BHB Ketone Testing and Test Strips
Posted by Just Fitter on
Ketone production is a physiological phenomenon that occurs to avoid irreversible neurological damage from hypoglycemia, thereby serving as a marker of metabolic stress. The primary ketone body, beta‐hydroxybutyrate (BHB), guides the diagnostic evaluation and management of many hypoglycemic disorders. Serum and point‐of‐care (POC) BHB values were not been compared in children without diabetes or metabolic disorders. Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is a chemical that is made by the body. It provides energy when not enough carbohydrates or sugars have been eaten. BHB can also be made in the lab and taken as a supplement. It seems to help the brain and nerves work better. It might also provide energy to muscles to improve exercise ability. BHB is used for dry eye, athletic performance, migraine, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Function of Exogenous (Beta-Hydroxybutyrate) ketones
Exogenous (Beta-Hydroxybutyrate) ketones are generally used to help the body produce ketones to use as energy, and to reach ketosis faster. Beta-Hydroxybutyrate(BHB) has many clinical as well as lifestyle applications, from energy production to quick mineral replenishment. Let us now discuss the use of BHB to ketogenic diet.
Beta-Hydroxybutyrate for ketogenic diet
For most who is just starting with the ketogenic diet its hard or even impossible to start with ketogenic diet. Others experience keto flu while some gets really weak upon starting this kind of diet. That is when Exogenous (Beta-Hydroxybutyrate) comes in. It helps you into ketosis faster and fight the possible challenges you need to face as you start your ketogenic journey.
How Beta-Hydroxybutyrate works on ketogenic diet:
- Electrolyte replenishment: The minerals in BHB (exogenous ketones) support electrolyte replenishment, which can help you stave off the keto flu, sleep better, and feel better.
- Fuel your body and brain: BHB can help fuel your workouts, fight snack cravings, and give you an energy boost. Bye-bye mid-afternoon slump!
- Get into ketosis faster. BHB may help your body enter the state of ketosis more quickly, which is the desired state for those on the ketogenic diet.
- Burn fat while maintaining muscle. The best benefit of the ketogenic diet and why most people decide to start it!
- Act as a "carb blocker" to normalize blood sugar levels. If you "cheat on keto", you can avoid carb crash with Keto BHB as it can reduce spikes in blood insulin, which is incredibly problematic for your hormonal response.
Why is Beta-Hydroxybutyrate the best test for ketoacidosis diagnosis?
Ketones (like glucose) can be tested or monitored in either urine or blood. Many hospitals still use the nitroprusside method for confirming ketoacidosis. The nitroprusside urine method is efficient at providing qualitative assessment of ketosis and ketoacidosis by detecting both acetoacetate and acetone. However, nitroprusside methods do not detect Beta-Hydroxybutyrate.
B-HB is a better test for ketosis and ketoacidosis than nitroprusside methods for a number of reasons:
- Beta-Hydroxybutyrate demonstrates excellent stability, making it the most reliable indicator of clinically relevant ketosis and ketoacidosis.
- During ketosis, Beta-Hydroxybutyrate levels increase more than levels of acetone and acetoacetate, clearly indicating the patient's trend in metabolic status.
- Quantitative, objective Beta-Hydroxybutyrate results provide a better tool for differentiating metabolic acidosis and monitoring therapy.
Two ways to test ketones:
You can buy this kind of test at your local drugstore and do it at home. Also, you can have one done while you’re at the doctor’s office.To take it, pee into a clean container to get a sample and then do the following:
- Put the strip from your test into the sample (or you can hold the test strip under your urine stream).
- Shake the strip gently.
- The strip will change color; the directions will tell you how long that takes.
- Check the strip color against the chart that came with your test kit. This will show you the ketone level.
You can also take this test at home or at your doctor's office. To take the blood sample, the doctor will put a thin needle into a vein in your arm to pull out blood or prick a finger. You can also use a home meter and blood test strips. Some blood glucose meters test for ketones, too.To take this kind of test at home:
- Insert one of the blood ketone test strips into the meter until it stops
- Wash your hand with soap and water, and then dry it
- Stick your finger using the lancing device
- Place a drop of blood into the hole on the strip
- Check the result, which will display on the meter
Conclusion:
Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB) ketones helps the body produce ketones to use as energy, and to reach ketosis faster.It is very helpful for those who just started the ketogenic diet as it support electrolyte replenishment. BHB can help fuel your workouts, fight snack cravings, and give you an energy boost.
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