Benign ketosis is a state induced by low-carbohydrate diets, where the body burns fat as its primary source of fuel instead of using carbohydrates, which are usually initially stored in the muscles as a substance known as glycogen. It is called benign ketosis because it is a safe and healthy condition, rather than the ketosis experienced by diabetics, which is not benign.
As the body burns fat, it produces a product called ketones. Ketones are released from the body through urine and the lungs. Ketones are why one of the most documented side effects of the Atkins diet is that it can make people’s breath smell a bit odd: Ketones have a sweet, almost pear-drop-like odor that occasionally note on breath (it’s not a foul smell like general “bad breath,” but it can be strong; sugarless gum or a strong peppermint mouthwash will usually mask this).
Some degree of benign ketosis has to occur for low-carb to work, as it shows that the body is running out of fat. It will typically be induced within the first three days of following a low-carb diet, as by this point the body will have depleted any remaining glycogen stores and will switch to burning fat instead.
Testing for the presence of ketones is the best way to see if the Atkins diet (or other low-carb diet) has had an effect and to what extent you are experiencing ketosis.
Ketosis test sticks, often called Ketostix, are available at most drug stores. They are typically used by diabetics to check for the type of non-benign ketosis that may accompany their condition. If you are following a low carb diet, it can be a good help to buy a pack of test sticks to help you see when you go into ketosis and how strong the ketosis is. The sticks are cheap to buy and usually come in packs of 120. You can buy Ketostix without a prescription.
To test for ketones, simply urinate into one of the test sticks (much like taking a pregnancy test). If ketosis does not occur, nothing will happen, but if it does, the bar will change to a range of colors from pale pink, showing the presence of trace ketones, to a very dark purple, showing ketosis deep. There is a chart on the Ketostix package to show you the different colors and the number of ketones this represents (although keep in mind that the package is designed for diabetics, so it will tell you that the darker the strip gets, the more dangerous it is). is: since your ketosis is the benign kind, actually the darker it is, the better your diet works).
You may want to experiment by testing at different times, you will see that after exercise the sticks tend to get much darker as the fat has been burned, producing ketones, while exercising.
