Identifying the Odd Smell of Ketones

(Newswire.net — March 14, 2018) Cheyenne, Wyoming — Ketones may be a foreign word to most people unless they’re diabetic or a fitness buff, either way, ketones are always at work to varying extents in everyone. Ever missed a meal? Ever waited too long to eat and felt light headed? Ever tried a low carb/high protein diet? If yes is the answer to any of those questions, then chances are ketones were produced with each experience. 

“You produce them when you don’t have enough of the hormone insulin in your body to turn sugar (or “glucose”) into energy,” explains WebMD.com. “You need another source, so your body uses fat instead. Your liver turns this fat into ketones, a type of acid, and sends them into your bloodstream. Your muscles and other tissues can then use them for fuel.” 

For diabetics, this is a serious concern as insulin production is compromised and can’t balance out the effects of ketones in the body. Not every organ in the body can function in totality on ketones as fuel, namely the liver and the brain. An uncontrolled flood of ketones can lead to a dangerous condition known as ketoacidosis, which is exactly what it sounds like, too much ketones making the body acidic.

“The carbohydrates you eat are converted to glucose, which is the body’s primary source of energy,” states Lindora Clinic. Whenever your intake of carbohydrates is limited to a certain range, for a long enough period of time, you’ll reach a point where your body draws on its alternate energy system, fat stores, for fuel. This means your body burns fat and turns it into a source of fuel called ketones. When you burn a larger amount of fat that is immediately needed for energy, the excess ketones are discarded in the urine.” 

Now this isn’t to say ketosis is bad, it just needs to be regulated closely to ensure only the benefits of this state are reaped and the danger is averted. The burning of fat is always a good thing when dieting for the purpose of weight loss and dietary ketones help sustain the body during periods of famine or unexpected delays in scheduled meal times. It, however, sometimes comes with a peculiar scent as a telltale sign of its presence. 

“Your breath has an interesting ability to provide clues to your overall health,” informs Healthline.com. “Bad breath, also called halitosis, can be so telling that doctors may even be able to use it to identify diabetes. Diabetes-related halitosis has two main causes: periodontal disease and high levels of ketones in the blood. One of the ketones, acetone (a chemical found in nail polish), can cause your breath to smell like nail polish. Ketones can also be produced when you’re fasting or if you’re on a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet, although not to the same level as they are in diabetic ketoacidosis.” 

If an unbearable or offensively pungent odor is noted from a diabetic, then it’s almost a sure thing that it’s related to a medical issue and cause for great concern, hence a doctor needs to be consulted. If it’s as a result of dietary changes, specifically high protein diets then it’s merely a trade off as lots of fat is being burned by the ketones at work throughout the body. 

As such, it’s important to stay alert with regards to the actual ketone levels being produced and the HealthyWiser™ Ketone Reagent Strips for Urinalysis are considered one of the best tools for the job. It provided results with 99% accuracy within seconds plus it’s an FDA approved product so one can rest assured that their health is in good hands.