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Ketone bodies in urine are compounds that can be detected by a general urine test. This result is incorrect and in most cases indicates a health disorder. The presence of ketone bodies can be seen as a result of starvation, but it can also lead to serious complications of diabetes.
What are ketone bodies?
Ketone bodies are compounds that are intermediate products of fat metabolism. In a healthy organism, trace amounts of them are observed in the blood serum. If it comes to increased production of ketone bodies, it is possible to detect these compounds in urine. It should be noted here that ketones should not appear in the urine of healthy people (the exception is prolonged refusal of food).
At Medonet Market you can buy the MultiSure GK Ketone Tester, which detects the ketone bodies in your blood.
Ketone bodies include β-hydroxybutyric acid, acetoacetic acid, and acetone.
Ketone bodies in urine – what does this mean?
According to the norm, ketone bodies should not be present in the urine. Their presence or absence can be verified by a general urine test. If the results show that you have ketone bodies in your urine, it may be:
- fasting for several hours;
- eating a diet rich in fat and protein, accompanied by a limited supply of carbohydrates;
- excessive physical effort;
- diabetes or the incorrect treatment of diabetes;
- changes in pregnant women – they may be harmless or indicate diabetes;
- congenital metabolic diseases;
- ketoacidosis – most often it is a complication of type 1 diabetes, results from insulin deficiency and leads to hyperglycemia; untreated acidosis can lead to a life-threatening keto coma;
- alcoholism.
People with hypoglycemia who take insulin are a special case – in them a normal urine test result should indicate the presence of ketone bodies.
Detection of ketone bodies in urine
Urinalysis is a method of identifying ketone bodies in urine. It analyzes urine characteristics, including color, relative density and pH. It is also important to verify its composition, on the basis of which it can be determined whether there are abnormal substances in the urine, such as protein, glucose or ketone bodies.
Buy and perform General urine test – 10 urine parameters, which include you will determine the ketone bodies in urine. You can find the survey on Medonet Market.
The price of a urine test, including ketone bodies, ranges from PLN 5–15.
- Also read about detecting glucose in your urine.
Symptoms of ketone bodies in the urine that may indicate diabetes or ketoacidosis include:
- headache and dizziness;
- dry mouth and extreme thirst;
- frequent urination;
- weakness and fainting – in the presence of acidosis, disturbed consciousness may lead to coma;
- abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea;
- sour smell from the mouth – it may be acetone smell.
Ketone bodies in urine – preparation for the test
In order to check if there are ketone bodies in the urine, it is necessary to take a urine sample to the laboratory. The patient must know how to properly prepare to collect the material for the study. Improper handling creates the possibility of distorting the results. Abnormalities can be related to the color of urine, the presence of glucose or bacteria, and also disrupt other parameters, making it difficult to make an accurate diagnosis.
- Urine bacteria are analyzed for the bacteria present in the urine.
Before urine testing, you should:
- fasting for a minimum of 8 hours;
- the day before giving the sample, do not eat products that may change the color of urine (beetroot, rhubarb, carrots); vitamin B intake may have a similar effect;
- have a special urine container, which you can get at the pharmacy;
- consult your doctor about taking certain medications prior to urine testing that may distort the result;
- in the case of women, postpone delivery of the sample during menstruation, or if it is foreseen within the next two days;
- thoroughly wash your hands and the area around the mouth of the urethra.
The urine sample for testing should come from the middle stream – the first morning urine is halfway to the shell, and the middle part to the container, filling it approximately halfway. When the appropriate amount of urine is in the tank, the rest can be returned to the toilet.
It is very important that the freshly collected sample is delivered to the test point as soon as possible. This should be done within two hours.
Ketone bodies in urine – interpretation of results
You don’t have to wait long for the results of the test for the presence of ketone bodies in the urine, and they can be ready the next day. Regardless of the results, you should take them to the doctor who referred you for the examination. It will analyze the result, taking into account the patient’s conditions, medications, symptoms and other test results.
If your urine test results show a slight increase in the number of ketone bodiesand the patient does not suffer from ailments accompanying chronic diseases, it may be a condition that is harmless to the body. Therefore, a thorough medical history is crucial for the proper assessment of the situation.