I maintained nutritional ketosis (above .5) for 2 years in conjunction with chemotherapy. 3 days before each infusion I did sardine fasts and 2 days after water only. My highest ketones during infusion was 6.9. I was applying Prof Thomas Seyfried's protocol to the best of my understanding. I am now resolved of all metastasized tumors. NED on my last 2 CT scans. All internal organ unremarkable. 😊👍🥳
Wonderful success story. What stage were you in? How much you think it was due to chemo vs keto? Could any one do it keto only. Just a thought. Your story be part of good documentary
For ADHD, started off enjoying 1.5 blood glucose, then tried intermittent fasting, did a 5 day fast (just water and electrolytes) and got my ketone levels up to around 4 or so. Definitely felt great the last 3 days of fasting. Then eventually realized I’m fine down to about 1.0. I occasionally go between 0.5 and 1.0, but try to stay around 1.0-1.5. Main issue is i feel better having a certain level of carbs that i can easily control by adding honey to Greek yogurt with frozen blueberries. Also, i quit caffeine and can always add in more walking to boost ketones. So perhaps it matters HOW you get the high ketones. That can come from lots of exercise and/or fasting, and not just diet.
Super useful content I am using ketosis just to stay healthy. I combine low carb with 18/6 intermittent fasting. This allows me to get up to a ketone level of 2 mmol/L (as measured with keto mojo) every day. I hit my max ketones about one hour after breaking my fast. It bottoms out around 5 hours later after my last meal before the feeding window closes at around 0.3 mmol/L. I've been doing this for going on 2 years
Hi Dr. B! I really appreciated your addition at the end, regarding how researchers need to be prepared to discriminate with regard to labelling any ketone level over 3.5 as being ketoacidosis. -For example, I had done a 21 day water fast several years ago and never felt better! My ketone levels rose to 7.0 and if could do everything that anyone else was doing (squats, walks, etc) without any feeling of weakness. I was as clear as a bell, mentally and obtained soooo many health benefits. But yes, it was important to qualify that, as I'm guessing many people who have done extended fasting with water and electrolytes the way I had, experienced ketone levels over 3.5. TY for your video!
I love the way you always say that you hope this information is helpful. Your videos are always helpful. My ketone levels usually run around 0.7 to 1.3. Last month I fasted for a few days and then I saw levels of 2 - 3.2 and I felt fantastic! But I can’t fast all the time. 😅 For reference I eat this way to lose weight, just about 20 lbs to go, with no metabolic diseases, am 71 yo female and never had even pre diabetes, just hypertension, which is now gone.
I usually have ketone levels between 1.5 and 4 when testing with strips. I also practice fasting, and when I do, my ketones get very high, around 7-8. I'm following a form of 'dirty keto' because I don’t have a dietitian trained in this area. However, since I'm doing it on my own, I've noticed a significant improvement in my symptoms. I started this diet in around april /May 2024, and since then, I've had no symptoms of psychosis or depression. I’ve tried challenging the diet with cheat days, and whenever I eat poorly more frequently, my symptoms gradually return.
Thanks, very helpful. Would love see a video telling us how to get to the various levels: 1. When are exogenous ketones recommended, if ever. 2. on carnivore, Why does high protien (>1g/lb lean mass) seem to push ketons down? protein 3. what is the boggest factor in increasing ketones? fasting? Macros? Diet? Also would love to see a video explaing where ketones come from and how they are used, "The life cycle of a ketone." for example.
In keto acidosis, BGL is generally high too. I agree that a limit of 3.8 is groundless in someone fat/keto adapted, just as they tolerate much lower BGLs because they're accustomed to using alternative fuel, ie ketones
Prof Seyfried is using GKI of less than 2 for cancer. Best is to have a research on GKI levels to cure different metabolic diseases such as Atherosclerosis, CKD, FOOT ULCERS, RETINOPATHY, etc
Lean Mass Hyper Responder studies have already shown decreases in coronary artery plaque (wrt atherosclerosis), using ketogenic diets.....(something traditionally considered impossible by Cardiologists ) .
