Blood Glucose Level While In Ketosis
Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community New to this so apologies if there is a more dedicated thread. I do not have diabetes, but I am on a ketogenic diet as I am quite obese and this seems to be a good way of life for me. I had my cholesterol and blood glucose levels checked today after being on a LCHF diet for 3 months. Cholesterol was 4.99mmol and glucose level was 1.3mmol. From my reading, 1.3mmol is very low on a "normal diet", and indicates hypoglycemia, but is this to be expected on a keto diet? A bit in the woods and just want to ensure I am not doing something harmful. 1.3mmol is very low, I would suggest you get that checked out - even on LC your liver should ensure you don't go that low, assuming of course you are getting appropriate nutrition to ensure that your liver can produce glucose - get it checked. 1.3mmol is an extremely low glucose level. That surprises me as you'd be feeling very rough at that level. I would confirm that those figures are correct. Glucose at 1.3 mmol/l is usually a severe hypo needing urgent treatment. I think most people would be in a coma, or dead. If they let you out of the surgery then you were obviously neither. defines a hypo as below 4.0. I know many people can go below 4.0 without any symptoms but 1.3 must be wrong! Edit: if you are a non-diabetic on a ketogenic diet you would expect your BG to be in the normal range because all the normal mechanisms should be working. That is what was showing on the device and what was written down on the chart. Feeling 100% so not sure what the deal. May call them and ask them to recheck. Def not in a coma or dead That is what was showing on the device and what was written down on the chart. Feeling 100% so n Continue reading >>
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The Ketogenic Diet And Insulin Resistance
We recently touched on how you can use the ketogenic diet to control symptoms of diabetes such as elevated glucose and triglycerides. In this article, we examine research showing the impact that the ketogenic diet has on levels of the hormone insulin, a key regulator of blood sugar in the body. What is Insulin’s Role in the Body? Before we look at the research, we need to know our main players. Insulin is a protein-based hormone produced by beta-cells located in the pancreas. The pancreas, which is located under the stomach, also produces enzymes that aid with digestion. Insulin’s primary purpose is to regulate the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. The digestive system breaks down carbohydrates, such as sugars and starches, into a molecule called glucose. This compound can be used by cells to produce energy through a process called cellular respiration. Insulin allows cells in the body absorb glucose, ultimately lowering levels of glucose in the blood stream. After a meal is consumed, blood glucose levels increase and the pancreas responds by releasing insulin into the blood. Insulin assists fat, liver, and muscle cells absorb glucose from the blood, resulting in lower levels of blood glucose. Insulin stimulates liver and muscle tissues to store excess glucose as a molecule called glycogen and also reduces glucose production by the liver. When blood sugar is low, the hormone glucagon (produced by alpha-cells in the pancreas) stimulate cells to break down glycogen into glucose that is subsequently released into the blood stream. In healthy people who do not have type II diabetes, these functions allow levels of blood glucose and insulin to stay in a normal range. What Is Insulin Resistance and Why Is It a Problem? Unfortunately, for many Americans and other peopl Continue reading >>
Optimal Ketone And Blood Sugar Levels For Ketosis
A low carb helps reduce blood sugars and insulin levels and helps with the management of many of the diseases of modern civilisation (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s). We become insulin resistant when our body fat can’t store any more energy. Excess energy is then stored in the liver, pancreas, heart, brain and other organs that are more insulin sensitive. We also see increased levels of energy in our blood in the form of glucose, fat and elevated ketone. Endogenous ketosis occurs when we eat less food than we need. Our insulin and blood sugar levels decrease and ketones rise to supply the energy we need. Exogenous ketosis occurs when we eat lots fat and/or take exogenous ketones. Blood ketones rise, but our insulin levels will also rise because we have an excess of energy coming from our diet. Most of the good things associated with ketosis occur due to endogenous ketosis. Most people following a ketogenic diet over the long term have ketone values lower