Will I get better ketogenic weight loss with a darker ketone strip result? | Lindora Clinic (2024)

FAQs

Will I get better ketogenic weight loss with a darker ketone strip result? | Lindora Clinic? ›

Any color on the ketone strip, from pink to purple, indicates fat burning (ketosis). Some people get a darker ketone strip color and achieve the same weight loss results as someone with a lighter color. Your “positive” color result can vary throughout the day for many reasons.

The color corresponds to the concentration of ketones in your urine, which can range from no ketones to high concentrations. The darker the color, the higher your ketone levels. Urine strips are an easy and convenient way to measure ketosis. Follow the directions on the kit for the most accurate results.

If you are following Dr Atkins' plan and so testing regularly, the preferable colour really is a pale pink. This is an indicator that your body is in its optimum fat burning zone, using everything that you are producing and not dumping any excess.

Note: mmol/L stands for millimoles per liter, and it refers to the concentration of ketones in a specific amount of liquid—in this case, your urine. In a well-formulated ketogenic diet, the ketosis falls between 0.5 and 2 mmol/L. High ketones are not good for everyone.

Ketone levels in your blood need to be between 0.5-3 mg/dL for your body to achieve optimal ketosis, which is the ideal state for weight loss. Yes, having a certain amount of ketones in your blood, urine or breath means that your body is burning fat.

You're eating too many carbs

One of the main reasons people don't lose weight on the ketogenic diet is that they're consuming too many carbs. To reach the state of ketosis — a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for energy instead of glucose — carbohydrate intake must be drastically reduced.

An abnormal result means you have ketones in your urine. The results are typically listed as small, moderate, or large as follows: Small: <20 mg/dL. Moderate: 30 to 40 mg/dL. Large: >80 mg/dL.

When your body burns fat instead of glucose, this leads to elevated ketone levels, which is called ketosis. Symptoms can include changes in the way your breath smells, appetite, and energy levels.

The optimal blood ketone range is 0.5 to 3.0 mg/dL. Maintaining this ketone level will help your body use stored fat in the most effective way possible without causing harm. It will help you become a lean, mean fat-reducing machine.

General treatment guidelines to control ketones include: Drinking plenty of water or other calorie-free fluids to aid in the removal of ketones from the body. Taking insulin as directed by the physician to lower your blood glucose level. Rechecking your blood glucose and ketone levels every three to four hours.

Why are my keto strips getting lighter? ›

the strips will get lighter after your body learns to use ketones and now you excrete less of them.

When that's the case, dieters should aim for the 3.0–5.0 mmol/L range. Levels higher than 5.0 mmol/L can occur when fasting. Extremely high ketone levels (8.0–10.0 mmol/L) trigger a life-threatening illness called ketoacidosis.

Darker colors indicate higher levels of ketones. You can also do a blood test for ketones, similarly to how a blood glucose monitor works.

For most people, “low” or “higher” ketone levels don't make a difference for health and weight loss, and in general we do not recommend shooting for a specific ketone level. However, for some people stalling at weight plateaus while on a low carb diet, trying to raise ketone levels may be of benefit.

How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Month on Keto? Individuals on a keto diet can lose an average of 10-12 pounds in their first month if they stay consistent with the diet and maintain a calorie deficit. However, weight loss can vary depending on starting weight, age, and activity level.

Urine dipsticks are not an accurate or clinically useful means of detecting mild ketosis in people undergoing a severely energy‐restricted diet and should thus not be recommended in clinical treatment protocols.

the strips will get darker as your body starts producing more Ketones but cant effectively use them, so you excrete most of them. 3. the strips will get lighter after your body learns to use ketones and now you excrete less of them.

A normal ketone level is unique to each person. A negative test is usually considered normal, but you can also have trace, small, or moderate amounts of ketones in your urine or blood. Talk to your doctor about what is considered normal for you.