Very interesting. As a carnivore, no carbs, I find getting the higher ketones is a challenge. Would be great to hear Dr Scher opinion on this. Thanks for all the great informative videos…
Louis Hi! Be careful with your proteins. If you eat too much proteins you can have your ketones levels too low or it can kick you out of Ketosis. Good luck! 👍
Just here to say that it’s highly likely you’re eating too much protein. You have to eat EXTRA fat in order to get into deep ketosis. Well I had to, anyway.
I’m a terrible ketone producer. The only time I was in a therapeutic level of ketosis was doing a strict carnivore diet with zero carbs. I felt the best in years and my anxiety completely disappeared during that time. But I find it very hard to maintain. Even 10 g of carbs knocks me out of ketosis. Can exogenous ketones be used to get you into therapeutic level of ketosis?
Thats a great questions, and something we hope a research study will address this soon. But for now, some clinicians use exogenous ketones to increase levels for appropriate candidates. It's a bit of trial and error at the moment.
I had full body inflammation and came down with asthma - runs in the family. A low carb, additive free diet improved the inflammation and my asthma, to no medication, after being very ill. I am currently 90% carnivore and feeling even better - I have allergies to smells of just about anything and want to improve my digestion and bacteria levels in my gut to see if this helps. Once a week I make a pot of beef (ground) mince and add a scoop of dried and soaked pinto beans with one onion. This gives four portions. The idea is to feed the bacteria and to increase butyrate levels produced by the bacteria which digest the fibre in the beans. My ketones increased over the years of doing low carb, rising to a steady 2.5 on a breath meter. Carnivore is just a few weeks in, and sleep issues are only just starting to improve. Keeping weight steady, no issues there. I do intermittent fasting by skipping breakfast if I'm not hungry. We are all different but there is likely to be a sweet spot - average which gives consistently good results.
@@jls6n I grew up eating beans and I have no problem with eating them. As they are so nutritious I thought that a 90% carnivore diet would do me nicely. Seems to be working.
Thank you for all the good work, the work of metabolic minds has helped my 79 year old dad significantly, from being completely on bed to be able to walk, to do basic routines on his own, from a state of complete apathy to little degree of awareness Here in India the knowledge around this subject is non existent, with senior neurologist and physician scoffing at you for even suggesting a ketogenic diet. We have been maintaining his levels between 0.5 to 1.5 with a vegetarian keto diet, it’s been about 3 months and he has been improving slowly and steadily. How long should a ketogenic therapy for dementia be ? Also What happens if he takes 2/3 days off from his ketogenic diet and goes back to a high carb based Indian vegetarian diet ?
I did the time out for a few days and found it exceedingly difficult to get back in. His brain will be short of fuel if he is not producing ketones, so please don't do it. A little animal protein such as egg or perhaps cheese can be helpful if your religion allows.
When determining keto acidosis, would normal blood glucose levels matter? My ketones routinely run 3-5 when I’m feeling best from a mental health standpoint. Glucose usually 60-80. Occasionally I go a little above 5 and glucose trends down a few points.
Thanks very much, really helpful. I have multiple autoimmunity and did keto for 3 months, but saw no improvement beyond my blood sugar being balanced much better. I do wonder if I need to push for a higher level of ketones (I was generally in the 0.5-1.5 range) to see any change in my symptoms. Do you know of any studies out there on autoimmunity or CFS and keto?
You pretty much have to be a type 1 diabetic to get to Ketoacidosis. This means you do not produce insulin. Pancreatitis can also cause this. The Randal Cycle prevents ketoacidosis.
I would love to know about ketosis while having an infection. I have a sinus infection and my ketones have dropped and blood glucose gone up. It makes me nervous enough since I've been tapering my psychatric medication really low and want to know how to handle these types of situations. I plan on asking Nicole Laurent but I love hearing other viewpoints.
We think working with Nicole is a fantastic idea. It is not uncommon for infections to cause an increase in glucose and decrease in ketones. For some people, it may not mean much. And for others it could trigger a recurrence of symptoms that may need to be treated.
Whoever designs a device like a continuous glucose monitor where you put a patch on the arm and an app can read the ketone level will be a hero. It’s painful to measure ketones by poking your finger every day.
When you're making these recommendations, are you stating what ketone levels at their highest during the day, lowest, average on multiple? When do you suggest measurement if a person is measuring once a day?
