Keto test strips
Misskim121211
Posts: 28 Member
When I first started on keto I was using the test strips as kind of a guide to make sure I was on the right track. It only took me about 4 days before I got a positive result. My carb intake was around 50g so even though it was a little higher I still had ketones. I stopped using the strips because I know they aren't the best. I tested yesterday just out of curiosity and I was negative. I have not strayed from my WOE so I was a little surprised. My carb intake is now closer to 30g.
I struggled at first with the Keto flu but the last 2 weeks feel great. I am in my 5th week.
Does this mean I am not producing ketones anymore?
I struggled at first with the Keto flu but the last 2 weeks feel great. I am in my 5th week.
Does this mean I am not producing ketones anymore?
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Replies
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There could be a few reasons for a negative stick. You might be eating more carbs than you think. It's easy to misjudge portions if you don't weigh, or to not realize maltitol doesn't work for you if you are eating sugar free products. You might have just had a bad stick. Sometimes one of mine won't change and I'll know it should so I'll grab another one and it will work (or the whole jar can go off if they get too hot or if too much moisture gets in). Some people also don't register ketones as strongly in the morning, so maybe it's the time of day and how many ketones your body is eating up vs spilling in the urine. Finally, for some people, their body gets super efficient at using ketones and they stop spilling enough in urine to turn the stick. That's usually after months of ketosis, but maybe your body is special.4
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I did test first thing this morning, maybe I will try tonight. It is a brand new jar but maybe I got a bad stick. I don't eat sugar free products, funny I was just goggling the Russell Stover chocolates and was thinking about getting some. Maybe I will stay away from them. I use a protein powder for my breakfast...maybe it has more cabs then listed. It says 3g of carbs for one scoop. So it can't be that off...but maybe.
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meant to say...I weigh and measure everything.0
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Ketostix aren't the best indicators of ketosis. Among other things, the color can vary significantly with your hydration level.
(Blood tests are much better, but expensive.
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From http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/36676790:Foamroller wrote: »From my understanding the ketostix are only useful the first couple of weeks. So be aware what they can do and can't do.
After the body get more efficient using ketones, people have experienced no purple on stix, but having NK showing BHB measured by blood at the same time. Ketostix don't measure the useful ketone. They measure the past not the present. Exercise can influence the result.
Here's a pretty good overview:
https://www.reddit.com/r/keto/comments/2wsu0u/psa_when_and_how_to_use_ketostix_on_a_ketogenic/The keto-adapted brain uses ketones in place of glucose for most of its energy needs. When keto-adapted, most acetoacetate is not excreted. Instead, muscles convert it to beta-hydroxybutyrate and return it to the blood for use by the brain.
IME, I find it more useful to pay close attention to symptoms such as hunger, cravings, antsy restless feeling, how calm I am, brain fog, forgetfulness, depression, focus, easy to get out of bed, tiredness, inflammation, bloating, tummy issues (IBS) etc. In other words if I notice the body is starting to revert to how it USED to be...it's time to reassess my eating habits and eliminate/dial down stuff.
If you can afford to use the blood ketone meter, that's currently the gold standard. However, ketone levels are not synonymous with fat loss. You can be keto all day, but maintain scale weight. Still need a deficit for that, I'm afraid. If you wanna know exact ketone levels out of curiosity or therapeutic methods due to illness like epilepsy, then measuring blood levels is the way to go. I hope this clarifies things.
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I have been feeling great, and am losing weight so I guess I won't get hung up on the test strips. I feel like when the strips test positive it's a pat on the back. Shows proof...if that makes any sense..lol I don't have any health issues so I really don't need to test my blood.3
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Misskim121211 wrote: »I have been feeling great, and am losing weight so I guess I won't get hung up on the test strips. I feel like when the strips test positive it's a pat on the back. Shows proof...if that makes any sense..lol I don't have any health issues so I really don't need to test my blood.
Perfect.
The takeaway - don't be discouraged with peestix that seem to show lower ketone levels!0 -
Misskim121211 wrote: »I did test first thing this morning, maybe I will try tonight. It is a brand new jar but maybe I got a bad stick. I don't eat sugar free products, funny I was just goggling the Russell Stover chocolates and was thinking about getting some. Maybe I will stay away from them. I use a protein powder for my breakfast...maybe it has more cabs then listed. It says 3g of carbs for one scoop. So it can't be that off...but maybe.
If it's whey protein, it actually could be the cause. Whey protein is insulinogenic. It will trigger a moderate insulin release for about 45 minutes which will be countered by glucagon to keep blood sugar level.
