What is the Glucose Ketone Index (GKI) index?

Well, it was created by Thomas Seyfried from Boston College. He developed the GKI as a measure to predict how more accurately a therapeutic ketogenic diet will work for the treatment of brain tumors. It is simply a ratio between blood glucose and blood ketones measured in mmol/L.

Since I obtained the possibility to measure my blood ketones, I have at times measured them at the end of my fast together with my blood glucose. I use the GKI to see just how deep into a ketogenic state that I am and how fat adapted I am.

Glucose-Ketone Index (GKI) ranges

Here are some guidelines around what your numbers indicate when calculating your GKI ratio.

GKI greater than 9 – No ketosis

You have low levels of blood ketones or no ketones at all.

GKI between 6 and 9 – Mild ketosis

Mild ketosis, the range between 6 and 9 is considered ideal for weight loss and health maintenance.

GKI between 3 and 6 – Moderate ketosis

Moderate ketosis, the range between 3 and 6 is optimal for improving insulin sensitivity. It is great for those with Type 2 diabetes and obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic or endocrine disorders.

GKI between 1 and 3 – Deep ketosis

A Glucose-Ketone Index between 1 and 3 is a state of deep ketosis hence you are in a high therapeutic level of ketosis. This is the optimal range for treatment of diseases such as cancer, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury and chronic inflammatory disease.

GKI lower than 1 – Very deep ketosis

If you have a ratio lower than 1 you are in the highest therapeutic level of ketosis. It is usually very difficult to achieve this ratio without doctor’s supervision.

My GKI ratio this follicle phase

This follicle phase it took me three occasions of fasting until I reached 5.5 in GKI which is a mild ketosis. Since I fast every other day, it means that I was at day six of my cycle. And during these days I had roughly 35g of carbs per day which is quite low. I also did some type of activity every day like resistance training or walk-jogs and one HIIT session.

And today I am on day 12 in my cycle and done my 6^th fast and my ratio is 2,6! So today I was in deep ketosis running well on fats. I have also kept around 30g of carbs per day throughout these days and stuck to my training regimen.

So my conclusion is that my lifestyle assists me in a very good way to work on my metabolic flexibility which makes me very happy! Metabolic flexibility is a huge part of an optimal långsiktig hälsa. To read more about the benefits of measuring health markers you can go hit.. To read about the benefits of a glucose monitor you can go hit..