Good question. Most folks seem to be concerned with hitting a threshold instead of going too high. Consequently, I've seen early morning readings being recommended most often as ketones are at their lowest. Interested in what the good doctor says. :-)
Great question! We have another video coming out about when to check ketones. Unfortunately, most of the data and clinical experience don't have enough granularity from something like a CKM (continuous ketone meter), So we will learn a lot more when that occurs. But for now, as we say in the video, these would be targets based on your clinical concerns, either your highest or lowest value, depending on what you are working towards.
Ketones (and glucose) are produced by the liver under the catabolic action of glucagon moderated by insulin. This is what goes haywire in Type 1 diabetes. As long as you produce insulin your ketone level will never be too high.
The highest level I have been at is around 2.5 after multiday fasting. My normal fed ketogenic state is around 1. Ketones in your blood will depend on how much you make and how much you burn. Been measuring since 2018. I am skeptical of these reported high levels.
Great question. We have another video coming out about when to check ketones. Unfortunately, most of the data and clinical experience don't have enough granularity from something like a CKM (continuous ketone meter), So we will learn a lot more when that occurs. But for now, as we say in the video, these would be targets based on your clinical concerns, either your highest or lowest value, depending on what you are working towards.
Yes, I have just noticed how much ketones vary throughout the day, so I think it’s really hard to discuss ketone ranges without being specific about how they are measured. I look forward to the next video
Thanks for this information! I just wanna ask, Does taking mct oil help me achieve deeper ketosis or it prevents my liver from making own ketones? Thanks!
The liver is what turns MCT into ketones, so it is still part of the process. And as long as someone is following a ketogenic diet, they will still make their own endogenous ketones from circulating fatty acids.
Dr. Scher, I’m eating ketogenic diet around 1 month. I also tried exogenous ketones, but my ketones level does not exceed 0,3, glucose is below 100 mg/ml, measured by blood strip. What could be a reason? Many thanks in advance for your expert opinion. Best regards, Victoria
Thanks for your comment. Many people find it helpful to track everything they are eating with an app like Chronometer or others. Some people are surprised how carbs can creep in. But that means tracking EVERYTHING, food, drinks, snacks, sauces, etc. The key is to lower carbs as much as possible, and if someone is still not in ketosis, they can consider lowering protein to 1.0g/kg. But another good thing to consider is working with a trained dietician, at least temporarily. That can be invaluable!
When I am on a 5 day water only fast it is just normal for me to reach 70 or 80 mg on my urine ketone strip which when converted into mmol is often 6.5 or even 7.5 mmol. Isn't this normal? Why do so many doctors say that at this level it is best to call 911 or get quickly to a hospital?
The problem is that those levels in someone with type 1 diabetes could be life threatening. So the assumption by most doctors is safety first and assume it is DKA until proven otherwise. But that is completely different for someone feeling well in nutritional ketosis.
How do you reconcile weight loss and metabolic health?.... I have found that I need to lower my protein intake and increase my fat intake in order to keep my BG low. But then I can't sleep, and I also put on weight. I can fix both these problems by eating more protein and less fat, but then my BG goes up (my last A1C was 5.6)... I don't know what to do 😥
The reason I wanted to hear what you had to say about ketone levels that were too high is my breath analyzer is often in the red zone, but I feel fine. I tried to use urine strips to measure them, but they don't show any ketones. What should I do when my meter shows me that i'm in the danger zone? Do go and eat some carbs?
I'm the son of a schizophrenic. I've dealt with horrible anxiety and depression for years. Struggling to get my mmol over 1. I eat bacon, eggs, grass fed beef and add mct oil to it. But it stills goes between .4-1
Thanks for charing your experience. Some people find checking and different times of the day helps them better understand their natural ketone variations. And others find a one time consult with a coach or dietician can be incredibly valuable.
My son has lost sleep and is going into mania 😢 We are on leave and left our ketone meter at home Bought a new one and last two days have been 1.4 and 1.5 Not sure whether to push ketones up or not as I know going deep into ketosis can induce mania
Is there any risk of triggering ketoacidosis by diet only, without underlying diabetes? How would that even be possible? By the way, has anybody told you Baszucki is pronounced Ba-shoo-ts-kee rather than Bazooki?