Urine strips will always be lowest first thing in the morning also because of the cortisol and glucose release that is part of our natural waking process.2 -
If you are keeping your carbs under 50g and losing weight I would not worry about ketone testing unless you are an epileptic or needing ketones in a certain range for medical reasons. You can be in "ketosis" and have a negetive pee test because your body is using ketones for fuel. I started eating this way and lost to my goal weight without ever buying pee strips or any other form of ketone meters.1
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Misskim121211 wrote: »I did test first thing this morning, maybe I will try tonight. It is a brand new jar but maybe I got a bad stick. I don't eat sugar free products, funny I was just goggling the Russell Stover chocolates and was thinking about getting some. Maybe I will stay away from them. I use a protein powder for my breakfast...maybe it has more cabs then listed. It says 3g of carbs for one scoop. So it can't be that off...but maybe.
If it's whey protein, it actually could be the cause. Whey protein is insulinogenic. It will trigger a moderate insulin release for about 45 minutes which will be countered by glucagon to keep blood sugar level.
Urine strips will always be lowest first thing in the morning also because of the cortisol and glucose release that is part of our natural waking process.
Yes it is a whey protein. I am new to all of this so I appreciate all the help. Is it being an insulinogenic a bad thing?0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Misskim121211 wrote: »I did test first thing this morning, maybe I will try tonight. It is a brand new jar but maybe I got a bad stick. I don't eat sugar free products, funny I was just goggling the Russell Stover chocolates and was thinking about getting some. Maybe I will stay away from them. I use a protein powder for my breakfast...maybe it has more cabs then listed. It says 3g of carbs for one scoop. So it can't be that off...but maybe.
If it's whey protein, it actually could be the cause. Whey protein is insulinogenic. It will trigger a moderate insulin release for about 45 minutes which will be countered by glucagon to keep blood sugar level.
Urine strips will always be lowest first thing in the morning also because of the cortisol and glucose release that is part of our natural waking process.
Whoa. So glucagon release is sometimes a reaction to food-induced insulin release and not vice versa?
Any idea how this pattern looks in type 2 diabetics with delayed insulin responses?
Thanks.0 -
allie2girlz wrote: »If you are keeping your carbs under 50g and losing weight I would not worry about ketone testing unless you are an epileptic or needing ketones in a certain range for medical reasons. You can be in "ketosis" and have a negetive pee test because your body is using ketones for fuel. I started eating this way and lost to my goal weight without ever buying pee strips or any other form of ketone meters.
I
this post. 1 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Misskim121211 wrote: »I did test first thing this morning, maybe I will try tonight. It is a brand new jar but maybe I got a bad stick. I don't eat sugar free products, funny I was just goggling the Russell Stover chocolates and was thinking about getting some. Maybe I will stay away from them. I use a protein powder for my breakfast...maybe it has more cabs then listed. It says 3g of carbs for one scoop. So it can't be that off...but maybe.
If it's whey protein, it actually could be the cause. Whey protein is insulinogenic. It will trigger a moderate insulin release for about 45 minutes which will be countered by glucagon to keep blood sugar level.
Urine strips will always be lowest first thing in the morning also because of the cortisol and glucose release that is part of our natural waking process.
Whoa. So glucagon release is sometimes a reaction to food-induced insulin release and not vice versa?
Any idea how this pattern looks in type 2 diabetics with delayed insulin responses?
Thanks.
I have a study saved somewhere that showed how the particular amino acid cocktail of whey protein stimulated an insulin release beginning around 15 minutes and continuing until about 45 minutes. The body senses the sudden influx of insulin and begins secreting glucagon to prevent a possible low blood sugar.
I'll see if I can find it. I actually think I linked it on another topic somewhere.2 -
Misskim121211 wrote: »Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Misskim121211 wrote: »I did test first thing this morning, maybe I will try tonight. It is a brand new jar but maybe I got a bad stick. I don't eat sugar free products, funny I was just goggling the Russell Stover chocolates and was thinking about getting some. Maybe I will stay away from them. I use a protein powder for my breakfast...maybe it has more cabs then listed. It says 3g of carbs for one scoop. So it can't be that off...but maybe.
If it's whey protein, it actually could be the cause. Whey protein is insulinogenic. It will trigger a moderate insulin release for about 45 minutes which will be countered by glucagon to keep blood sugar level.
Urine strips will always be lowest first thing in the morning also because of the cortisol and glucose release that is part of our natural waking process.
Yes it is a whey protein. I am new to all of this so I appreciate all the help. Is it being an insulinogenic a bad thing?