than what some people consider to be “optimal ketosis”. If your goal is blood sugar control, longevity or weight loss then endogenous ketosis with lower blood sugars and lower ketones is likely a better place to be than chasing higher blood ketones. I have seen a lot of interest and confusion recently from people following a ketogenic about ideal ketone and blood sugar levels. In an effort to try to clear this up, this article reviews blood ketone (BHB), breath ketone (acetone) and blood sugar data from a large number of people who are following a low carb or ketogenic diet to understand what “normal” and “optimal” look like. Many people initiate a low carb diet to manage their blood glucose levels, insulin resistance or diabetes. As shown in the chart below, Continue reading >>
Monitoring Ketone And Blood Glucose Levels On A Low Carb Diet
By Mary T. Newport M.D. While it is not necessary to measure ketone levels, many people who make the change to a low carb, ketogenic diet and/or use ketone salts would like to have some positive proof that their ketone levels are, in fact, elevated. When transitioning from a higher carb to a low carb, ketogenic type diet, it can take several days to begin to see an increase in ketone levels and the ketone level may continue to rise for two or three weeks before it levels off. The ketone level can fluctuate somewhat throughout the day and can vary considerably from person to person. Using ketone salts, such as Prüvit KETO//OS® or KETO//OS Max, as a supplement can give you a jump start on getting into ketosis and increase ketone levels within 30 to 60 minutes of taking the product. Using coconut oil and MCT oil as part of the diet can help increase and sustain ketone levels as well. There are several ways available to measure ketone levels in urine, blood or by using a breath analyzer. When blood levels of ketones become elevated, the excess ketones will filter out of the blood into the urine. Urine ketone test strips were originally developed for diabetics to help determine if they are going into diabetic ketoacidosis when the blood sugar is elevated. There are a number of companies that sell urine test strips that change color when ketone levels are elevated – usually the deeper the color, the higher the ketone level. This will not tell you what your actual blood ketone level is but can give you a rough idea of whether you are in ketosis or not. However, one of the drawbacks to using urine test strips is that they only measure the ketone acetoacetate and not beta-hydroxybutyrate, which tends to be much more elevated than acetoacetate during ketosis. Also, Prüvit ke Continue reading >>
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How To Lower Your Blood Sugar Naturally
Processed foods like cookies, cakes, and candy (and even starchy plant foods like rice, beans, and potatoes) can cause rapid increases in blood sugar levels. After one meal containing these foods, blood sugar can get so high that insulin can’t keep up. Side effects like fatigue, blurred vision, headaches, trouble concentrating, and frequent urination can result. If you consume high-carbohydrate foods every day, you increase your risk of type 2 diabetes — the medical diagnosis for having chronically high blood sugar levels that are caused by diet and lifestyle. (This is different from type 1 diabetes — a condition where the body produces little to no insulin.) Over 422 million people have diabetes worldwide, and their high blood sugar levels are destroying their bodies. To know if your blood sugar levels are chronically high, many doctors will check your A1C levels. A1C stands for glycated hemoglobin, which is formed when blood sugar attaches to hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells). A1C tests measure the percentage of your hemoglobin that has blood sugar attached to it. If blood sugar levels have been high for the past 3 months, then more hemoglobin will be glycated. Thus, A1C testing provides an accurate measurement of how high your blood sugar has been over the past two to three months. An A1C level of 6.5 percent or higher on two separate tests indicates that you have diabetes. An A1C between 5.7 and 6.4 percent indicates pre-diabetes. Below 5.7 is considered normal. Earlier in this article, we explored how you can raise your blood sugar. Just eat cookies, cakes, rice, potatoes, and other high-carbohydrate foods, and you will be on the fast track toward diabetes. Following this logic, won’t eating fewer carbohydrates lower your blood sug Continue reading >>
How The Ketogenic Diet Works For Type 2 Diabetes
