Ketones and ketoacids are alternative fuels for the body that are made when glucose is in short supply. They are made in the liver from the breakdown of fats. This occurs overnight, and during dieting or fasting. During these periods, insulin levels are low, but glucagon and epinephrine levels are relatively normal.
This combination of low insulin, and relatively normal glucagon and epinephrine levels causes fat to be released from the fat cells. The fats travel through the blood circulation to reach the liver where they are processed into ketone units.
However, in an individual with diabetes, dangerous and life-threatening levels of ketones can develop. This requires NADH.
The oxidate state of the liver is such that the forward reaction is generally favoured; this results in more hydroxybutyrate being formed than acetoacetate. Get help. GPnotebook no longer supports Internet Explorer. To ensure the site functions as intended, please upgrade your browser. For levels greater than 1. Symptoms associated with high ketone levels typically include:. Untreated symptoms could progress to additional and more serious symptoms including:. Diabetic ketoacidosis DKA is a serious complication of diabetes and can be a result of unaddressed ketone levels.
This will cause blood to become acidic. This is a serious and life-threatening issue that can lead to brain swelling, diabetic coma or death. If your levels are too high based on ketone testing, it is important to seek emergency medical treatment. You will likely have the symptoms listed above and it is possible it could lead to DKA.
A medical professional will treat this condition within a hospital. Some common ways to treat are:. Diabetes management is the best way to prevent high levels, which can be done by:. While people without diabetes can have ketones in the urine, DKA is only an issue for those with diabetes. Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug. What are ketones, and why are they dangerous? By SingleCare Team Apr.
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