You want to minimize things that create a sudden need for insulin. In the case of whey protein, the insulin is there to shuttle those specific amino acids into the cells but the body has to counter act the insulin by creating glucose to prevent a possible low blood sugar. It's only a temporary thing and probably has its place if being used after a hard workout or something. Probably temporarily interfering with ketosis though.1 -
I think this is the study I'm thinking of.
https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-9-481 -
Beta-Hydroxy Butyric acid is the major ketone produced (about 80%); urine ketone test strips only detect Aceto-Acetic acid (Reference cited: Lexicomp online). Like others have posted, blood tests are more accurate0
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Misskim121211 wrote: »Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Misskim121211 wrote: »I did test first thing this morning, maybe I will try tonight. It is a brand new jar but maybe I got a bad stick. I don't eat sugar free products, funny I was just goggling the Russell Stover chocolates and was thinking about getting some. Maybe I will stay away from them. I use a protein powder for my breakfast...maybe it has more cabs then listed. It says 3g of carbs for one scoop. So it can't be that off...but maybe.
If it's whey protein, it actually could be the cause. Whey protein is insulinogenic. It will trigger a moderate insulin release for about 45 minutes which will be countered by glucagon to keep blood sugar level.
Urine strips will always be lowest first thing in the morning also because of the cortisol and glucose release that is part of our natural waking process.
Yes it is a whey protein. I am new to all of this so I appreciate all the help. Is it being an insulinogenic a bad thing?
Since I started Keto, I switched protein powders & I now use "EAS Myoplex Protein Blend" for my protein powder. It's a blend of whey isolate, egg albumin, and micellar casein. So it's a mix of fast & slow digesting proteins with 1 net carb. I use it with 1 tablespoon of MCT oil & unsweetened almond milk. I check my ketostips everyday & I've been positive for ketones everyday for the past month. I only drink it after workouts though (about 3 times a week or so). I don't know anything about whether or not it's insulinogenic, but I do know that I'm still producing ketones after I take it.0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »I think this is the study I'm thinking of.
https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-9-48
Bingo - Thx!
FYI, here's a summary of a study cited in that article.
Metabolic effects of amino acid mixtures and whey protein in healthy subjects: studies using glucose-equivalent drinks
http://m.ajcn.nutrition.org/content/85/4/996.shortBackground: Milk protein, in particular the whey fraction, has been shown to display insulinotrophic properties in healthy persons and persons with type 2 diabetes. In parallel to the hyperinsulinemia, a pronounced postprandial rise of certain amino acids and of glucose-dependent insulinotrophic polypeptide (GIP) was observed in plasma....
Results: A test drink with the branched-chain amino acids isoleucine, leucine, and valine resulted in significantly higher insulin responses than did the glucose reference. A drink containing glucose and leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, and threonine mimicked the glycemic and insulinemic responses seen after whey ingestion.
@baconslave1 -
@Sunny_Bunny_ @RalfLott
Sorry to resurrect a quiet thread, but in reading through the above, I'm not sure if I'm getting things right. I'm wondering if a person should reduce/eliminate dairy from the diet (either for a period of time or indefinitely)? I was never classified as T2, but was borderline as a kid. I don't think the doctors I've seen have looked into it at all, either.
I don't track ketones, and started this for weight loss, even though it's turning into a lifestyle adaptation over time as I reap the non-weight benefits. I just want to make certain that I'm getting the best "bang for my buck" (within reason, of course).
If you know of another thread that covers this topic, could you please direct me to where I need to go?0 -
@blomsj, I'll sniff around for a good resource.
Otherwise, a boring reply, I'm afraid....
It depends on your goals, but if you're concerned about T2, my suggestion would be to get a good, inexpensive glucose meter (like the Contour Next EZ) and start systematically testing your BG - test it fasting and multiple times after each meal, until you think you've got a good handle on your patterns. If you're like me, you'll have different glycemic responses than others, and even these can be inconsistent over time.... (But maybe you'll have no BG reaction to speak of!
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The best thing IMHO to figure out how dairy affects you individually would be to test before and after different types of dairy.
Aged cheese and live culture yogurt & kefir tend to have converted most of the lactose, unlike non-fat, fresh dairy products like skin milk and ricotta. (My personal BG reaction to the former is very mild compared to the latter.)1 -
Thank you, @RalfLott! If you happen to come up with any resources, I'd still be interested in reading, but I may give that a shot! I have never tested my blood glucose, but what can it hurt (other than where I poke)?
On a semi-related note, perhaps this is why I have such trouble with cottage cheese derailing me from time to time? I've done the "full fat" versions, but enough is never enough.0 -
@blomsj, You might find iit useful to have a good introductory guidebook, such as Phinney and Volek's New Atkins for a New You, which counsels against eating cottage cheese in early phases of the diet. It has food lists, sample meal plans, and many, simple explanations of how and why.1
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Thank you again, RalfLott! I will look into that -- haven't really looked into anything Atkins.0
This discussion has been closed.