What Color is Your Pee When in Ketosis?
Ketosis urine color varies on the keto diet stages
When you follow the ketogenic diet, your body will eventually reach a stage known as ketosis. This is when your liver begins to produce more ketone bodies than it normally does, which means that you are burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates (think low-carbohydrate meals). Once your body enters this stage, it will start releasing a compound called acetoacetate into your urine. This acetoacetate will change your urine color from clear to light yellow, with oily substance in it.
Your blood ketone levels should match up with your urine ketone level. Your blood ketone levels typically fall between 0.5 and 3 millimoles per liter when you are in nutritional ketosis. However, how hydrated you are can make a big difference in the ketone concentration in your urine.
The most accurate way to check whether you are in ketosis is by using a ketones urine test. This test is available in a kit that contains dipsticks coated with chemicals that react with ketone bodies in your urine.
A keto stick will usually turn purple when there are ketones present. If you are still not sure what your ketone levels are, ask your doctor to recommend a blood ketone monitor or breath analyzer to get an accurate reading.
If you are in ketosis, your urine will typically be a dark yellow. This is a sign that you are well hydrated and that you are burning fat.
You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day when you are in ketosis. This is a simple, but effective method to help you stay hydrated.
In addition, when you are in ketosis, your metabolism is boosting, which can cause you to lose weight more quickly than usual. This is why many people lose five pounds or more in their first week on a keto diet.
Once you are in ketosis, your body is also naturally looking for energy sources from fat and not carbohydrates, so it will stop craving sugar and other high carb foods that can cause weight gain. This is a great change for anyone who has been overweight or suffers from obesity, diabetes, or other health issues that require a more calorie-controlled lifestyle.
During this phase, your energy levels and mental clarity are also improved. You won’t have as much of a hunger pang and you will be able to go for long periods of time without eating if you want to.
You may even find that your moods improve. This is because you are burning fat for energy, which means that your brain and other organs need more fuel to function.
Your urine will also turn yellowish as you begin to become adapted to being in ketosis. This is because your liver is producing acetoacetate, which will change the color of your urine to a light yellow with oily substance in it.
As you progress through the various keto diet stages, your urine will eventually turn clear or glassy white. This is a sign that you are drinking more than the recommended amount of water.