Can you please make a video regarding a confusion if keto "cures" diabetes or "manages" it? And what is the difference between the 2 ways of phrasing it?
The common language is that ketogenic therapy can put type 2 diabetes into remission. That is different than a cure, as a cure implies it will never come back. If someone goes back to a lifestyle of overeating refined carbs and lack of physical activity, they will likely develop diabetes again. So it isn't a cure. But with maintaining ketogenic and metabolic therapies, it can remain in remission. We hope that helps clarify.
@@metabolicmind Thank you for the response. It would be very cool if you made just 1 confusion clear to me. Maybe you know that alcoholics (and other addicts) tolerance never returns back to 0 even if they abstain for 10 years. It would take them literally a week (or so) to become fully re-addicted again. When an addict abstains, they put their addiction "on pause". And when they relapse, they "unpause" it. Does keto put diabetes "on pause"? Does poor lifestyle relapse "unpause" diabetes? Or do they have to put effort into becoming diabetic again?
Great video! Always interesting. Now that I've been on keto for over 8 months for schizoaffective/bipolar, there's been variability in my ketone levels at times, like when they were low and my keto coach let me know I needed to add supplemental carnitine at a couple intervals and then they'd go up. Also, tapering a medicine was another factor in how I felt. I would say I feel best when my ketones are 3 and up though not significantly better when higher than 4 that I occasionally get into, but I also pay attention to GKI and prefer it to be 1.5 and under.
This is the first time I've seen this addressed by someone. I've been in deep ketosis for 2+ years. Sticks show the darkest value possible. Swedish primary care won't give me any advice, so I continue gambling on not going into ketoacidosis.
Im on day 4....just tested at 0.01....hopefully it goes up naturally otherwise i ll have to tweak my diet.....as i plan to reduce my psyche medication asap.
Far, far too early to be worrying about your ketones. Give your body time to use the glucose reserves and to HEAL. Don't be tweaking your diet until you have got all you can from the current diet, otherwise it can be difficult to know what is causing what. Good luck.
3.8 mmol/l being ketoacidosis? LOOOOOL If you will do a water fast for a week you will get to about 5.5-6.5 mmol/l. If you fast >3 weeks you may get to about 7-9 mmol/l (>8 mmol/l is out of range of many of the popular ketone-meters!). There are reports that overweight people fasting for more than a month or two go above 10 mmol/l. And all of this is PHYSIOLOGICAL, meaning, it is definitely not a "ketoacidosis". And most importantly, your ketone bodies will be VERY stable in such a state - this is what differentiates it from a ketoacidosis where the ketones tend to rise dramatically over time...
Steve Phiney says diabetic ketoacidosis starts above 10, and there is nothing to worry about if your pancreas produces insulin. You don't have to overdose a T1 diabetic with insulin to prevent uncontrolled ketoacidosis. That famous doctor from the conference should give back his degree and feel ashamed of himself.
I maintained nutritional ketosis (above .5) for 2 years in conjunction with chemotherapy. 3 days before each infusion I did sardine fasts and 2 days after water only. My highest ketones during infusion was 6.9. I was applying Prof Thomas Seyfried's protocol to the best of my understanding. I am now resolved of all metastasized tumors. NED on my last 2 CT scans. All internal organ unremarkable. 😊👍🥳
That's fantastic! Thanks for sharing your journey.
Beautiful 💕👍
Very nice
Awesome!
Wonderful success story. What stage were you in? How much you think it was due to chemo vs keto? Could any one do it keto only. Just a thought. Your story be part of good documentary
For ADHD, started off enjoying 1.5 blood glucose, then tried intermittent fasting, did a 5 day fast (just water and electrolytes) and got my ketone levels up to around 4 or so. Definitely felt great the last 3 days of fasting. Then eventually realized I’m fine down to about 1.0. I occasionally go between 0.5 and 1.0, but try to stay around 1.0-1.5. Main issue is i feel better having a certain level of carbs that i can easily control by adding honey to Greek yogurt with frozen blueberries. Also, i quit caffeine and can always add in more walking to boost ketones. So perhaps it matters HOW you get the high ketones. That can come from lots of exercise and/or fasting, and not just diet.
Super useful content
I am using ketosis just to stay healthy.
