most of your food earlier in the day and burn it off earlier? (I tend to eat later in the day, and that might explain why my stix are the opposite of yours.)

Gee who knows....this may be an Unsolved Mystery!

I wondered htat too, but I tend to eat very evenly throughout the day. Yep! lol you may be right..a big mystery :hug

Bumping for an answer

Psst! Bethany..your box is full

[bethany]

Originally posted by MandyDee
Psst! Bethany..your box is full

Sorry...I emptied it!

[Meowser]

Well, I expected a better answer from the AN. As far as I know, ketones ARE something that your body uses up. They are a fuel. The sticks just measure the ketones NOT used up by the body. The ketones are what supplies your body with energy.

At least that's what I thought?

OK..here's what I understood:

When the body must use its fat stores for energy (our goal to lose weight), these fat cells begin to release the long fatty acids into the blood.

To be used as fuel, particularly by the brain, the fatty acids go to the liver where they are literally cut into two carbon fragments (ketoacids.)

They are then utilized (burned) by many tissues, including the brain. The brain operates just as well on a diet of ketoacids as it does on glucose. What's left (the incompletely burned fragments) are called ketones, and they are what spill into the urine to be swept from the body.

So, no....ketones are not used up..they are the byproduct of ketoacids being 'used up'

AN..where ARE you?

[Susiecarbojunkie]

wait a minute, Mandy--
I think you're onto something there.
Perhaps the lighter sticks in the morning could be a result of these metabolic pathways slowing down during sleep
maybe for the same reason that some people are "morning" people and jump out of bed--and some are night-owls and have difficulty getting up--some have lighter sticks in the morning, and some have darker

I am a morning person--I jump out of bed
and
in the morning my sticks barely measure a trace of ketones
while in the evening they are dark purple

does it make sense?

LOL..susiecarbojunkie...you've come up with the best response so far! I'm a morning person too :hug

[mimi]

Mandy,

I have researched this topic. There are two points I'd like to mention.

First, certain individuals are predisposed towards ketosis. For example, those with diabetes have low insulin levels and can not process glucose (sugar) for energy. Therefore, their bodies break down fat, leading to a rise in ketone levels. I don't know if you have diabetes in your family, or have ever had any form of gestational diabetes...but I feel it is somewhat logical that each person's insulin level factors in on your 'stick reading'.

Secondly, I wonder if you've noticed any impact exercise has on your sticks? What time of day do you exercise? This is another valid factor. I bookmarked this quote. I don't remember where I found it, but see if it makes sense to you...

"It has been known for almost a century that ketones appear in higher concentrations in the blood following aerobic exercise (35). The overall effect of aerobic exercise below the lactate threshold is to induce or enhance ketosis. Liver glycogen decreases, insulin decreases, glucagon increases and there is an increase in free fatty acid levels in the bloodstream.

Aerobic exercise can quickly induce ketosis following an overnight fast. One hour at 65% of maximum heart rate causes a large increase in ketone body levels but the ketones do not contribute to energy production to any significant degree (36). 2 hours of exercise at 65% of maximum heart rate will raise ketone levels to 3mM after 3 hours. High levels of ketonemia (similar to those seen in prolonged fasting) can be achieved five hours post-exercise (36)."

Just thought I'd add a *friendly* comment! he he. Amie

P.S. Every so often I treat myself to a bottle of the sticks...they're like an adult version of magic rocks...as I've switched from atkins to a more lowfat style of eating...my ketosis sticks are usually very pale...and typically I was a raging ketosis queen prior to that.

[Jacks_mom]

Hmmm....so if you are dark purpl does that mean you are burning more fat than if you were a light pink?

[Susiecarbojunkie]

mimih--
interesting info--and yes--I do notice an increase in color on the sticks after exercising--however, the increase is very slight when I measure after exercising in the morning--even when I have exercised on an empty stomach--which means I should be burning totally fat for energy by that point-- go figure

I wonder, then, about how some people might register darker on the ketostix in the morning, after sleeping--than in the evening, after a day's activity?

no diabetes here, although I am fat--therefore prolly have some insulin resistance. But I do know that clinically, ketosis is a benign dietary condition, unless you are a type I diabetic (ref. Michael Eades--in Protein Power). I don't see how they might measure differently using ketone sticks---and they both indicate the body is metabolizing fat--it must means two different things to these groups of people.


Jacks_mom
Theoretically, the darker the sticks, the more ketones present in the urine--and the greater fat burning
But there are two other factors you must consider--

first--although ketosis is an indication that your body is metabolizing fat, it doesn't specify whether the fat being burned is the fat you are eating, or stored body fat. If you are only burning the fat in your diet--you may not show a weight loss, even though you are in ketosis. Ketosis doesn't guarantee weight loss--it just makes it easier, I think (also, many have lost incredible amounts of weight without ever registering ketosis)

second--if you are dehydrated, the ketones will be more concentrated in your urine and the sticks will read a darker purple

Dr. Atkins was very careful to clarify that ketosis is, most importantly, an indication of a metabolic shift in your body from burning glycogen to burning fat--therefore ketosis is ketosis---the degree doesn't really matter; it's like an on/off switch and the important thing is to turn on the ketosis metabolic shift

the one thing I am MOST certain of--I have never felt more vital and fantastic in my life and I'm a 20 year veteran high school teacher---while my peers are dreaming of retirement--one of our athletic coaches who was in my computer lab watching me all day--commented that he didn't understand why I wasn't exhausted
AND--we had thanksgiving dinner a day early and I ate only turkey, green beans and lc. pumpkin cheesecake (small bit)--and didn't even cringe watching everyone eat potatoes, stuffing, and chocolate death cake. THAT is the beauty of ketosis.

sorry this was so long--but this has been a really interesting discussion!!!!

[Jacks_mom]

Hey thanks a lot you helped me out a lot ...Ive been so paranoid lately b/c I had stalled with dark purple and I went back to basics and turned light pink...and I just new I wasn't going to lose ..but Im a pound less and you said exactly what I needed to hear so thank u