Special diets for type 2 diabetes often focus on weight loss, so it might seem crazy that a high-fat diet is an option. But the ketogenic (keto) diet, high in fat and low in carbs, can potentially change the way your body stores and uses energy, easing diabetes symptoms. With the keto diet, your body converts fat, instead of sugar, into energy. The diet was created in 1924 as a treatment for epilepsy, but the effects of this eating pattern are also being studied for type 2 diabetes. The ketogenic diet may improve blood glucose (sugar) levels while also reducing the need for insulin. However, the diet does come with risks, so make sure to discuss it with your doctor before making drastic dietary changes. Many people with type 2 diabetes are overweight, so a high-fat diet can seem unhelpful. The goal of the ketogenic diet is to have the body use fat for energy instead of carbohydrates or glucose. A person on the keto diet gets most of their energy from fat, with very little of the diet coming from carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet doesn’t mean you should load up on saturated fats, though. Heart-healthy fats are the key to sustaining overall health. Some healthy foods that are commonly eaten in the ketogenic diet include: eggs fish such as salmon cottage cheese avocado olives and olive oil nuts and nut butters seeds The ketogenic diet has the potential to decrease blood glucose levels. Managing carbohydrate intake is often recommended for people with type 2 diabetes because carbohydrates turn to sugar and, in large quantities, can cause blood sugar spikes. If you already have high blood glucose, then eating too many carbs can be dangerous. By switching the focus to fat, some people experience reduced blood sugar. The Atkins diet is one of the most famous low-carb, high-p Continue reading >>
What Are The Optimal Ketone Levels For A Ketogenic Diet?
If you’ve just started a ketogenic diet, then you’ll know that it can be really tough to figure out if you’re doing keto right. Am I eating too many carbs? Too much protein? Should I still be feeling tired? When is the fat burning supposed to start? It’s confusing, and one of the most confusing aspects is what your optimal ketone levels are supposed to be. Unlike most other diets, the ketogenic diet is designed to put your body into a state of ketosis in order to get your body to start burning ketones instead of the glucose that it usually burns when you eat a high carb standard American diet (SAD). But to know whether you’re in ketosis and whether your body has enough ketones circulating for you to use as energy instead of glucose, you have to measure your actual ketone levels and then determine whether they’re high enough for you to be reaping the benefits of the ketogenic diet. If you’ve tried searching for this information already, then you’ll know that there’s some controversy depending on which expert you follow. So in this article, we’ll tell you exactly what the different experts are suggesting are the optimal ketone levels as well as give you recommendations for what ketone levels you should be aiming for depending on your goals with a ketogenic diet. A Few Quick Notes Before We Start… If you’re looking for signs other than testing your actual body ketone levels as to whether you’re in ketosis or not, then please check out this article instead that provides you with signs you’re in ketosis. If you’re a type 1 diabetic, then this article is not for you and the optimal ketone levels suggested below are not applicable to you. Please check out the tons of other ketone level articles on the web to ensure your ketone levels do not reach Continue reading >>
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- World's first diabetes app will be able to check glucose levels without drawing a drop of blood and will be able to reveal what a can of coke REALLY does to sugar levels
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Ketosis And Blood Sugar Levels
Hi all, 1 Worst Carb After Age 50 If you're over 50 and you eat this carb you will never lose belly fat. healthplus50.com Right now, I'm doing a VLC paleo diet (trying for state of ketosis), and have been testing my blood sugar levels intermittently. I was wondering what the normal blood sugar levels for one in ketosis should be, fasting and post-meal. Before I ate, my blood sugar level was pretty low, around 50 mg/dl, but after my meal it seems to have come up to 120 mg/dl. I did eat a fair amount of high sugar/starch veggies (onions, green peppers) and coconut milk so may have eaten too many carbs. Just trying to make sure I'm not inadvertently sneaking too many carbs into my meals. Thanks! Continue reading >>
Checking Blood Sugar And Ketones
