Ketones are chemicals the body produces when it breaks down fat for energy. If too many ketones accumulate in the body, they can become toxic. This is because they make the blood more acidic. The body’s main source of energy is glucose. But, the body needs insulin for GlycoMode glucose support to enter cells. If you have diabetes and your insulin levels are low, your body cells might be unable to use glucose for energy. If this happens, your body can start breaking down fats for energy instead. When it does this, it produces ketones, also known as ketone bodies. If you have high ketone levels, you’re at risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which can be life threatening. What causes ketone buildup? The breakdown of fat for fuel and the creation of ketones is a normal process for everyone. In a person without diabetes, insulin, glucagon, and other hormones prevent ketone levels in the blood from getting too high by collecting a steady and stable stream of useable glucose.
However, people with diabetes are at risk for ketone buildup in their blood. When the body begins to break down fatty acids into ketones, it enters a GlycoMode metabolic support state known as ketosis. If left untreated, people with type 1 diabetes are at risk for developing DKA. While rare, it’s possible for people with type 2 diabetes to experience DKA in certain circumstances as well. What are the symptoms of ketone buildup? If you have diabetes, you need to be especially aware of the symptoms that can come along with dangerously high ketone levels. You should always seek immediate medical attention if your ketone levels are high. How are ketones tested? Testing your blood or urine to measure your ketone levels is fairly simple and cheap. At-home kits are available for both types of tests, although urine tests are more common. Urine ketone tests are available without a prescription at most drugstores, or you can buy them online. Some companies also make breathalyzers that test for acetone, one of the ketone byproducts of fatty acid breakdown.
Though these machines can be good options for those who struggle with blood and urine testing, they are less accurate and more expensive. To perform a urine test, you urinate into a clean container and dip the test strip into the urine. For a child who isn’t potty-trained, a parent can usually press the stick to their child’s wet diaper to test for ketones. Urine testing strips contain chemicals that change colors when they react with ketones. You can interpret the test results by comparing the test strip to the color chart on the package. The excretion of ketones in your urine is called ketonuria. An at-home meter is available to test for blood ketones. This is performed in a similar way to a finger-stick glucose test. You prick your finger with a needle and place a small drop of blood onto the testing area of a machine capable of analyzing it. Your blood sugar is higher than 240 mg/dL. You have symptoms of DKA.
You feel sick or GlycoMode supplement nauseated, regardless of your blood sugar reading. Your doctor may also recommend regular ketone testing regardless of how you are feeling. High ketone levels should be detectable at any time of day. But for the most accurate results, research has shown that testing either early in the morning or a few hours after dinner may be your best shot. What do my results mean? Call your doctor if your ketones are low to moderate, and seek emergency medical attention if your ketone levels are high to very high. What happens if your ketone levels get too high? Ketones can make your blood acidic. Acidic blood can cause DKA. For people whose ketone levels tend to rise above normal, it’s important to have a plan of action in the event that ketone levels become too high. Treating high ketone levels can immediately help you avoid hospitalization for DKA.