I combine low carb with 18/6 intermittent fasting. This allows me to get up to a ketone level of 2 mmol/L (as measured with keto mojo) every day.
I hit my max ketones about one hour after breaking my fast. It bottoms out around 5 hours later after my last meal before the feeding window closes at around 0.3 mmol/L. I've been doing this for going on 2 years
Hi Dr. B! I really appreciated your addition at the end, regarding how researchers need to be prepared to discriminate with regard to labelling any ketone level over 3.5 as being ketoacidosis. -For example, I had done a 21 day water fast several years ago and never felt better! My ketone levels rose to 7.0 and if could do everything that anyone else was doing (squats, walks, etc) without any feeling of weakness. I was as clear as a bell, mentally and obtained soooo many health benefits. But yes, it was important to qualify that, as I'm guessing many people who have done extended fasting with water and electrolytes the way I had, experienced ketone levels over 3.5. TY for your video!
I love the way you always say that you hope this information is helpful. Your videos are always helpful. My ketone levels usually run around 0.7 to 1.3. Last month I fasted for a few days and then I saw levels of 2 - 3.2 and I felt fantastic! But I can’t fast all the time. 😅 For reference I eat this way to lose weight, just about 20 lbs to go, with no metabolic diseases, am 71 yo female and never had even pre diabetes, just hypertension, which is now gone.
Thank you for your comment!
I usually have ketone levels between 1.5 and 4 when testing with strips. I also practice fasting, and when I do, my ketones get very high, around 7-8. I'm following a form of 'dirty keto' because I don’t have a dietitian trained in this area. However, since I'm doing it on my own, I've noticed a significant improvement in my symptoms. I started this diet in around april /May 2024, and since then, I've had no symptoms of psychosis or depression. I’ve tried challenging the diet with cheat days, and whenever I eat poorly more frequently, my symptoms gradually return.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thanks so much, so helpful!
Thanks, very helpful.
Would love see a video telling us how to get to the various levels:
1. When are exogenous ketones recommended, if ever.
2. on carnivore, Why does high protien (>1g/lb lean mass) seem to push ketons down? protein
3. what is the boggest factor in increasing ketones? fasting? Macros? Diet?
Also would love to see a video explaing where ketones come from and how they are used, "The life cycle of a ketone." for example.
Thanks for your comment. We can definitely add those to our content list.
Love the life cycle of a ketone idea.
For me the biggest factor helping me to go into deep ketosis (above 3.0) is intermittent fasting.
@@danesovic7585 yes, but I have to have at least one 20 - 24 hour fast mixed in there.
@@9879SigmundS yeah, I try to do one meal a day too.
In keto acidosis, BGL is generally high too. I agree that a limit of 3.8 is groundless in someone fat/keto adapted, just as they tolerate much lower BGLs because they're accustomed to using alternative fuel, ie ketones
"In keto acidosis, BGL is generally high too. "
not "generally". high BS is a definition of ketoacidosis...
Prof Seyfried is using GKI of less than 2 for cancer. Best is to have a research on GKI levels to cure different metabolic diseases such as Atherosclerosis, CKD, FOOT ULCERS, RETINOPATHY, etc
Lean Mass Hyper Responder studies have already shown decreases in coronary artery plaque (wrt atherosclerosis), using ketogenic diets.....(something traditionally considered impossible by Cardiologists ) .
When should one check one’s ketone level? Before meals? 2 hours after meals? Fasting? Or just anytime of the day?
Stay tuned! A video on this exact question is coming soon.
Another great video. Thanks for the very useful info.
Glad it was helpful!
A great video, as always.
Glad you enjoyed it
Very interesting. As a carnivore, no carbs, I find getting the higher ketones is a challenge. Would be great to hear Dr Scher opinion on this. Thanks for all the great informative videos…
Omad or add fats
Louis
Hi!
Be careful with your proteins.
If you eat too much proteins you can have your ketones levels too low or it can kick you out of Ketosis.
Good luck!
👍
Intermittent fasting - skipping breakfast if I'm not hungry. My ketones went higher. Before that they gradually rose the longer I continued low carb
On carnivore people eat a lot of animal protein, this lowers ketones, reduce protein, increase fat and see your ketosis go up
Just here to say that it’s highly likely you’re eating too much protein. You have to eat EXTRA fat in order to get into deep ketosis. Well I had to, anyway.
