audreyh1
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I thought I’d share some interesting ketosis readings from my blood ketones meter as they are quite a bit higher than expected. This is long - and probably only digestible by other low-carbers here. But there seem to be many here, so if you have some interest in ketone measurements, keep reading.
Background: I have been on a ketogenic diet about 2.5 months. One of my doctors strongly suggested it based on a recent lipid profile. My cholesterol numbers were a little higher - they’ve been creeping up since menopause. HDL was really good for me. But my doctor’s focus was on triglycerides which were under 150, but the doctor wanted them under 80 as he feels that drops CVD risk significantly. This doctor also occasionally measures fasting insulin, and mine was slightly elevated (8.6 when optimal is below 8) indicating slight insulin resistance. Triglycerides last fall (different doc) had shocked me being above 150, so I had already been thinking about low carb, and I was quite motivated to make a change. Higher triglycerides can also indicate insulin resistance.
I am not on a ketogenic diet because I am pre-diabetic or diabetic (I have a normal A1C), or because I need to lose a lot of weight (BMI was under 27), it’s all about reversing the insulin resistance and staying in ketosis to reach that goal.
I cut out starches and sugars immediately. Started counting carbs shortly thereafter (goal 20g net carb daily limit). I seemed to reach ketosis rather quickly - thirsty, peeing a lot, night leg cramps, hunger gone after 2 days, no acetone breath thank goodness. So I got some ketone urine strips as soon as I realized it was happening. Yep - those were measuring pretty high.
My understanding about urine ketones was that they would eventually disappear, so after a month I also got a blood ketones meter. My initial readings were at the very high end of “optimal nutritional ketosis” (optimal for weight loss) which is up to 3.0 mmol/L. But some readings were above 3. But still close enough to the “optimal nutritional ketosis” zone. So far so good.
A couple of weeks ago, I started getting blood ketone readings above 4!
DH and I recently added 3x week weight training sessions at the neighborhood gym - taking advantage of few residents using it in the summer. After a couple of weeks I took a blood ketone reading and was shocked to see 4.2 mmol/L. So, I thought - well, I did a pretty intense workout a few hours ago, so maybe I shouldn’t measure on a weight training day. A week later I took another reading during a rest day, and it was 4.3 mmol/L!
So I am now in what “Keto-Mojo” labels the “Optimal Therapeutic Ketosis” range which I hadn’t heard of until I saw that chart shown below. The common "nutritional ketosis" charts don't really spell out this range. I suppose it’s appropriate as long as I hopefully don’t exceed 5. Still - I’m rather surprised.
I can probably eat more carbs in the future and maintain ketosis. But until the 90 day blood test in two weeks I’m sticking to below 25g net carbs daily (moved it up from 20g limit). And then I’ll decide what to do after seeing what my doc says.
Oh - I have lost almost 10 lbs. My BMI is now 25.1. I’m not really interested in going below BMI 24. BP which had been good, has dropped even further. Last reading was 96/65. For while I had to be carefully in yoga due to light headedness but that seems to have normalized.
BTW - after a lot of reading I’m not worried about higher total cholesterol or LDL anymore especially as higher protects people over 60. My HDL had finally gotten higher than historical for me, and I’ll be happy if it stays the same or increases. I want my triglycerides under 80, and my fasting insulin under 7.5 at least.
The point of the monitoring so that I see that I am in ketosis, especially as I explore stages of moving to more maintenance type diet.
https://keto-mojo.com/pages/what-should-your-ketone-levels-be
Well, I hope that was interesting. Thanks for reading.
Audrey
Background: I have been on a ketogenic diet about 2.5 months. One of my doctors strongly suggested it based on a recent lipid profile. My cholesterol numbers were a little higher - they’ve been creeping up since menopause. HDL was really good for me. But my doctor’s focus was on triglycerides which were under 150, but the doctor wanted them under 80 as he feels that drops CVD risk significantly. This doctor also occasionally measures fasting insulin, and mine was slightly elevated (8.6 when optimal is below 8) indicating slight insulin resistance. Triglycerides last fall (different doc) had shocked me being above 150, so I had already been thinking about low carb, and I was quite motivated to make a change. Higher triglycerides can also indicate insulin resistance.
I am not on a ketogenic diet because I am pre-diabetic or diabetic (I have a normal A1C), or because I need to lose a lot of weight (BMI was under 27), it’s all about reversing the insulin resistance and staying in ketosis to reach that goal.
I cut out starches and sugars immediately. Started counting carbs shortly thereafter (goal 20g net carb daily limit). I seemed to reach ketosis rather quickly - thirsty, peeing a lot, night leg cramps, hunger gone after 2 days, no acetone breath thank goodness. So I got some ketone urine strips as soon as I realized it was happening. Yep - those were measuring pretty high.
My understanding about urine ketones was that they would eventually disappear, so after a month I also got a blood ketones meter. My initial readings were at the very high end of “optimal nutritional ketosis” (optimal for weight loss) which is up to 3.0 mmol/L. But some readings were above 3. But still close enough to the “optimal nutritional ketosis” zone. So far so good.
A couple of weeks ago, I started getting blood ketone readings above 4!
DH and I recently added 3x week weight training sessions at the neighborhood gym - taking advantage of few residents using it in the summer. After a couple of weeks I took a blood ketone reading and was shocked to see 4.2 mmol/L. So, I thought - well, I did a pretty intense workout a few hours ago, so maybe I shouldn’t measure on a weight training day. A week later I took another reading during a rest day, and it was 4.3 mmol/L!
So I am now in what “Keto-Mojo” labels the “Optimal Therapeutic Ketosis” range which I hadn’t heard of until I saw that chart shown below. The common "nutritional ketosis" charts don't really spell out this range. I suppose it’s appropriate as long as I hopefully don’t exceed 5. Still - I’m rather surprised.
I can probably eat more carbs in the future and maintain ketosis. But until the 90 day blood test in two weeks I’m sticking to below 25g net carbs daily (moved it up from 20g limit). And then I’ll decide what to do after seeing what my doc says.
Oh - I have lost almost 10 lbs. My BMI is now 25.1. I’m not really interested in going below BMI 24. BP which had been good, has dropped even further. Last reading was 96/65. For while I had to be carefully in yoga due to light headedness but that seems to have normalized.
BTW - after a lot of reading I’m not worried about higher total cholesterol or LDL anymore especially as higher protects people over 60. My HDL had finally gotten higher than historical for me, and I’ll be happy if it stays the same or increases. I want my triglycerides under 80, and my fasting insulin under 7.5 at least.
The point of the monitoring so that I see that I am in ketosis, especially as I explore stages of moving to more maintenance type diet.
https://keto-mojo.com/pages/what-should-your-ketone-levels-be
Well, I hope that was interesting. Thanks for reading.
Audrey