Personal
Professional
Research
Personal Professional Research Sign Up Login Pro Login
Research Ketones, Urine
Urinalysis

Ketones, Urine

Optimal Result: 0 - 0.001 Units.

What are ketones?

Ketones are produced when the body burns fat for energy. Normally, your body gets the energy it needs from carbohydrates in your diet. But stored fat is broken down and ketones are made if your diet does not contain enough carbohydrate to supply the body with sugar (glucose) for energy or if your body can't use blood sugar (glucose) properly.

Having some ketones in your urine is normal. However, high ketone levels in urine may be a sign of too much acid in your body (ketoacidosis). The most common and life-threatening type of ketoacidosis is a complication of diabetes called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). If left untreated DKA can cause damage to organs and even death. This is why it is important to know the signs of ketonuria and when to check your ketone levels with a urine or blood test.

Where are ketones formed?

Ketones are usually formed in the liver and are broken down so that normally very small amounts of ketones appear in the urine. 

When are ketones produced?

Ketones are produced when the body burns fat for fuel. Normally these ketones will be completely broken down (metabolised) so that there are very few ketones in the urine. If for any reason the body cannot get enough glucose for energy it will switch to using body fats, causing an increase in ketones in the body. This results in more ketones in urine.

When does fat become the main source of energy for your body?

When carbohydrates are unavailable (for example, in starvation) or when they cannot be used as an energy source (for example, in diabetes), fat becomes the main source of energy and large amounts of ketones are made. Therefore, higher levels of urine ketones indicate that the body is using fat as the major source of energy.

Is there a link between ketones and diabetes?

Severe insulin deficiency causes an increase in blood sugar (glucose) levels (hyperglycaemia) and a very high level of ketones in the blood and urine (ketoacidosis).

References:

American Diabetes Association; c1995-2022. Diabetes & DKA (Ketoacidosis); https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/dka-ketoacidosis-ketones

Hinkle J, Cheever K. Brunner & Suddarth's Handbook of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests. 2nd Ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; c2014. Ketones: Urine; p. 351.

Ghimire P, Dhamoon A. Ketoacidosis. StatPearls Publishing https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534848/

Joslin Diabetes Center [Internet]. Boston: Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School; c2022. Ketone Testing; https://www.joslin.org/patient-care/diabetes-education/diabetes-learning-center/ketone-testing-0

Masood W, Annamaraju P, Uppaluri KR. Ketogenic Diet. StatPearls Publishing https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499830/

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases  https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/managing-diabetes

Paoli A. Ketogenic Diet for Obesity: Friend or Foe? Int J Environ Res Public Health  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945587

Saint Francis Health System [Internet]. Tulsa (OK): Saint Francis Health System; c2010. Patient Information: Collecting a Clean Catch Urine Sample; https://www.saintfrancis.com/assets/documents/lab/collecting-a-clean-catch-urine.pdf

Testing.com https://www.testing.com/tests/urinalysis/#ketones

The Johns Hopkins Lupus Center https://www.hopkinslupus.org/lupus-tests/screening-laboratory-tests/urinalysis/

UF Health: University of Florida Health - Ketones urine test: Overview; https://ufhealth.org/ketones-urine-test

University of Rochester Medical Center https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=167&contentid=ketone_bodies_urine

Luethi N, Cioccari L, Crisman M, Bellomo R, Eastwood GM, Mårtensson J. Prevalence of ketosis, ketonuria, and ketoacidosis during liberal glycemic control in critically ill patients with diabetes: an observational study. Crit Care. 2016;20:297. doi:10.1186/s13054-016-1462-7

What does it mean if your Ketones, Urine result is too high?

When you have high ketone levels in your urine we call this Ketonuria. This condition is also called ketoaciduria and acetonuria.

Ketones or ketone bodies are types of acids. Your body makes ketones when fats and proteins are burned for energy. This is a normal process. However, it can go into overdrive due to some health conditions and other reasons.

Ketonuria is most common in individuals who have diabetes, particularly type 1 diabetes mellitus. It can also occur in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

If ketone levels rise too high for too long, your blood becomes acidic. This can harm your health.

So, if you have ketones in your urine, it is an indication of an insulin problem.

The causes of high levels of ketones and therefore urine ketones include:

  • Poorly controlled diabetes.
  • Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
  • Starvation: not eating for prolonged periods (for example, 12 to 18 hours).
  • Anorexia nervosa.
  • Bulimia nervosa.
  • Alcohol dependency.
  • Ketogenic diet (high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet). This can cause an increase in body ketones but much less than DKA and not usually harmful to the body. Ketogenic diets have been used as a treatment for epilepsy.