I’m a terrible ketone producer. The only time I was in a therapeutic level of ketosis was doing a strict carnivore diet with zero carbs. I felt the best in years and my anxiety completely disappeared during that time. But I find it very hard to maintain. Even 10 g of carbs knocks me out of ketosis. Can exogenous ketones be used to get you into therapeutic level of ketosis?
Thats a great questions, and something we hope a research study will address this soon. But for now, some clinicians use exogenous ketones to increase levels for appropriate candidates. It's a bit of trial and error at the moment.
I had full body inflammation and came down with asthma - runs in the family. A low carb, additive free diet improved the inflammation and my asthma, to no medication, after being very ill. I am currently 90% carnivore and feeling even better - I have allergies to smells of just about anything and want to improve my digestion and bacteria levels in my gut to see if this helps.
Once a week I make a pot of beef (ground) mince and add a scoop of dried and soaked pinto beans with one onion. This gives four portions. The idea is to feed the bacteria and to increase butyrate levels produced by the bacteria which digest the fibre in the beans. My ketones increased over the years of doing low carb, rising to a steady 2.5 on a breath meter.
Carnivore is just a few weeks in, and sleep issues are only just starting to improve. Keeping weight steady, no issues there. I do intermittent fasting by skipping breakfast if I'm not hungry.
We are all different but there is likely to be a sweet spot - average which gives consistently good results.
Not sure why you’re eating beans? They make my gut unhappy.
@@jls6n I grew up eating beans and I have no problem with eating them. As they are so nutritious I thought that a 90% carnivore diet would do me nicely. Seems to be working.
Thank you for all the good work, the work of metabolic minds has helped my 79 year old dad significantly, from being completely on bed to be able to walk, to do basic routines on his own, from a state of complete apathy to little degree of awareness
Here in India the knowledge around this subject is non existent, with senior neurologist and physician scoffing at you for even suggesting a ketogenic diet.
We have been maintaining his levels between 0.5 to 1.5 with a vegetarian keto diet, it’s been about 3 months and he has been improving slowly and steadily.
How long should a ketogenic therapy for dementia be ?
Also What happens if he takes 2/3 days off from his ketogenic diet and goes back to a high carb based Indian vegetarian diet ?
I did the time out for a few days and found it exceedingly difficult to get back in. His brain will be short of fuel if he is not producing ketones, so please don't do it. A little animal protein such as egg or perhaps cheese can be helpful if your religion allows.
When determining keto acidosis, would normal blood glucose levels matter? My ketones routinely run 3-5 when I’m feeling best from a mental health standpoint. Glucose usually 60-80. Occasionally I go a little above 5 and glucose trends down a few points.
There is a condition called euglycemic ketoacidosis, but it is very rare.
Thanks very much, really helpful. I have multiple autoimmunity and did keto for 3 months, but saw no improvement beyond my blood sugar being balanced much better. I do wonder if I need to push for a higher level of ketones (I was generally in the 0.5-1.5 range) to see any change in my symptoms. Do you know of any studies out there on autoimmunity or CFS and keto?
Unfortunately, we are not aware of any studies.
Thank you !
You pretty much have to be a type 1 diabetic to get to Ketoacidosis. This means you do not produce insulin. Pancreatitis can also cause this.
The Randal Cycle prevents ketoacidosis.
I would love to know about ketosis while having an infection. I have a sinus infection and my ketones have dropped and blood glucose gone up. It makes me nervous enough since I've been tapering my psychatric medication really low and want to know how to handle these types of situations. I plan on asking Nicole Laurent but I love hearing other viewpoints.
We think working with Nicole is a fantastic idea. It is not uncommon for infections to cause an increase in glucose and decrease in ketones. For some people, it may not mean much. And for others it could trigger a recurrence of symptoms that may need to be treated.
@@metabolicmind Thank you!! I appreciate your time and letting me know what can happen.
Whoever designs a device like a continuous glucose monitor where you put a patch on the arm and an app can read the ketone level will be a hero. It’s painful to measure ketones by poking your finger every day.
