Colour of Ketosis?
- Thread starter lshafik
- Start date
Lily
Gold Member
Er... no. It doesn't, actually. There'll be ketones in your breath - the whiff doesn't come from stomach acid.
In the absence of carbs, the liver breaks down fat to release its energy to power gluconeogenesis (the conversion of protein to sugar) and produces ketones as a byproduct.
Ketones are basically water soluble (meaning they dissolve in blood) fats that are a source of energy for many tissues including the muscles, brain and heart. In fact, ketones act as a stand in for sugar in the brain. Although ketones can’t totally replace all the sugar required by the brain, they can replace a pretty good chunk of it. And ketones are the preferred fuel for the heart, making that organ operate at about 28 percent greater efficiency.
Fat is the perfect fuel. Part of it provides energy to the liver so that the liver can convert protein to glucose. The unusable part of the fat then converts to ketones, which reduce the need for glucose and spares your muscle mass in the process.
Because initially your body produces more ketones than it can use, the body needs to get rid of them. Some spill over into your urine, some are excreted via your breath, making your breath whiffy.
Ketones in the breath smell like acetone, often described as peardrops or the smell of overripe apples.
The other reason for bad breath is that ketosis causes a degree of dehydration, so you don't produce as much saliva, leading to an increase in the population of bacteria in your mouth which in turn causes bad breath.
That's one of the reasons why it's important to drink plenty (at least 4 pints of water a day, more if you're having tetras or bars) - it has a double whammy effect of decreasing the concentration of ketones in your breath and urine (so neither smell as strong) and increasing the saliva in your mouth.
toptooty77
Full Member
This is a really interesting thread I never knew this about been in ketosis thanks
Lily
Gold Member
I think it does get better the longer you're in ketosis - probably because your body gets better at making the right amount of ketones as you go along.
After the first few days (and I'm with you on the sweet taste in my mouth thing
), the only time I notice it is first thing in the morning when I go back into our bedroom after nipping downstairs to weigh myself. That can be a lovely fug sometimes, especially in the winter when the windows are closed and the central heating's on... MandyMoo77
Full Member
Just to confirm that you aren't aiming for anything other than changing to the first or second shade on your stick at most.
Purple doesn't mean you are MORE in ketosis than someone only just registering a change. There's only 2 states, in it or not in it. What purple means is there's a higher concentration of keytones in your urine - it means you NEED TO DRINK MORE WATER to dilute the concentration down.
It's a great indicator of whether 4 pints of water is enough for you or not. I have to drink at least 6 pints
Purple doesn't mean you are MORE in ketosis than someone only just registering a change. There's only 2 states, in it or not in it. What purple means is there's a higher concentration of keytones in your urine - it means you NEED TO DRINK MORE WATER to dilute the concentration down.
It's a great indicator of whether 4 pints of water is enough for you or not. I have to drink at least 6 pints
Lily
Gold Member
Just to confirm that you aren't aiming for anything other than changing to the first or second shade on your stick at most.
Purple doesn't mean you are MORE in ketosis than someone only just registering a change. There's only 2 states, in it or not in it. What purple means is there's a higher concentration of keytones in your urine - it means you NEED TO DRINK MORE WATER to dilute the concentration down.
It's a great indicator of whether 4 pints of water is enough for you or not. I have to drink at least 6 pints
I don't know that I'd say it's a great indicator. Ketostix are notoriously unreliable for this. Some people never ever get a pink stick - yet must be in ketosis if they're doing the diet 100%.
I used to get dark purple readings despite having drunk 4 litres of water, never mind about 4 pints.
The thing is, ketostix aren't designed for people on low carb diets, they're designed for identifying those people whose bodies can't cope with the carbs they've eaten - i.e., diabetics.
It can be an indicator that you're dehydrated, but I think that's about as far as it goes. If you know that you are drinking enough then there's no need to go mad with water intake.
Incidentally, I don't use them.
The one and only time I did was at my CWPC's insistence after my first week on the diet. Personally, I think they're a waste of money - but I've learnt over the years that people find the sight of the pretty pink colours reassuring. But if you're doing SS or SS+ one hundred percent, after the first 3 days you'll be in ketosis, no matter what the sticks say.
sumayyah
please try again
i also dont use ketosticks
it was kd that never ever got a change on those sticks and she lost 8 stone and has maintained for 5 years, she must have done something right
i do get acidy breath at the beginning of cambridge but thats down to my reflux, it plays up when theres nothing solid going in, i knock it down with my omeprazole, my stomach adapts after a couple of weeks
it was kd that never ever got a change on those sticks and she lost 8 stone and has maintained for 5 years, she must have done something right
i do get acidy breath at the beginning of cambridge but thats down to my reflux, it plays up when theres nothing solid going in, i knock it down with my omeprazole, my stomach adapts after a couple of weeks
SO MUCH TO LOSE!
Must do it this time
A very interesting thread
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