However, ketoacidosis also can occur in someone with Type 2 diabetes if there is a major increase in insulin resistance such as infection or treatment with steroids or reduction in insulin release from the pancreas.

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People with diabetes may benefit from the ketogenic diet, but there are possible risks associated with it. Speaking with a doctor can help determine if the keto diet is a good option for someone with diabetes. Special diets for type 2 diabetes often focus on weight loss, so it might seem crazy that a high-fat diet is an option.

The ketogenic keto diet, high in fat and low in carbs, can potentially change the way your body stores and uses energy, easing diabetes symptoms. With the keto diet, your body converts fat, instead of sugar, into energy.

The diet was created in the s as a treatment for epilepsy , but the effects of this eating pattern are also being studied for type 2 diabetes.

The ketogenic diet may improve blood glucose sugar levels while also reducing the need for insulin. However, the diet does come with risks. Be sure to discuss it with your doctor before making drastic dietary changes.

The goal of the ketogenic diet is to have the body use fat for energy instead of carbohydrates or glucose. On the keto diet, you get most of your energy from fat, with very little of the diet coming from carbohydrates.

Heart-healthy fats are the key to sustaining overall health. Some healthy foods that are commonly eaten in the ketogenic diet include:.

The ketogenic diet has the potential to decrease blood glucose levels. Managing carbohydrate intake is often recommended for people with type 2 diabetes because carbohydrates turn to sugar and, in large quantities, can cause blood sugar spikes.

If you already have high blood glucose, eating too many carbs can be dangerous. By switching the focus to fat, some people experience reduced blood sugar. However, the two diets have some major differences.

Robert C. Atkins created the Atkins diet in the s. Still, you might increase your fat intake by limiting carbohydrates and eating more animal protein.

Cutting carbs on the Atkins diet can potentially aid weight loss and help you control diabetes symptoms. When you have too many ketones, you may be at risk for developing diabetic ketoacidosis DKA.

DKA is most prevalent in type 1 diabetes when blood glucose is too high and can arise from a lack of insulin. Although rare, DKA is possible in type 2 diabetes if ketones are too high. Being ill while on a low-carb diet may also increase your risk for DKA.

You can test at home with urine strips. DKA is a medical emergency. Complications can cause diabetic coma. The ketogenic diet seems straightforward. Unlike a typical low-calorie diet, however, a high-fat diet requires careful monitoring.

gov A. gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. A ketones in blood test measures the level of ketones in your blood. Ketones are acids that your body makes when it breaks down fat for energy.

Normally, the cells in your body use blood glucose sugar for energy. You get glucose from eating carbohydrates. If your cells can't get enough glucose, your body will break down fat for energy instead.

This process produces ketones. If your body breaks down fat too fast, ketones can build up in your blood and urine. High ketone levels make your blood too acidic. This is a serious condition called ketoacidosis.

The most common type of ketoacidosis is a complication of diabetes called diabetic ketoacidosis DKA. DKA is a medical emergency that often develops quickly and can lead to a coma and be life-threatening.

If you have diabetes, a ketones in blood test can help find high ketone levels early so you can get treatment right away. If your health care provider recommends frequent testing to check for increasing ketone levels, at-home blood testing meters are available that check both glucose levels and ketones.

At-home testing for ketones in urine testing may also be an option. Talk with your provider about which is right for you. Other names: Ketone bodies blood , serum ketones, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, acetoacetate, nitroprusside test. A ketones in blood test is mostly used to check for diabetic ketoacidosis DKA in people with diabetes.

DKA can affect anyone with diabetes, but it is most common with type 1 diabetes. With type 2 diabetes , DKA is less common. If you have diabetes, a blood ketones test may be used when you are sick or pregnant.

You may also be tested if you develop diabetes during pregnancy gestational diabetes. If you don't have diabetes, you may have your blood ketones checked if you are at risk for developing ketoacidosis and you have symptoms.

You are at risk for ketoacidosis if you have a condition that causes your body to use fat for energy instead of glucose, such as:. If you don't have diabetes, you may need a ketones in blood test if you have symptoms of ketoacidosis that could be from another condition.

You may also need the test if you have symptoms, and you eat a low-carbohydrate "keto" diet for weight loss. A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle.

After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out.

This usually takes less than five minutes. To check blood ketones at home, you may use a blood glucose meter that also tests for ketones.

Merck Manual Professional Version. Hirsch IB, et al. Diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state in adults: Clinical features, evaluation, and diagnosis. Diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state in adults: Treatment. Ferri FF. Diabetic ketoacidosis. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Elsevier; Evans K.