Checking blood sugar and ketone levels regularly on a restricted ketogenic diet for cancer is an important part of reaching and maintaining the target blood sugar and ketone levels recommended for slowing cancer growth. Here's how to do both, step by step: Getting Started: Calibrate the Ketone and Glucose Meters You'll only need to do this step when you start a new box of ketone or glucose strips. There will be a plastic calibration tool included with the new Ketone strips. Plug the calibration strip into the Ketone meter and wait for it to confirm the calibration numbers. Once that is done, the meter is ready to use. The glucose meter will also have a calibration strip, so if you are starting with a new box, do the same thing with the glucose meter. A separate glucose meter is not required, as the Precision Xtra meter can check both glucose and ketones, but I just happened to already have a glucose meter, so I use it. Now that both meters have been calibrated, we are now ready to take a blood glucose and blood ketone reading. For the glucose test especially, your hands must be clean and dry. Using warm water to wash your hands will make the blood flow better. Since you will be washing your hands and don't want to contaminate them afterwards, get the strips ready first. This will also ensure that the meter doesn't shut off before you can get the strip out and insert it. Open one of the individual ketone strips and take the strip out. You can just place it on top of the meter until you are ready to insert it. Do the same thing with a glucose strip. Using the lancet tool which comes with the Ketone meter, prick your finger and squeeze out a small drop of blood. Now insert the glucose strip into the meter and wait for the indication it is ready to test. Then touch the end Continue reading >>
It Really Is In Your Blood: Glucose To Ketone Ratios
I wrote awhile back about how I felt that I might be going a little mad obsessing over my blood numbers and measuring my blood glucose and ketone levels. This is one of the greatest differences, in my opinion, between people that follow a ketogenic or low carb lifestyle for overall health reasons or weight loss, and those of us who are experimenting with using a ketogenic approach as a specific disease therapy. I’m using the term “therapeutic ketosis” now for this, as you’ll know if you’re a Constant Reader here at Greymadder. I think people in the first category, with weight loss or general health goals, can definitely be helped by measuring ketones, and that this is vital to the success of the approach. However, in my personal experience using this approach to “starve” my brain tumour, I find I can become quite the data junkie, measuring blood levels of both glucose and ketones up to four times a day, because in my mind, the optimal levels of both are perhaps what’s required to have a therapeutic effect. I base this on the book Cancer as a Metabolic Disease by Dr. Thomas Seyfried, in which he advises that there is a window of effectiveness of therapeutic ketosis for cancer that uses a glucose to ketone ratio of 1.0. This essentially means that when measured in mmol/L (“millimolar”), blood glucose and ketones should be equal, or even achieving ketone levels that are higher than the glucose levels may be preferable. There is general agreement between my favourite go-to references (Ellen Davis, Dominic D’Agostino, Miriam Kalamian, all found in my Resources section) that this glucose to ketone ratio of 1.0 is best. Miriam Kalamian, in her ebook Get Started with the Ketogenic Diet for Cancer further notes that it should not be disregarded that a thera Continue reading >>
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- Postprandial Blood Glucose Is a Stronger Predictor of Cardiovascular Events Than Fasting Blood Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Particularly in Women: Lessons from the San Luigi Gonzaga Diabetes Study
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I Need Help. Glucose Levels On Ketosis
I am a 33 year old woman diagnosed with Policystic Ovarie Syndrome, which among other things makes me insensitive to my own insulin (pre-diabetic) I have been doing Keto for 3 weeks and my kestostix haven't turned to the lightest shade of pink. I haven't lost any fat. I read an article by Jon Deprospo in which he says that if you are in Ketosis, your blood glucose level should be between 50-60 mg/dl. I checked with my glucometer and found out that my glucose was 86mg/dl. My doctor advised me to stay on Keto, not on CKD (no refeeds) since I am hiperinsulinic. My question is if you are in ketosis, what should your glucose level be?. PD: I wanted to mention that I train with weights everyday (for amost 1 1/2 month) and do 20 minutes cardio everyday. Can you post your diet? Sometimes there are small things that can keep you out of ketosis, and it's a lot easier to learn from other people's experience. My bodyweight is 136 pounds 20%body fat. I started taking 1496 calories intake. 