They exist! Unfortunately they aren't widely commercially available in the US, but stay tuned.....
When you're making these recommendations, are you stating what ketone levels at their highest during the day, lowest, average on multiple? When do you suggest measurement if a person is measuring once a day?
Good question. Most folks seem to be concerned with hitting a threshold instead of going too high. Consequently, I've seen early morning readings being recommended most often as ketones are at their lowest. Interested in what the good doctor says. :-)
Great question! We have another video coming out about when to check ketones. Unfortunately, most of the data and clinical experience don't have enough granularity from something like a CKM (continuous ketone meter), So we will learn a lot more when that occurs. But for now, as we say in the video, these would be targets based on your clinical concerns, either your highest or lowest value, depending on what you are working towards.
Ketones (and glucose) are produced by the liver under the catabolic action of glucagon moderated by insulin. This is what goes haywire in Type 1 diabetes. As long as you produce insulin your ketone level will never be too high.
The highest level I have been at is around 2.5 after multiday fasting. My normal fed ketogenic state is around 1. Ketones in your blood will depend on how much you make and how much you burn. Been measuring since 2018. I am skeptical of these reported high levels.
When giving these frameworks are you talking about ketones as measured first thing in the morning?
Great question. We have another video coming out about when to check ketones. Unfortunately, most of the data and clinical experience don't have enough granularity from something like a CKM (continuous ketone meter), So we will learn a lot more when that occurs. But for now, as we say in the video, these would be targets based on your clinical concerns, either your highest or lowest value, depending on what you are working towards.
Yes, I have just noticed how much ketones vary throughout the day, so I think it’s really hard to discuss ketone ranges without being specific about how they are measured. I look forward to the next video
Thanks for this information! I just wanna ask,
Does taking mct oil help me achieve deeper ketosis or it prevents my liver from making own ketones? Thanks!
The liver is what turns MCT into ketones, so it is still part of the process. And as long as someone is following a ketogenic diet, they will still make their own endogenous ketones from circulating fatty acids.
@@metabolicmind Thanks!
Dr. Scher, I’m eating ketogenic diet around 1 month. I also tried exogenous ketones, but my ketones level does not exceed 0,3, glucose is below 100 mg/ml, measured by blood strip. What could be a reason? Many thanks in advance for your expert opinion. Best regards, Victoria
Thanks for your comment. Many people find it helpful to track everything they are eating with an app like Chronometer or others. Some people are surprised how carbs can creep in. But that means tracking EVERYTHING, food, drinks, snacks, sauces, etc. The key is to lower carbs as much as possible, and if someone is still not in ketosis, they can consider lowering protein to 1.0g/kg. But another good thing to consider is working with a trained dietician, at least temporarily. That can be invaluable!
When I am on a 5 day water only fast it is just normal for me to reach 70 or 80 mg on my urine ketone strip which when converted into mmol is often 6.5 or even 7.5 mmol. Isn't this normal? Why do so many doctors say that at this level it is best to call 911 or get quickly to a hospital?
The problem is that those levels in someone with type 1 diabetes could be life threatening. So the assumption by most doctors is safety first and assume it is DKA until proven otherwise. But that is completely different for someone feeling well in nutritional ketosis.
How do you reconcile weight loss and metabolic health?....
I have found that I need to lower my protein intake and increase my fat intake in order to keep my BG low. But then I can't sleep, and I also put on weight. I can fix both these problems by eating more protein and less fat, but then my BG goes up (my last A1C was 5.6)... I don't know what to do 😥
The reason I wanted to hear what you had to say about ketone levels that were too high is my breath analyzer is often in the red zone, but I feel fine. I tried to use urine strips to measure them, but they don't show any ketones. What should I do when my meter shows me that i'm in the danger zone? Do go and eat some carbs?
Last night I went to the hospital just not feeling well and we checked my urine and said my keytones was a thousand. Is that considered high?
I'm the son of a schizophrenic. I've dealt with horrible anxiety and depression for years. Struggling to get my mmol over 1. I eat bacon, eggs, grass fed beef and add mct oil to it. But it stills goes between .4-1
Thanks for charing your experience. Some people find checking and different times of the day helps them better understand their natural ketone variations. And others find a one time consult with a coach or dietician can be incredibly valuable.