Diabetic ketoacidosis: Update on management. Clinical Medicine. Associated Procedures. Chest X-rays. Electrocardiogram ECG or EKG. Show the heart some love! Give Today. Help us advance cardiovascular medicine.

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Foods that cause elevated prolonged spikes think higher than and longer than 3 hrs , are foods we should reduce. For example, one Nutrisense member found that Costco rotisserie chicken was causing huge glucose spikes. This seems odd, since chicken is a go-to food in the keto diet.

After looking into this further, we found that the rotisserie chicken had a lot of additional ingredients that were injected during the cooking process.

These additional ingredients caused their glucose levels to spike. Without the CGM, we would have never been able to figure out that this particular food was causing their glucose to spike and kicking them out of ketosis. Getting into ketosis is one thing, but staying in ketosis is an entirely different challenge.

The amount of carbs you can eat while staying in ketosis is unique from person to person. Individuals who are physically active and practicing intermittent fasting may be able to consume more carbs. This is why understanding your personal carb threshold is so important for diet sustainability and metabolic flexibility.

The CGM can provide so many insights on your body's carb tolerance. Using a CGM will help you understand how much carbs your body tolerates in a day, at each meal, and when is the best time to eat those carbs.

Too much protein, too little protein --­ this is often a big debate in the keto community. The amount of protein that one person can tolerate is highly personalized.

To find out what works best for your body, it is best to test both ketones and glucose. You likely will have to continue adjusting your macros until you find what works best for you. Typically, the threshold for "excess" protein is very high.

Any excess that is not utilized for repair and maintenance of tissue is converted into glucose for energy. Continuously monitoring your glucose will help catch those subtle glucose rises that often occur when too much protein is eaten.

For many users at Nutrisense who are following a keto diet, we found this to simply be untrue. One of the first experiments you can do using a CGM on a keto diet is testing your personal carb threshold. Once you are in a steady state of ketosis, you can start testing the 30 gram carb boundaries a bit.

To do this, you would gradually increase your carbohydrate intake while monitoring your ketones and glucose values through your CGM at the same time each day.

Next, choose one meal per day that you would include more carbs at and time this meal to be after a workout or some type of movement. Always pair your carbs with protein and fat for best glucose control.

You could start by having 30 grams of carbs per day, then increasing your carbs by 10 g. You can keep bumping up your carbs until your morning ketones drop below 0. Once it dips below 0. Once you find your threshold, you can consume that many carbs every day or just do it a few days a week.

You may be surprised with how many carbs you can consume a day while still maintaining ketosis! As a pro tip, typically the more fasting and exercise you do will give you more flexibility for carbohydrates.

Ketones and glucose should have an inverse relationship. This means that if glucose is high, ketones are likely low.

To test your trigger foods you need to first record your pre-prandial before eating ketone and glucose value. The best time to test this would be in a fasted state or at least three hours after a meal.

Next, eat your experimental food choice. Two hours after your meal, record your postprandial after eating ketone and glucose values.

This will allow you to see how quickly your values recovered from your experimental food. Once you complete the experiment check your results.

If glucose and ketones are out of the ideal ranges, try retesting with a smaller portion. The threshold for protein is typically high, though anything in excess will lead towards energy storage.

To find out if you are consuming too much protein at one meal, test your ketones and glucose in a fasted state and make note of it. Eat a meal and make note of how much protein is in that meal.

If the protein amount is too high, we typically see a very gradual rise in glucose data through the CGM. This rise can occur anywhere from 2­4 hours after a meal depending on the other components of the meal.

Your blood sugar levels can significantly impact how your body feels and functions. When you join the Nutrisense CGM program , our team of credentialed dietitians and nutritionists are available for additional support and guidance to help you reach your goals.

Ready to take the first step? Understanding ketoacidosis is very important for someone with Type 1 diabetes, because they have the highest risk of developing dangerous levels of ketones.

However, ketoacidosis also can occur in someone with Type 2 diabetes if there is a major increase in insulin resistance such as infection or treatment with steroids or reduction in insulin release from the pancreas.

Self assessment quizzes are available for topics covered in this website. To find out how much you have learned about Facts about Diabetes , take our self assessment quiz when you have completed this section.

The quiz is multiple choice. Please choose the single best answer to each question. At the end of the quiz, your score will display. All rights reserved. University of California, San Francisco About UCSF Search UCSF UCSF Medical Center.