30% protein 10% Carbs 60% Fat. Divided in 5 mini meals / day. I had no progress, so I lowered my calories to 1300/day with the same ratios. Didn't work either. Lowered calories to 1000 and nothing. Last night I changed the ratios to 80% Fat and 20% protein. I am trying to induce ketosis. I just checked my glucose and it is down to 73md/dl (fasting level this morning 71mg/dl ), so I guess that this is helping. As soon as I am sure I am in ketosis I will change the ratios and make sure I am getting enough protein. I know I am not supposed to have less that 1200 calories/day to avoid starvation mode, but since my metabolism is not working properly, I might just give it a try. I am currently taking 1000mcg metformin 3 times/day. 75mcg T-3 (prescribed by my Doctor). I was hoping that you might post up Continue reading >>
Doing Keto? Consider Buying A Blood Glucose Meter
The amount of glucose in your blood at any given time can give you valuable insights into how your body is reacting to the food you eat. If you’re doing a keto-based diet, the data you get from a glucose meter will help you optimize your eating for maximum weight loss! The premise of a keto-based diet is simple: Keep the carbs as low as possible so that your body is forced to get glucose (energy) from fat, rather than carbs. Any sort of glycemic reaction could cause a weight-loss stall for several days. Not sure what a Keto diet is, or want to learn more about it? I talk about what a keto diet is, and the pros and cons of this approach, in this blog article. What is a glycemic reaction? In short, a glycemic reaction is what happens when you eat carbs. It’s a fancy name for an even fancier process. Effectively, when you eat carbs, your body produces a hormone called “insulin” which is responsible for delivering the glucose (the energy from your the carbs you just ate) to the muscle cells in your body. In a keto-based diet, you want to avoid the production of insulin at all costs. Not because insulin itself is bad — but because it means you’ve short-circuited the keto process by eating too many carbs, and allowing your body to get energy from carbs, rather than fat. If this happens, it can take days to “reset” your body back into ketosis. In short, if you are doing a keto-based diet and your blood-glucose levels spike, you screwed up. How to measure your blood glucose level Get yourself a blood-glucose meter!! You can buy a blood-glucose meter from any pharmacy in the $20 to $40 range. The test-strips come in packs of 100 for around $25. (around $0.25 each if you’re bad at math). Here’s a link on Amazon to a glucose meter kit that’s perfectly adequat Continue reading >>
Is Your Fasting Blood Glucose Higher On Low Carb Or Keto? Five Things To Know
This past spring, after 18 months of great success on the keto diet, I tested my fasting blood sugar on my home glucose monitor for the first time in many months. The result shocked me. I had purchased the device, which also tests ketones, when I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes in the fall of 2015. As I embarked on low-carb keto eating, I tested my blood regularly. Soon my fasting blood sugar was once again in the healthy range. I was in optimal ketosis day after day. Not only that, I lost 10 lbs (5 kg) and felt fantastic — full of energy with no hunger or cravings. Before long I could predict the meter’s results based on what I was eating or doing. I put the meter away and got on with my happy, healthy keto life. When my doctor ordered some lab tests this spring, I brought the meter out again. While I had no health complaints, excellent blood pressure and stable weight, she wanted to see how my cholesterol, lipids, HbA1c, and fasting glucose were doing on my keto diet — and I was curious, too. To check the accuracy of my meter against the lab results, on the morning of the test I sat in my car outside the clinic at 7:30 am, and pricked my finger. I was expecting to see a lovely fasting blood glucose (FBG) of 4.7 or 4.8 mmol/l (85 mg/dl). It was 5.8! (103 mg/dl). What? I bailed on the tests and drove home — I didn’t want my doctor warning me I was pre-diabetic again when I had no explanation for that higher result. The next morning I tested again: 5.9! (104). Huh??? For the next two weeks I tested every morning. No matter what I did, my FBG would be in 5.7 to 6.0 (102 to 106 mg/dl), the pre-diabetic range again. One morning after a restless sleep it was even 6.2 mmol/l (113 mg/dl). But my ketones were still reading an optimal 1.5-2.5 mmol/l. I was still burnin Continue reading >>
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What Is “nutritional Ketosis”?
