The Importance of Ketones Testing

What are Ketones?

Ketones are what is created when your body breaks down fat for energy. Most of the time, your energy comes from the carbohydrates your body takes in. But if you don’t get enough carbohydrates in your diet, especially due to restriction, your body may start breaking down fat to use for energy.
Diabetics must limit the types of carbs that they intake daily. But due to limiting them, many diabetics tend to avoid them altogether rather than ingesting the right type of carbs.

Ketones can also build due to your body not knowing what to do with the carbs and flushing them out.

Why the test is done
This test is done to keep an eye on the level of ketones in a diabetic who is on a low-carb diet. This is because having ketones in your urine or blood could mean that you are at risk of developing diabetic ketoaciosis. This can be life threatening, so it is best to stop it as soon as it starts.

How the test is done
This test can be done one of two ways, depending on your doctors preference. This can be done by blood test or by urine test.

Ways to minimize having this test done
Many newer blood glucose machines that you use at home can test your keytone level. These require a prescription, but insurance companies for the most part, are willing to oblige. This is because it reduces the cost of having the test done by allowing you to monitor your ketones daily as you check your blood sugar. Some insurance companies actually prefer these meters to the older style ones because of this and the durability and cost effectiveness of the tests it provides at once.


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