Symptoms of a high ketone levels:

High levels of ketones in your body can cause tummy (abdominal) pain, feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and diarrhea. The ketones that most often appear in the urine when fats are burned for energy are called acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyric acid.

What is diabetic ketoacidosis?

If you have uncontrolled diabetes, ketone levels can skyrocket. High levels can cause acids to rapidly accumulate in the blood, leading to ketoacidosis. This is damaging to your vital organs and can even lead to death if not treated appropriately.

In people with diabetes, the condition is known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). In those without, it is referred to as non-diabetic ketoacidosis (non-DKA).

DKA is a serious problem that can occur in people with diabetes if their body starts to run out of insulin. This causes ketones to build up in the body, which can be life-threatening if not spotted and treated quickly. DKA mainly affects people with type 1 diabetes but can sometimes occur in people with type 2 diabetes.

If you have diabetes, it's important to be aware of the risk and know what to do if DKA occurs. 

Symptoms of DKA include:

  • Needing to pass more urine than usual.
  • Feeling very thirsty.
  • Feeling sick (nausea) and being sick (vomiting).
  • Tummy (abdominal) pain.
  • Your breath smells fruity (like pear drop sweets).
  • Your breathing becomes fast and deep.
  • Feeling very tired and confused and as though you may collapse.

Complications of ketoacidosis include:

Acute kidney failure: 

This is a serious but generally reversible condition in which the kidneys stop filtering blood.

Pulmonary edema: 

This is where fluid builds up in the lungs, causing severe breathing problems.

Cerebral edema: 

This is a medical emergency where the brain swells and doesn't get enough oxygen, leading to seizures, loss of consciousness, and other symptoms.

Cardiac arrest: 

This is a life-threatening situation in which the heart stops beating.

Potential treatment options for elevated ketones in urine:

Treatment for ketones in urine primarily involves addressing the underlying cause and managing the associated conditions. Here's a general approach:

  1. Consult a Healthcare Professional: It's essential to seek advice from a doctor or a qualified healthcare provider, especially if the presence of ketones is accompanied by other symptoms like high blood sugar levels, frequent urination, or extreme thirst.

  2. Manage Blood Sugar Levels: For individuals with diabetes, controlling blood sugar levels is crucial. This involves regular monitoring, taking prescribed medications (including insulin, if required), following a diabetes-friendly diet, and maintaining regular physical activity.

  3. Hydration: Drinking plenty of water can help flush ketones out of the body. However, it's important to follow your doctor's recommendations, especially if you have a condition that requires fluid intake restrictions.

  4. Dietary Adjustments: A balanced diet is important. If you're on a low-carbohydrate diet, which can increase ketone production, your doctor might advise adjusting your diet to include more carbohydrates. However, dietary changes should be made under medical supervision.

  5. Monitor for Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA): If you have diabetes, especially type 1, be vigilant for signs of diabetic ketoacidosis, a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. Symptoms include high blood sugar levels, dry mouth, frequent urination, nausea, vomiting, and a distinct fruity breath odor.

  6. Avoid Strenuous Exercise: If ketones are present and blood sugar levels are high, strenuous exercise might need to be avoided as it can sometimes increase blood sugar levels further.

  7. Address Underlying Conditions: If the presence of ketones is related to conditions other than diabetes (like fasting, high-protein diets, or pregnancy), these conditions need to be managed accordingly.

  8. Regular Monitoring: Regularly checking both ketone and blood sugar levels can help in managing the situation effectively.

  9. Medication Adjustment: Sometimes, adjustments in medication might be necessary, but this should only be done under medical supervision.

Remember, these are general guidelines and should not replace professional medical advice. The treatment and management of ketones in urine can vary depending on the individual's overall health, the severity of the condition, and the underlying cause. It's important to work closely with healthcare professionals to develop a tailored treatment plan.

Frequently asked questions

Healthmatters is a highly-personalized health dashboard.

Instead of searching for your lab results in different places or tracking them down from different providers, Healthmatters houses, organizes, and interprets them all in one central location.

With a Healthmatters account, you can dive into the details of each biomarker and gain insights into the meaning behind your medical test data, anytime, anywhere.

For our professional users, Healthmatters provides intuitive tools that not only streamline analysis but also save valuable time when delving into your client's lab report history.

Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:

  • The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
  • GI-MAP,
  • The NutrEval FMV®,
  • The ION Profile,
  • Amino Acids Profile,
  • Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
  • Organic Acids Test,
  • Organix Comprehensive Profile,
  • Toxic Metals,
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC),
  • Metabolic panel,
  • Thyroid panel,
  • Lipid Panel,
  • Urinalysis,
  • And many, many more.

You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.

If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.

While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.

It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.

If you’re on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.

There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."

Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.

For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.

We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.

Our special data entry service makes it easy to add your results to your private dashboard. Just attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and our skilled data entry team will do the work for you. It's all done by humans, ensuring that your data is entered accurately and with personal care for each client.

Depending on your account, the data entry service can be included for free or come at an additional cost of $15 per report.

For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.

Unlimited account holders enjoy the entry of ten reports without charge. Subsequent reports are subject to a $15 fee per report.

Additionally, users on the Complete plan can upgrade to a yearly subscription from the account settings. The annual subscription includes a data entry service for five reports.

The Unlimited plan is a one-time purchase for $250, and it covers your account for a lifetime with no additional payments.

For the Complete plan, the cost is $15 per month. You have the flexibility to cancel it anytime through your account settings, ensuring no further payments. To avoid charges, remember to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. Once canceled, the subscription remains active until the end of the current billing cycle.

Additionally, you can upgrade to the yearly Advanced plan from within your account. The annual cost is $79, and it comes with a data entry service for five reports.

You can always upgrade to a lifetime version with a prorated price from a monthly or yearly subscription.

Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.

Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.

We’ve crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.

1. Graph View:

Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.

2. All Tests View

Explore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.

3. Table View:

For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.

Yes, you can download information from your account. We can compile your labs into a CSV file. To download all your labs, you can go to Account Settings, and at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to download your information.

Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.

Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.

Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.

A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.

The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.

To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.

Yes, you can! Simply go to the "Invite Doctor" section, enter your doctor’s email address, and send the invitation. Your doctor will receive an email with secure access to view your results. You can revoke this access at any time. All shared information is securely encrypted and protected for your privacy.
Yes, you can! Go to the Graph view or Spreadsheet view. In the top-right corner, click "Export to Excel," and the file will be downloaded to your device.

Use promo code to save 10% off any plan.


We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.

At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.

Navigate to Urinalysis

Popular search

24 Hour Urine Iodine, Albumin, 24 Hour Urine, Albumin, Urine, Alpha-1-Globulin, Urine, Alpha-2-Globulin, Urine, Aluminum, Urine, Aluminum, Urine 24 Hr, Aluminum/Crt Ratio, Amorphous Sediment, Appearance, Arsenic (Inorganic), Urine, Arsenic (Total), Urine, Arsenic, Urine 24 Hr, Bacteria, Beta Globulin, Urine, Bilirubin, Urine, Cadmium, Urine, Calcium Oxalate Crystals, Calcium, Urine, Calcium, Urine 24hr, Chloride, Urine, Color, Coproporphyrin I, Coproporphyrin III, Creatinine (CRT), Urine, Creatinine Timed Urine, Creatinine Urine Excretion, Creatinine, Ur 24hr, Creatinine-corrected Urine Iodine, Escherichia coli, Gamma Globulin, Urine, Glucose Qualitative, Urine, Heptacarboxyporphyrin, Hexacarboxyporphyrin, Hyaline Cast, Iodine, 24 Hr Urine, IODINE, RANDOM URINE, Iodine, Urine, Ketones, Urine, Klebsiella pneumoniae ssp pneumoniae, Lead, 24 hour urine, Lead, Urine, Leukocyte Esterase, Urine, M-Spike (Urine), Magnesium (24 Hour Urine), Manganese, 24 Hr, Urine, Mercury, Urine, Mercury, Urine 24 Hr, Mercury/Creatinine Ratio, Urine, Methyl Histamine/Crea.ratio, Mucus, Nitrite, Urine, OSMOLALITY (U), Pentacarboxyporphyrin, Phosphorus, Polymorphs, Porphyrins, Potassium, Urine, Protein, 24hr calculated (Urine), Protein/Creat Ratio, Pus Cells, Red Blood Cells (RBC), Urine, Sodium, Urine, Squamous Epithelial Cells, Total Porphyrins, Total Protein, Urine, Tripelphosphates, urine qualitative, Urine Occult Blood, Urine pH, Urine Specific Gravity, Urobilinogen Bilirubin, Urine, Uroporphyrin I, Uroporphyrin III, White Blood Cells (WBC), Urine, Yeast