I checked my ketones with the ketostick and I am in the large range? (the second one from the end) Is that too high? And if so why am I in that range and what can I do about it? Thanks in advance for the help!

There's a few things to note:
Are you diabetic?
Are you taking the supplements that come with the IP diet?
When are you testing (close to meals)?
Extra ketones in your urine are the ketones you are not utilizing in your body, so they are excreted out.
You may show darker purple if you are dehydrated.
Or if you test close to meals it may show a darker purple. And this is just from your body digesting/metabolizing the meal you just ate.
Higher levels of ketones shouldn't be an issue if you help alkalize yourself (the ketones can make your blood acidic so those supplements help off set this). Furthermore, it's not a great concern if you are not diabetic. People with diabetes must be more careful with their ketone levels and should be monitoring their ketones closely while on this (modified) diet.

How recently did you start the IP diet? As you initially go into ketosis your levels will be high, NOT a problem if you are not diabetic. As you stay hydrated, take the supplements and, stay on the program those ketones levels will frequently drop. Sometimes people who are in ketosis show no significant ketone level at all if they are well hydrated and have been on the plan a long time.


Honestly, ketostix are only a little helpful. They show what has happened in your body during the past 24 hours and not accurately what is happening right now.

This is because ketones are an unusable part of an energy packet our body makes - ketase. The ketase is made from an amino acid/enzyme process that uses fat to create energy/fuel for our body. Our body can use most every part of the ketase packet except the ketone. For every ketase packet your body made it will eliminate one ketone packet. Initially, as your body shifts into ketosis, it will produce a large amount of ketase therefore, it will also cast off many unused ketone parts which will cause an initially high ketostix reading. As it adjusts to ketosis it will shift to a process that uses a bit of gluconeogenesis where it will begin to make some of its own "sugars" (from protein, aminos, and other natural body elements) so, it can make a few fewer ketase packets. This means you will show a lower level on the ketostix as you adjust.

The blood tests will show how many ketones are floating in the blood with in 1 hour of their use. The urine tests are slower because of how much farther the body has to process and pass that ketone before it is measured. Ketones are not just eliminated in the urine. They are eliminated in sweat, carried in bleed, passed off during respiration, and passed in urine elimination. That means that the accuracy of the ketone measure in ketostix is effected by how many ketones were lost in the other measurements too. SO, when you shift to a low level don't worry if you are still in ketosis.

To clarify things more, the only reason I am concerned it because I only have one kidney and just got back from my doctors appt and my kidney function has gotten worse in the 7 weeks I have been on the program. The doctor says that the kidney is being overworked taxed by all the protein. He thinks I need more carbs to counteract this. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Everything else checked out great except my good cholesterol is going down, something that he wants to watch. I drink all of my water and take all of the supplements. I am not diabetic. Thank you all for your expertise.

I am not sure who your coach is, if they have a medical background (not all people who are coaching for IP were required to be medical professionals or working with them when this first started), or if they are consulting your doctor.

I know that Ideal Proteins approach is "you are not supposed to be using this program if you have kidney issues."

I would talk to both your coach and your doctor. Did you share with your coach you only have one kidney?? Is that one kidney functioning perfectly normally? Your coach really needs to be working with the regional director and the people above them (maybe Mike Ciel and Dr Tran) to determine how this plan is going to effect a person with one kidney and any modifications or alternative plans that would be appropriate.

It is normal on this plan for the good cholesterol to decline. It will come back to normal after the return to a more balanced diet.

Here is a response from a Dr. Michael Eades regarding the kidneys and ketogenic diets.

"Hi Doug–

It’s not ketosis that is supposedly “very hard on the kidneys,” but a ketogenic diet. The part of the ketogenic diet that is supposedly damaging to the kidneys is the higher protein content of that diet. Much research has shown that dietary protein DOES NOT have an adverse effect on normally functioning kidneys, even if it just one normally functioning kidney. The idea that protein damages kidneys is what I call a vampire myth, one that keeps coming back to life no matter how many times it has been killed by the light of good research.

If you want to read a good summary paper on this issue, http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/2/1/25


Hope this helps.

MRE "

Yes, I have talked to my coach and she knew from the beginning that I only had one functioning kidney. She checked with a regional person they said it would be safe to start with a full functioning kidney which I have.

My doctor did a kidney function test the week I started the protocol and another one this week and in the 7 weeks I have been on protocol it has gotten worse.

