Everyone produces ketones when the body runs out of stored sugars for energy and breaks down fat instead.Ketosisis a desired state for ketogenic weight loss diets.They can see somewhat elevated blood ketone levels.
But if you have diabetes, you have a greater risk of ketones building up in your blood to very high and dangerous levels, which can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DKA is a condition that can make you ill. In extreme cases, diabetic ketoacidosis can lead to coma and death.
People with type 1 diabetes are more likely to develop diabetic ketoacidosis, but those with type 2 are also at risk.Because DKA can be life-threatening, it is critical that you know when and how to test for ketones in your blood and how to interpret the results.
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When to Test for Ketones
There are health changes that should look out for if you have diabetes. Your healthcare provider will tell you which circumstances and symptoms warrant a ketone test. Some of these include:
All About Ketones and Diabetes
How to Test Your Blood for Ketones
Testing your urine is one way to detect the presence of ketones, but blood testing is considered more accurate.
When purchasing test strips, keep in mind that each meter requires its own test strips; they are not interchangeable. Pay attention to expiration dates on the strips, both when you receive your purchase and when you test your blood. Expired strips will not give accurate results.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against buying previously-owned test strips, as you risk getting a product that hasn’t been properly stored and may have expired. The FDA also warns against purchasing strips that have not been cleared for sale in the United States.
Interpreting Your Blood Test Results
Ranges have been established to help you interpret your reading.Your results will fall into one of the following three ranges:
Medical experts advise that a ketone blood test reading of 3.0 mmol/L may warrant a trip to the nearest emergency room for immediate treatment.
A Word From Verywell
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gershuni VM, Yan SL, Medici V.Nutritional ketosis for weight management and reversal of metabolic syndrome.Curr Nutr Rep. 2018;7(3):97-106. doi:10.1007/s13668-018-0235-0.American Diabetes Association.Diabetes & DKA (ketoacidosis).Dhatariya K.Blood ketones: Measurement, interpretation, limitations, and utility in the management of diabetic ketoacidosis.Rev Diabet Stud. 2016;13(4):217–225. doi:10.1900/RDS.2016.13.217U.S. Food and Drug Administration.How to safely use glucose meters and test strips for diabetes.Kuru B, Sever M, Aksay E, et al.Comparing finger-stick β-hydroxybutyrate with dipstick urine tests in the detection of ketone bodies.Turk J Emerg Med. 2016;14(2):47–52. doi:10.5505/1304.7361.2014.14880Additional ReadingPlüddemann A, Heneghan C, Price CP, Wolstenholme J, Thompson M.Point-of-care blood test for ketones in patients with diabetes: primary care diagnostic technology update.Br J Gen Pract. 2011;61(589):530–531. doi:10.3399/bjgp11X588600
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gershuni VM, Yan SL, Medici V.Nutritional ketosis for weight management and reversal of metabolic syndrome.Curr Nutr Rep. 2018;7(3):97-106. doi:10.1007/s13668-018-0235-0.American Diabetes Association.Diabetes & DKA (ketoacidosis).Dhatariya K.Blood ketones: Measurement, interpretation, limitations, and utility in the management of diabetic ketoacidosis.Rev Diabet Stud. 2016;13(4):217–225. doi:10.1900/RDS.2016.13.217U.S. Food and Drug Administration.How to safely use glucose meters and test strips for diabetes.Kuru B, Sever M, Aksay E, et al.Comparing finger-stick β-hydroxybutyrate with dipstick urine tests in the detection of ketone bodies.Turk J Emerg Med. 2016;14(2):47–52. doi:10.5505/1304.7361.2014.14880Additional ReadingPlüddemann A, Heneghan C, Price CP, Wolstenholme J, Thompson M.Point-of-care blood test for ketones in patients with diabetes: primary care diagnostic technology update.Br J Gen Pract. 2011;61(589):530–531. doi:10.3399/bjgp11X588600
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Gershuni VM, Yan SL, Medici V.Nutritional ketosis for weight management and reversal of metabolic syndrome.Curr Nutr Rep. 2018;7(3):97-106. doi:10.1007/s13668-018-0235-0.American Diabetes Association.Diabetes & DKA (ketoacidosis).Dhatariya K.Blood ketones: Measurement, interpretation, limitations, and utility in the management of diabetic ketoacidosis.Rev Diabet Stud. 2016;13(4):217–225. doi:10.1900/RDS.2016.13.217U.S. Food and Drug Administration.How to safely use glucose meters and test strips for diabetes.Kuru B, Sever M, Aksay E, et al.Comparing finger-stick β-hydroxybutyrate with dipstick urine tests in the detection of ketone bodies.Turk J Emerg Med. 2016;14(2):47–52. doi:10.5505/1304.7361.2014.14880
Gershuni VM, Yan SL, Medici V.Nutritional ketosis for weight management and reversal of metabolic syndrome.Curr Nutr Rep. 2018;7(3):97-106. doi:10.1007/s13668-018-0235-0.
American Diabetes Association.Diabetes & DKA (ketoacidosis).
Dhatariya K.Blood ketones: Measurement, interpretation, limitations, and utility in the management of diabetic ketoacidosis.Rev Diabet Stud. 2016;13(4):217–225. doi:10.1900/RDS.2016.13.217
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.How to safely use glucose meters and test strips for diabetes.
Kuru B, Sever M, Aksay E, et al.Comparing finger-stick β-hydroxybutyrate with dipstick urine tests in the detection of ketone bodies.Turk J Emerg Med. 2016;14(2):47–52. doi:10.5505/1304.7361.2014.14880
Plüddemann A, Heneghan C, Price CP, Wolstenholme J, Thompson M.Point-of-care blood test for ketones in patients with diabetes: primary care diagnostic technology update.Br J Gen Pract. 2011;61(589):530–531. doi:10.3399/bjgp11X588600
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