Keto Strip Tests

Keto strip tests

Are you starting out on a ketogenic diet and want to monitor your ketone levels? You don't need to invest in a blood glucose meter to start with - ketone strips will suffice. The strips ensure that your body enters and maintains a state of ketosis.

Strip tests, or ketone strips - what are they?

Strip tests are a medical device designed to self-monitor the level of ketone bodies in urine or blood. These types of strips can be purchased without a prescription at a pharmacy or online and can be used from the first days of ketoadaptation. The indications for using the strip tests are to deliberately put the body into a state of ketosis, as well as self-monitoring for diabetics. BeKeto test strips for measuring ketones are packaged in packs containing 200 units, while the glucose and ketone test strips are available in packs of 100 units with accompanying measurement instructions and a legend to read the test result. A desiccant is included in the pack of strips to prevent the strips becoming damp and damaged. Never remove the desiccant before all the strips have been used, as this can affect the accuracy of the results.

What do keto strip tests detect?

With ketone strip tests you can assess the level of ketone bodies in urine (ketonuria) or in blood (ketosis). The principle of the ketone bodies test strips is very simple, and you can perform the test almost anytime and anywhere. The test strips are available in two versions: for urine testing and for blood testing (using a glucometer). The strips for urine testing mainly detect acetoacetic acid (acetoacetate), while the strips for blood testing detect 3-hydroxybutyric acid, also known as beta-hydroxybutyrate.

In either case, getting the body into ketosis and keeping it there requires careful planning of the proportion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in meals. Ketone strips allow you to check whether your calculation of the macronutrients of your diet is correct and whether your body is therefore starting to produce ketone bodies. The production of ketone bodies in the body is closely correlated with what you eat. Even small changes in your diet can have an impact on the results.

In the early stages of ketosis, the level of ketone bodies starts to rise because the body cannot use them and excretes them in the urine. Over time, however, the number of ketones detected by the strips will decrease, which is a very good sign that the body is learning to use ketone bodies efficiently and is using them as a source of energy instead of excreting them.

How do ketosis strips work?

Urine tests come in the form of narrow strips containing a special reaction box on one side designed to apply a urine sample and read the result. Blood ketone strips, on the other hand, only have a sample field and the result is obtained on the meter. Strips designed to detect ketone levels in urine are quicker to use - although less accurate. The general principle of this type of product is simple - when the strip is dipped into a container of urine, the reaction field is coloured to correspond to the concentration of ketones in the sample used. The test package contains a legend which you can use to read the measurement result and, based on this, make any changes to your diet or ensure that it is composed correctly.

Testing the level of ketones in the blood follows a similar principle. In addition to the strip tests, a special glucose meter is needed to measure the level of ketones. The meter comes with a special pricker, which is used to prick the fingertip of any finger and then apply a drop of blood onto the reaction field and read the result on the device.

It is best to carry out the measurement at the same time every day in order to obtain the most reliable results. In order for the results to be reliable, they should also be taken at a specific interval between meals, e.g. always one or two hours after a meal, as each meal will have an effect on the result obtained. The ketone strips will show a different level of ketone bodies and glucose just after a meal and a different one a few hours or after an overnight break between meals.

Why use urine ketone body strips?

The use of urine strip tests is, above all, quick and convenient. The advantages of the ketosis strips also include the inexpensive price and the possibility of immediately repeating the measurement if there is any doubt. Strips for measuring ketone bodies in urine are much cheaper than strips designed for taking such measurements from blood, so for the same or even lower price, you can take frequent measurements during ketoadaptation and observe your body's behaviour without incurring additional costs. With the strips, you can make sure that your body is making the most of the energy from ketone bodies and, if the results are unfavourable, modify the macronutrient ratios in your meals accordingly.

Differences between urine and blood ketone measurements

Wondering which type of ketosis strips will be right for you? It should be noted that both methods of measurement are sensitive and provide reliable results, but there are some differences between them.

Measurement from urine

Measuring ketones from urine is painless and does not require a glucometer. Urine strip tests provide a non-invasive measurement and are ideal for people who do not like puncturing the skin or seeing blood. Measuring ketone bodies in the blood requires breaking the skin and taking a sample. The puncture site may be painful for a while, and this presents some problems for some people. The use of urine strip tests eliminates any inconvenience associated with the measurement - the test from urine does not hurt, is almost instantaneous (you get the result after only about 10 seconds) and can be performed without any additional equipment, literally anywhere you happen to be.

Measurement from blood

Measuring ketones from blood is considered to be more accurate and also shows the ketone levels in real time, whereas measuring from urine tells us the state of the body 2-4 hours before the test is taken. With blood ketone strips, you can accurately assess the effect of a particular meal on your glycaemia and the depth of ketosis. By using a blood glucose meter with the option of detecting ketone bodies, it is possible to keep track of the body's reaction not only to a meal in general, but also to particularly ketogenic products and to carbohydrate products that may lead to the body falling out of ketosis.

Every body is different. One body may be unimpressed by a large apple, because its level of metabolic flexibility is such that it can cope well with more carbohydrates, while another body may fall out of ketosis after eating such an apple because it is too many carbohydrates.

The method of measuring ketones is not as important as the regularity. Ideally, you should take measurements with strip tests regularly, 1 or 2 times a day, at the same time, e.g. just before breakfast and one hour after dinner. In this way, you will obtain reliable results and make sure that your body is reacting correctly to the prescribed diet and that everything is going your way.

Measuring ketone bodies during ketoadaptation

It is a good idea to test the level of ketone bodies from the very first days of ketoadaptation, which will allow you to observe your body's reactions and make the necessary changes. It is not necessary to buy a glucose and ketone meter straight away - urine test strips will suffice. In the first few days, the colour of the strips will become increasingly intense until it reaches the highest or penultimate point on the scale (almost a brown colour), and as you adapt, the colour will become lighter and lighter. Such a result is as correct as possible. A dark colour that lasts for a long time indicates that the body cannot adapt to ketosis, while lighter stripes indicate progressive adaptation.