IN A NUTSHELL: Nutritional ketosis is a state of health in which your body is efficiently burning fat as its primary fuel source instead of glucose. When undergoing a ketogenic diet you are essentially converting yourself from a “sugar burner” to a “fat burner”. This is accomplished by reducing your consumption of carbohydrates, increasing your intake of fat, and consuming only an adequate amount of protein to meet your body’s needs. The term nutritional ketosis is claimed to have been coined by Dr. Stephen Phinney & Jeff Volek, two of the leading experts and researchers in the field of low carbohydrate dieting (Check out this informative video to hear a talk from Dr. Phinney). Ketosis is achieved by following a “ketogenic diet” which is high in fat, very low in carbohydrates, and adequate in protein (Please Note: It is “adequate” in protein, NOT “high” in protein. More on this later). By consuming more lipids you are enhancing your body’s fat burning function by up-regulating the enzymes and other “metabolic machinery” needed to burn fat more efficiently, therefore making it easier for your body to tap into stored adipose tissue as an energy source (i.e. you turn yourself into a fat-burning machine!). But don’t we NEED carbohydrates? While it’s true that our red blood cells and a small percentage of brain cells and kidney cells are exclusively glucose dependent, the body can actually GENERATE carbohydrates in a process called gluconeogenesis in which certain non-carbohydrate substrates like proteins (amino acids) and certain constituents of fatty acids (glycerol) can be converted into glucose. The quantities of glucose produced by the body are sufficient to meet the needs of these particular cells and also help to balance the body’s bl Continue reading >>
- Reversing Type 2 Diabetes with Nutritional Ketosis
- A Novel Intervention Including Individualized Nutritional Recommendations Reduces Hemoglobin A1c Level, Medication Use, and Weight in Type 2 Diabetes
- A Novel Intervention Including Individualized Nutritional Recommendations Reduces Hemoglobin A1c Level, Medication Use, and Weight in Type 2 Diabetes
Blood Sugar Levels In Ketosis—part I
Welcome to Keto Sister. Summertime for me means that my children are sometimes at summer camp, Vacation Bible School, visiting with friends, or most often home with me. Due to the inconsistency of their schedules, my posts have been inconsistent in recent weeks. Forgive me! The minute school starts again, I can resume weekly posts. Some weeks, my posts may increase to two because I have a lot to say. Over the next two weeks, I want to discuss a topic that effects many of those who follow a ketogenic (keto) diet for different reasons: blood sugar levels. Some encounter high or low blood sugar levels before eating keto, and it is why they decide to reduce carbs in the first place. Others may encounter one of these after being in ketosis for a while. Today I want to introduce a few terms to explain in laymen’s terms what blood sugar is, ideal levels, and what can happen when it is either too high or too low. What is blood sugar and what does it tell us? According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), blood sugar is the sugar found in your blood (2017). It comes from the food in our diets and is one of two fuel or energy sources for the body. The body works hard to maintain homeostasis in the blood and does not like anything to be too high or too low. When blood sugar levels are one or the other, the body works to return the level to what appears to be its preference. Because blood sugar levels that were either lower than 81 or higher than 108 miligrams per deciliter correlate with increased risk of death (Balkau et al., 1999), this range is considered ideal for those who eat carbohydrate-based diets. To date, I could find no scientific studies on ideal or even normal blood sugar levels among those on a ketogenic diet, though stu Continue reading >>
