How do you test for ketones?
A ketone is composed of 3 ingredients, each of which can be detected using a different method:
- Acetone has a strong volatility and is emitted in your breath – this is the method by which the Ketoscan Mini detects ketone levels.
- β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is measured by extracting blood
- Acetoacetic acid is measured using urine
Why is acetone (breath) testing better than other methods?
Testing for acetone in the breath is very easy – like blowing into breathalyser – but detection needs to occur at very low concentration levels (1/1,000,000, ppm) and so requires ultra-precise technology.
Acetoacetic acid measurement using urine test paper is a popular low-cost method of ketone testing, but the result is only indicated by a keto stick colour change, not an accurate reading. The reading is also affected by volume of urine, so it is difficult to accurately measure ketone status.
Until now, blood using β-hydroxybutyrate measurement (BHB) is the most popular option for ketone analysis and is known to be the most direct way to find out ketone status. However, ketone strips (paper) for ketone analysers are expensive. Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of this method is that it is invasive and requires fresh blood for every examination.