Why Your Ketone Readings Don’t Match

About this episode

Dr. Bikman explains the different methods of measuring ketones and why results may vary.

📢 Ask Dr. Bikman’s Digital Mind (multilingual): https://benbikman.com/ben-bikmans-digital-ai-mind 📢 Dr. Bikman’s Community & Coaching Site: https://insuliniq.com Note: Our friends at SiBio CKM are offering a 5% discount using the code BEN5 at checkout. However, their CKM is not yet available in the United States and Canada. It is currently available in selected countries including the UK, Australia, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Germany. You can view the full list of supported countries on their website. Also, you can submit your email on their website and they will notify you when it becomes available in your region: https://www.sibiosensor.com/BEN5 Summary: Ben explains the four major ways to measure ketones: urine strips, breath analyzers, finger-prick blood meters, and the newer continuous ketone monitor. He begins by reviewing the three ketone bodies produced during fat-based metabolism: acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), and acetone. Each testing method measures a different ketone molecule, which explains why results often do not match across devices. Urine strips measure acetoacetate, making them inexpensive and useful early in a ketogenic diet, but they…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Ben Bikman

Topics covered

• ketones
• measurement methods
• ketogenic diet
• blood meters
• breath analyzers

Keywords

• ketone readings
• urine strips
• breath analyzers
• blood meters
• continuous ketone monitor

Sponsors

SiBio CKM

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Insulin IQ, Sibio Sensor

Places: UK, Australia, Ireland, Netherlands, Germany

More episodes of The Metabolic Classroom with Dr. Ben Bikman

• Why Amylin May Be the Most Important Weight Loss Hormone You've Never Heard Of · June 8, 2026 · 21 min
• Why Retatrutide May Outperform GLP-1 Drugs · May 25, 2026 · 27 min
• Why Tirzepatide Works Better Than GLP-1 Alone · May 18, 2026 · 33 min
• The Hidden Signals That Make Fat Cells Grow · May 11, 2026 · 30 min
• Why Neuropathy Isn’t Just About Blood Sugar · May 4, 2026 · 23 min
• How Your Brain Talks to Your Pancreas (The Vagus Nerve Explained) · April 27, 2026 · 28 min