My question is that if the protein is not hard on one functioning kidney what is causing the function to get worse? I know it has to do with the protocol because I have had only one kidney for 17 years and never had a higher reading than this. It has not even fluctuated in the least in the past.

Any thoughts?

I can only give you a lay persons uneducated guess. If the kidney was fully and normal functioning before you began it could be being pushed to work harder by the added protein in your diet and the processing of the added waste or toxins as you burn fat.

Protein is a larger molecule than many other molecules processed by the kidneys. It is often not recommended to be taken in large quantities by those with diabetes who have renal issues or by those with any kind of renal insufficiency or disease. The reason is there is more work done by the kidneys to eliminate the protein.

Your one kidney is now doing the work of two. If you are not staying well hydrated it will be that much more obvious how hard the kidney is working. (not saying you are or are not hydrated. just saying if you don't stay hydrated it will exacerbate matters.)

The only thing adding carbs will do is off set the calories from protein and reduce the amount of protein being processes by the kidneys. It will also slow down how many ketase package are created to supply energy because it will first use the sugar created from the carbs. It could make you lose more slowly and depending on how many carbs you are adding could take you out of ketosis.

Definitely follow your doctors advise regarding your health. Unless your coach is a qualified medical professional they are not qualified to tell you how to manage your health. I can give you my opinions but, I would certainly not try to prescribe for you or tell you how to manage your health/diet.

It is most important that you keep your kidneys functioning well. Ironically, if the kidney isn't doing its job well, then the liver steps into help and you will slow down in weight loss anyway. Why? Because the liver is set up first to back up the kidneys in toxin elimination and, its second role is to process and eliminate fat.

honestly, I don't think that this is a good thing for you... is your creatinine climbing? how are your electrolytes? Are you inadvertently breaking down muscle in the process of weight loss? Please go talk more about this with your primary doctor or nephrologist, as it may not be the right diet for you, especially if your one kidney was healthy prior to this diet :/

I decided to get Ketostix. Just to make sure I am still in ketosis. I have not cheated on this diet but for some reason last week I worried that I wasn't in ketosis -- though there was no reason why I shouldn't have been. Even if they aren't totally accurate as least you have a general idea. But I worried so much about it last week it was "getting in the way" of my weight loss and being totally at ease with the protocol.

Hi, I just started the IP diet and am currently on day 4 today. I feel great and never had any crappy feelings during the first few days that I've heard about. My question is I thought that in phase 1 we want to be in Ketosis? I also have the sticks and I used one this morning and I had trace amount, I was hoping it would have been in the moderate section. Once in Ketosis your body starts to attack the fat and is that not what we want?

My 2nd question is it says we can have soya sauce, but no sugar. The soya I have is naturally brewed but contains 1 g of sugar per Tbls. I use it liberally when I sautee my veggies. I don't want to use it if Im going to not lose weight.....confused! Can someone help me?

Hi Jenn! Welcome to the group!

Yes, we do want to be in ketosis. If you are well hydrated you may only show trace to moderate ranges of ketones. YOU ARE STILL IN KETOSIS! You burn more efficiently in that range from what many people have shared on here. As you are only on day three, I would suspect your are showing fewer ketones today because 1) you are hydrated and 2) the sticks show what happened as much as 24 hours ago SO.. you are newly in ketosis. Keep following the plan and you may see that moderate range color.

2) It is best to find a soy sauce that is without wheat and has no carbs. You can use a little of the other, even vegetables have naturaling occuring sugars when cooked, but, keep an eye on how much because those "extras" carbs could tip you out of ketosis at some point.

Thanks for the welcome Carla And thanks for the reply. My first weigh in is this Saturday Im hoping to see a nice # . I'll keep everyone posted

How much different is your creatinine? Is your doctor a nephrologist? Really, although serum creatinine gives us a good idea how your kidney is functioning, it will fluctuate slightly from day to day, just like electrolytes, etc. My understanding was always that if your have normal kidney function, protein should not bother it. The very best test of kidney function involve 24 hours urine collections for creatinine clearance. But, I am just a lowly nurse practitioner....I would rather you see a nephrologist who is familiar with ketogenic diets. I do know one diabetic lady with ABNORMAL renal function did not do well on this diet.....of course her family doc told her it was OK, so he didn't understand the diet at all!