My son has lost sleep and is going into mania 😢
We are on leave and left our ketone meter at home
Bought a new one and last two days have been 1.4 and 1.5
Not sure whether to push ketones up or not as I know going deep into ketosis can induce mania
What about urine ketone levels? Any general guidelines?
Many find those to be too inconsistent for specific guidelines
Is there any risk of triggering ketoacidosis by diet only, without underlying diabetes? How would that even be possible?
By the way, has anybody told you Baszucki is pronounced Ba-shoo-ts-kee rather than Bazooki?
Polish ancestry, I suppose.
KA is very rare except type 1 diabetics, or people taking SGLT2 inhibitor drugs (drug names ending in “flozin”).
It would be incredibly unusual to trigger ketoacidosis by diet alone without severe malnutrition and other contributing factors.
Can you please make a video regarding a confusion if keto "cures" diabetes or "manages" it? And what is the difference between the 2 ways of phrasing it?
The common language is that ketogenic therapy can put type 2 diabetes into remission. That is different than a cure, as a cure implies it will never come back. If someone goes back to a lifestyle of overeating refined carbs and lack of physical activity, they will likely develop diabetes again. So it isn't a cure. But with maintaining ketogenic and metabolic therapies, it can remain in remission. We hope that helps clarify.
@@metabolicmind Thank you for the response. It would be very cool if you made just 1 confusion clear to me.
Maybe you know that alcoholics (and other addicts) tolerance never returns back to 0 even if they abstain for 10 years. It would take them literally a week (or so) to become fully re-addicted again.
When an addict abstains, they put their addiction "on pause". And when they relapse, they "unpause" it.
Does keto put diabetes "on pause"? Does poor lifestyle relapse "unpause" diabetes? Or do they have to put effort into becoming diabetic again?
Great video! Always interesting. Now that I've been on keto for over 8 months for schizoaffective/bipolar, there's been variability in my ketone levels at times, like when they were low and my keto coach let me know I needed to add supplemental carnitine at a couple intervals and then they'd go up. Also, tapering a medicine was another factor in how I felt. I would say I feel best when my ketones are 3 and up though not significantly better when higher than 4 that I occasionally get into, but I also pay attention to GKI and prefer it to be 1.5 and under.
Thanks for your comment!
Thanks for your note. I'm still trying to convince my schizoeffective wife to try this therapy.
@@Zaeiouy_dB Well worth it!!
This is the first time I've seen this addressed by someone. I've been in deep ketosis for 2+ years. Sticks show the darkest value possible. Swedish primary care won't give me any advice, so I continue gambling on not going into ketoacidosis.
🤔 I must obtain a ketone meter ...
KetoMojo meter measures glucose and ketone levels with 2 different test strips.
@@petertownsend252 - Thanks 👌
Im on day 4....just tested at 0.01....hopefully it goes up naturally otherwise i ll have to tweak my diet.....as i plan to reduce my psyche medication asap.
Far, far too early to be worrying about your ketones. Give your body time to use the glucose reserves and to HEAL. Don't be tweaking your diet until you have got all you can from the current diet, otherwise it can be difficult to know what is causing what. Good luck.
I would love it if you had a discussion with Professor Kay about non therapeutic ketosis.
3.8 mmol/l being ketoacidosis? LOOOOOL
If you will do a water fast for a week you will get to about 5.5-6.5 mmol/l.
If you fast >3 weeks you may get to about 7-9 mmol/l (>8 mmol/l is out of range of many of the popular ketone-meters!).
There are reports that overweight people fasting for more than a month or two go above 10 mmol/l.
And all of this is PHYSIOLOGICAL, meaning, it is definitely not a "ketoacidosis".
And most importantly, your ketone bodies will be VERY stable in such a state - this is what differentiates it from a ketoacidosis where the ketones tend to rise dramatically over time...
😃
Hard to understand the keto thing it’s mind boggling for me I guess nothing is easy
Steve Phiney says diabetic ketoacidosis starts above 10, and there is nothing to worry about if your pancreas produces insulin.
You don't have to overdose a T1 diabetic with insulin to prevent uncontrolled ketoacidosis.
That famous doctor from the conference should give back his degree and feel ashamed of himself.