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FAQ

What are the Advantages using a Ketonix?

  • Measures breath ketones, a realtime indicator of ketosis.
  • Reusable, measure thousands of times, at a one time cost only!
  • The sensor does not need to be replaced after X times, it can be used for years!

 

How does Ketonix work?

    Ketonix® analyze your breath for the ketone named Acetone. Acetone is spontaneously released from the liver when ketone energy is formed.

    The more fat that is mobilized into energy, the more Acetone in your breath.

    Don't mixup breath ketones with blood ketones. Blood ketones are formed from excess ketone energy and could be converted back into energy at any time. In some situations one could say that they correlate, higher breath ketone level and you might find more blood ketones. Then add that your body could have issues both creating them and use them for energy, these factors makes it harder to interpret blood ketones. This is one of the reasons Ketonix® was invented, to indicate the strength of ketosis.

    What is Ketosis?

    Ketosis is when your insulin/glycogen levels are low and your liver starts to metabolize fat into ketone energy. When ketones fuel our brain we sense a high mental clarity and energy boost. Without the ability to get into ketosis when glucose and glycogen is low the human man kind would not exist.

    Ketosis is not the the same condition as Ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis is a complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus. It's a life-threatening condition resulting from dangerously high levels of ketones and blood sugar. 

      

    How do I interpret the value?

    The value you get from the Ketonix® device is an indication of how much your body use fat as fuel.

    By measuring often you could recognize how different lifestyle changes like food, fasting and exercise affects your body’s level of fat burning. As the value is dependent on your technique, it is very important to develop a good one.

    The method of using breath and the dependency of technique values will be personal.

    There are more factors than the nutrient macros carbohydrates, fat, protein and alcohol that influence your ketosis. Example; our body produce glucose as a response to physical activity and stress. Your body also obey your circadian rhythm and increase glucose and cortisol in the morning to wake you up.

     

    Does Breath and Blood ketones correlate?

    They have a vague correlation - the higher breath ketone levels measured, the higher the probability is of finding blood ketones. They are not created at the same time. Breath ketones (acetone) is formed when the liver produce ketones (acetoacetate). Acetoacetate is an unstable molecule and about 30% breaks down and acetone is released. Blood ketones (beta-hydroxybutyrate) are formed by the cells when ketone energy is not needed any more, its a feedback signal to make less ketone energy and a small buffer of ketone energy that any cell can use to create energy.

    Breath ketones correlate to ketogenesis (stored/digested fat that turns into ketones). The higher breath ketones, the more fat is metabolized in the liver.

    Phase 1: When energy needs increase, and there is a limited amount of carbohydrates to use for energy, ketogenesis starts and make ketone energy. In this phase, both the primary ketone AcetoAcetate and the blood ketones (beta-hydroxybutyrate, if present in the blood) is consumed. Breath ketones are proportional to the AcetoAcetate created. No blood ketones are formed in this phase. View animation

    Phase 2: When energy needs decrease, the liver is still producing AcetoAcetate, and cells have enough energy. The cells are intelligent and can "repackage" the AcetoAcetate into the storage form beta-hydroxybutyrate (blood ketone) and leaves it into the bloodstream for later use when energy needs increases again. Breath ketones are still proportional to the AcetoAcetate created and decrease along with the production of AcetoAcetate. The blood ketones signal that energy needs are decreasing and the liver will produce less AcetoAcetate. View animation

    So when energy need increase (and carb availability is low) ketones are made and used (if you had any blood ketones, they would be used to and level decrease). Ketosis increase and breath ketones rise.

    When energy needs decrease, the cell's save excess ketone energy into blood ketones. The blood ketones signals decreasing the need for energy and ketosis also decrease (so will also your breath ketones).

    The level of blood ketones reflects how much the cells saved when the energy needs decreased, not the level of ketosis. Comparing levels of breath and blood ketones is therefore complicated as they are not formed under the same circumstances.

    Can persons that is not using a low-carb/ketogenic diet do testing?

