blue ketone peptide FAQ

A ketone test can warn you of a serious diabetes complication called diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA. An elevated level of this substance in your blood can mean that you have very high blood sugar. Too many ketones can trigger DKA, which is a medical emergency. Regular tests you take at home can spot when your ketone levels run too high. Then you can take insulin to lower your blood sugar level or get other treatments to prevent complications.

You might need to test for ketones if you have type 1 diabetes. In this type, your immune system attacks and destroys cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Without it, your blood sugar rises. People with type 2 diabetes can also get high ketones, but it isn't as common as it is with type 1. Tests can show you when your level gets high so you can treat it before you get sick. Frequent heavy drinking (alcohol use disorder) puts you at risk for a condition called alcoholic ketoacidosis. This happens when your body produces critically high ketone levels, usually after binge drinking and throwing up when you're not getting enough to eat. Alcoholic ketoacidosis is a medical emergency for which you should seek help right away.

Ketones are acids that are made in your liver. Everyone has them, whether you have diabetes or not. You produce ketones when you don't have enough of the hormone insulin in your body to turn sugar (or “glucose”) into energy. You need another source, so your body uses fat instead. Ketone production is the result of your liver turning fat into ketones and sending them into your bloodstream. Your muscles and other tissues can then use them for fuel. The breakdown of ketones is known as ketosis. Your body also will go into ketosis if you're not eating enough carbohydrates. For a person without diabetes, this process usually doesn’t become an issue. But when you have diabetes, things can get out of control, and you can build up too many ketones in your blood. If the level goes too high, it can become life-threatening.

If you live with diabetes, your doctor will probably tell you to test your ketones when:

A urine test will show that you have: