Keto Sticks: Do They Work For Ketosis Detection?

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet that has gained popularity for its weight-loss benefits. A common goal for people on this diet is to achieve ketosis, a natural state in which the body burns fat for fuel. To determine whether they are in ketosis, many people use keto or ketone strips, which detect the presence of ketones in the urine or blood. While these strips are easily accessible and affordable, they may not always provide accurate results, especially for those who have been on the keto diet for a long time.

How to use keto sticks

To use keto sticks, you'll need to follow these steps:

• Wash your hands.
• Collect a urine sample in a small, clean container. Alternatively, you can pass the end of the strip through your urine stream.
• Immerse the absorptive end of the strip into the sample for a few seconds. If you're using a stick, hold it in your urine stream for a few seconds.
• Wait for the amount of time stated on the packaging for the strip to change colour.
• Compare the colour of the strip to the colour chart on the packaging.
• Dispose of the urine and strip appropriately, then wash your hands.

It's best to test at the same time every day to get a baseline. Health coach and keto expert Karissa Long recommends testing twice a day, in the morning and at night, as ketone levels are normally lower in the morning and higher at night.

Keto sticks are a good way to measure whether or not you're in ketosis, but they're not completely accurate. For example, hydration levels can affect the concentration of ketones in your urine, and as your body gets used to using ketones for fuel, fewer will be found in your bodily fluids.

How accurate are they?

Keto strips are not 100% reliable. Their accuracy depends on several factors, including the time of day, hydration levels, and the length of time a person has been in ketosis.

Urine keto strips are a good tool to measure whether you're in ketosis during the first few weeks of starting a keto diet. During this time, your body can't use ketones efficiently for energy, so you urinate many of them out. However, as you get deeper into ketosis, your body adapts to using ketones for fuel and becomes more optimized in producing them, leaving less unused. As a result, if you've been in a keto-adapted state for several months, a urine keto strip may indicate that your urine contains only trace amounts of ketones, if any, which can be misleading.

Blood keto strips are a more accurate way to measure ketone levels but are more expensive and invasive. They are also more suitable for those who have been on a ketogenic diet for a longer period.

Breath analysis is another method for measuring ketosis, and it is non-invasive and convenient. However, it is less accurate than blood or urine tests.

To increase the accuracy of keto strips, it is recommended to test at the same time every day to establish a baseline and compare progress. Morning and night testing is recommended, as ketone levels are normally lower in the morning and higher at night. Additionally, ensuring proper hydration when testing for ketones can help produce more accurate and consistent results.

Pros and cons

The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet. It has gained popularity due to its evidence-based, fast results. People have lost significant amounts of weight following the keto diet. Like any diet, the keto diet has its benefits and risks. Here are some pros and cons of the keto diet:

Pros

• The ketogenic diet is one of the fastest ways to lose fat, especially stubborn fat around the abdomen. It preserves muscle mass, and weight loss is purely fat loss, making it one of the healthiest ways to lose weight.
• In the first two weeks, one can experience weight loss of up to 15 pounds. This sudden weight loss is water weight. As glycogen reserves deplete, the body loses weight.
• Studies suggest that low-carb diets are better at achieving and sustaining weight loss than low-fat and low-calorie diets. Research proves that a ketogenic diet can help with "weight regain" after bariatric surgery.
• The keto diet increases satiety. Conventional diets limit calorie intake, leading to constant hunger and binge eating. In contrast, a ketogenic diet keeps you full by taking longer to digest protein and promoting satiety through fat consumption. It also decreases levels of the hunger hormone, Ghrelin, in the blood, suppressing hunger and the desire to eat.
• The keto diet lowers blood sugar levels, which is promising for the treatment of diabetes. Research has shown tremendous improvement in type 2 diabetes patients following a ketogenic diet for 10 weeks.

Cons

• When transitioning from a high-carb to a low-carb diet, one may experience symptoms like headaches, fatigue, dizziness, and irritability, known as the "keto flu."
• The keto diet offers limited food choices, eliminating grains, beans, legumes, starchy vegetables, fruits, milk, and milk products. This can lead to nutritional deficiencies, especially in vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, and fiber. Lack of fiber can upset gut health, leading to chronic constipation.
• Rebound weight gain is a common issue when people stop the keto diet and return to their old eating habits, as they go back to consuming high amounts of sugar, fried food, and processed carbs.
• The keto diet can be expensive and inaccessible due to the cost of ingredients like coconut oil, almond flour, keto sweeteners, salmon, and avocados. Not all ingredients are readily available, making it challenging to stick to the diet.
• The keto diet can be difficult to sustain due to stringent food restrictions. It can also lead to yo-yo dieting, which increases mortality.
• Achieving ketosis can be challenging because it requires consistent tracking of food intake. Additionally, the only accurate way to tell if your body is in ketosis is through a blood test.
• The keto diet can lead to calorie depletion and nutrient deficiencies, as it restricts the consumption of fresh fruits, legumes, vegetables, and whole grains, which are essential sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
• The high-fat nature of the keto diet could have negative impacts on heart health, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Some people experience dehydration on the keto diet due to the eradication of glycogen, which holds water, from their bloodstream.
• Monitoring food intake closely can lead to psychological distress, shame, and binge eating. Restriction can lead to a cycle of bingeing and guilt.

When is the best time to use them?

The best time to use keto sticks is in the early morning or several hours after your last meal of the day. Testing at the same time every day will help you establish a baseline and make comparisons. Morning and night testing is recommended, as ketone levels are normally lower in the morning and higher at night. This way, you can get an idea of your ketosis range throughout the day.

According to a NIH study, these times of day show the highest and most reliably detectable levels of ketones.

Where to buy them?

There are a variety of options for purchasing keto sticks, both online and in-store.

Online

You can buy keto sticks from online retailers such as Amazon and Perfect Keto. Amazon offers a wide range of keto sticks, with prices starting from $4.49 for a pack of 100. Perfect Keto also has its own urine ketone test strips, which you can buy directly from their website.

In-store

Keto sticks are available over the counter at local pharmacies and supermarkets. Walmart is one such example, offering ReliOn Ketone Test Strips in a pack of 50.

Frequently asked questions