Keton bodies as dieting success indicator

Question
What changes might be noted in the dieter's urine?


Answer
Hello Chris,

Depending on a diet, there can be many changes noticed in the urine but the most significant sign of dieting success, if you are on a diet to lose weight, is apppearing of ketones, which change the color of special indicator paper strips (e.g., ketostix) and showing that your body burns excess fat. Dehydration, which is usual in the beginning of any reducing diet (but especially a low carb one) can cause dark yellow color. On any diet, you should drink enough fluid to make your urine colorless.

Generally speaking, if urine chemistry changes too much, there can be something wrong with your diet -- or your health, for example, sugar in the urine -- or you consume too much of a harmless substance so your body just cant metabilize it as happens to many vitamins and other substances. For example, you could notice that after eating red beets, your urine turns pink, or afer taking vitamin B2 (riboflavin) supplement, it can turn yellos while greenish color can occur after eating asparagus.

Smoky brown urine can be caused by the recent consumption of blackberries but can be a sign of blood in the urine that  require medical attention.

Hope it helps,

= Tanya Zilberter, PhD
dietandbody.com  

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