Ketosticks? page

[MprDoc]

Are these things worth the investment if trying to monitor carb intake? I am keeping it pretty low carb - minimal nuts/fruit - and I am wondering if anyone has expierence with monitoring their ketones?

[lala70]

I bought some ketones sticks the other day at Costco (7.00 for 50 strips). I have been checking my level every morning and it shows I am in full ketosis. I am keeping my carbs low and 9 days ago started taking a tbsp. of MCT oil in the morning and one in the afternoon. Since then I am down 5 pounds . I am not sure how accurate they are,but something seems to be working .

[InSearchOfAbs]

If you use them FIRST THING in the morning, that's when they'll be the most
accurate.

Otherwise, if you've eaten a huge fat laden meal, they can't differentiate between
THAT, or if your burning the fat off your body.

So first thing in the AM is your best bet.

Good luck!

Julie

[ssn679doc]

Unless you are getting your carbs down to below 50g a day, your wasting your time trying to test for ketones. Even if you are below 50g, it will take 2-3 days to get any ketone results. Check with the lab techs to see if they have any expiring stock. If they do, you may be able to snag them.....

[MprDoc]

Good advice! I am working at a undermanned clinic right now so I should be able to snage some. . . do the 8404 "tactically aquire" thing.

[katemary]

and if you are concerned about the cost, cut them lengthwise...

[ssn679doc]

Good advice! I am working at a undermanned clinic right now so I should be able to snage some. . . do the 8404 "tactically aquire" thing.

+ 1x 10⁶ In the "old" days we called it comshaw (sp?) but tactical aquisition works too!

[emmie]

Personally, I think they're a waste of money. I first did the Atkins diet in 1972 (when he initially published), and the damn keto sticks drove me nuts. I could barely register on them, even though my carbs were always <20g a day. But I was losing well, and I eventually ignored the sticks.

Later I learned that all sorts of physiological issues can create problems with these sticks--e.g., being well hydrated will often prevent ketones from registering. Moreover, as your body becomes more efficient at burning ketones, you 'dumpt' fewer and will often fail to register on the sticks at all, despite being deeply into ketosis.

I have often suspected that Dr. A promoted the use of ketosticks because low-carb was a 'revolution' at the time and people needed some way to assure themselves that his plan 'worked.'

Now that I've been eating low carb for years (purely for health reasons), I don't need any reassurance that I'm 'in ketosis' because I don't really care.

[Rae1219]

I've found the ketosticks help me get back on track (or on to a track in the first place). Some of us need that reassurance in the beginning.
It is evident, though, that the body adjusts after a while, and the sticks become less useful. So use them as a guide as you transition to a lower-carb way of eating.

[eKatherine]

You didn't say you're trying to lose weight. If not, don't bother.