High ketone levels in a non-diabetic

LibbySheppard

For the last 40 days I have been on a 'carnivore diet'. I've eaten nothing but meat and occasionally eggs. Predominantly red meat. Prior to this my diet was almost entirely vegetarian and raw with no pasta or bread but occasional rice. I did this out of interest to re-set my gut micro biome and address issues with IBS, endometriosis and inflammation/scar tissue after appendectomy surgery. Towards the end of 30 days of this 're-set' I bought the 'Fat for Fuel' book to give me a guide to reintroducing food and to switch to a high fat diet long term. I've been testing my ketone & glucose levels for a few days now and am shocked to see that my ketone levels are constantly above 3mmol/l. Is this dangerous? I am not diabetic so I don't think I can be at risk of ketoacidosis but according to the guidelines in 'Fat for Fuel' my ketones should be below 3 to be in nutritional ketosis. What could be causing them to be so high and how do I lower them? My glucose levels have been at 4mmol/l or under. Newbie here so trying to get as much info and understanding as possible! Thanks!

Susan_RD_101

@LibbySheppard

The diet you've been following is the reason your ketone levels are so high. I think it's important to keep ketones to less than 3 mmol/L and blood glucose above 4 mmol/L. Being above and below these targets, respectively, could compromise physiological functioning. (I'm also curious to know if you've been experiencing any unusual symptoms like dry mouth, confusion, sweating, dizziness, etc. If you are, I think it's prudent to seek out medical attention).

To normalize your levels, I wouldn't follow such a rigorous keto diet. I think it's helpful to include a few carbs, keeping daily total to less than 40-50 g (which will still keep you in ketosis). You can change this in your profile by choosing the "moderate" keto setting.

Best of luck and let me know if I can be of further help!

Kind regards,

LibbySheppard

Thanks for your reply @Susan_RD_101. What you've said really makes sense & confirms my instincts. I'm bringing back in some MMT friendly veg/carbs and actually reducing the amount of protein I'm taking in, so I'll keep tracking and see what happens with the ketones & blood glucose. I haven't had any of the symptoms you describe but through the 30 days of Carnivore diet I did experience sustained bouts of diarrhoea and some incidents of pretty serious stomach cramps. Overall though I generally feel a lot better than I did on the vegetarian/raw diet! :-) The meat-only did not feel sustainable for me though, and this MMT approach is resonating a lot more!

Susan_RD_101

Glad that you're feeling okay! It would be helpful to keep track of your biometric levels in your Cronometer account, as well as any negative symptoms, just to ensure that you keep feeling as good as possible.

Kind regards,