    The sensor is also sensitive to methane. When carbohydrates are digested by bacterias, methane is produced. Some can have issues with the bacterias are located in other location than normal causing the methane to leave the body in more than one place. The sensor can pick this up and display what many would call a false positive. If someone that eats a high carb diet, expects a ketone reading, we would call it a “false expectation”. When using the device in a proper context, e.g using a low-carb or ketogenic diet, the carbs are few and would not influence the reading, its acetone and indicates how the liver produce ketones in that moment.

    Testing for methane in breath is commonly done to detect an issue that is called SIBO, Small Intestines Bacterial Overgrowth. This condition can become very unpleasant.

    So, even if it is tempting to test your friends, the result can be that your friends methane is higher than your acetone. Explaining this might be more than they can take in.

    The Ketonix is a tool to optimize and create your lifestyle.

     

    How does Alcohol affect the result? 

    The sensor is also sensitive to alcohol. However drinking alcohol will suspend the ketosis until the alcohol is metabolized. To see how alcohol affects your ketosis, wait to take a measure until the alcohol is out of your body (day after).

    How does Exogenous Ketones affect the result?

    Using exogenous ketones will not increase ketones in your breath. Ketones in your breath comes from breaking down fatty acids in the liver to the ketone AcetoAcetate from which Acetone is released. A possible reaction is that a high blood ketone value would signal to stop ketosis for some time.

     

    What is the difference between Breath ketones and Blood ketones?

    Blood ketones (Beta-hydroxybutyrate) is not the same ketones found in your breath (Acetone).

    Breath ketones are present when liver converts fat into ketones. The more breath ketones, the higher conversion of fat into ketones.

    Blood ketones are formed from the excess ketones not used for energy. Blood ketones can at any time your body needs more energy be used. A blood ketone measure of 3 mmol/L is only about 15 calories worth of energy which the body could use up quite quickly if needed.

    The formation/use of blood ketones also depends on vitamin and mineral availability. It also depends on the level of blood sugar. High blood sugar inhibits the ability to use the blood ketones as energy. This is what happens when people with diabetes type 1 have a high level of glucose and no insulin, both high glucose and high level of blood ketones.

    Measuring blood ketones is important to people with little or no insulin production. For people that have a normal insulin production the blood ketone value could vary a lot in the Nutritional Ketosis range. Conversion of fat into ketones are much higher in Therapeutic Ketosis and more blood ketones are also formed, however the level still depends on your bodys ability to form and use them.

    Remember, breath ketones is a better indicator of ketosis because it does not have the same metabolic function as blood ketones.

     

    How do I increase my ketosis?

    There is several ways you could increase your ketosis. Using the Ketonix® you can find out what works for you. How you react to lifestyle changes depends on your body cells, liver, muscles, food, activity level ... etc.

    Some common lifestyle changes that affects the level of ketosis are:

    • Lower carbohydrates per day.

    • Have a moderate amount of protein, 1gr per kg body weight is common to use.

    • Don’t over-eat, excess energy will always be stored and cause insulin to rise and ketosis to decrease.

    • Try Intermittent fasting.

    • HIIT exercise is very effective to tap into the glycogen stores and increase ketosis.

    • Fast between meals. Coffee with cream or fat is like eating. Tea or coffee without cream works.

    • Try finding real ketogenic recipes, with a ratio equal or higher than 3:1. Most “Keto Recipes” on the Internet have a low ketogenic ratio.

      The ketogenic ratio is commonly calculated as:

      ratio = fat gr : (protein gr+carbs gr)

      A ratio of 3:1 means there is 3 times more fat (in grams) than the sum of proteins and carbs (in grams).

    NOTE:

    If you have type 1 or 2 diabetes: You still need to check your glucose. 
    Ketonix is a complement but does not replace your glucose or beta-hydroxybutyrate measuring devices.
    We also recommend you consulting your doctor before doing dietary, medical, or lifestyle changes.

    Where can I find the manual?

    Mobile Manual Ketonix Green Basic/Professional