Glucose Ketone Index (GKI): What It Is and How to Calculate It

Bometrics like blood glucose (or blood sugar) and blood ketones can provide immediate and ongoing feedback for people following a keto diet. The glucose ketone index (GKI) is a simple calculation that can make it easier to understand these numbers.

Individually, blood glucose levels and blood ketone levels can give you a fair picture of your metabolic health. Still, there are some disadvantages to relying on one level specifically and its single value. That’s why GKI calculations are considered a more accurate reflection of your body’s true metabolic state. 

Let’s take a more in-depth look together at the glucose ketone index, how to measure it, why it matters, and factors that can effect your GKI numbers and values. 

What Is the Glucose-Ketone Index?

The glucose ketone index (GKI) offers a clear overview of how your glucose and ketone levels interact, helping you determine how deep you are into ketosis. 

Ketosis is a natural metabolic state in which the body shifts from using glucose for energy to utilizing ketone bodies. (1) This energy primarily comes from stored fat, serving as an alternative fuel source instead of carbs.

Now, there are varying degrees of ketosis, with fasting and carb intake acting as two key factors that affect your level of ketosis.

Your GKI is the number that helps determine your degree of ketosis, which is reflected as a ratio of your glucose and ketone levels. (2)

Why It Matters

Many people who follow a low-carbohydrate diet are interested in knowing their level of ketosis, as this will help indicate the benefits of ketosis they may experience. Some benefits of knowing your GKI include:

• Weight loss: Knowing your GKI can help you determine if your body is becoming more efficient at burning excess fat.
• Fasting: Your GKI can also help monitor fasts. For example, you can use it to determine when you enter ketosis and set a target for breaking a fast.
• Insulin resistance: Ketogenic diets may help improve insulin resistance. Checking your own GKI can be helpful in monitoring metabolic health if you have type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS),  or other health conditions associated with insulin resistance (3, 4).
• Improved focus and mental clarity: By providing a stable and efficient energy source for your brain, ketones can enhance cognitive performance and support long-term concentration. (5 What’s more, new research shows that combining nootropics with a ketogenic diet can help maximize mental function and concentration. 6)
• Neurological disease: Ketogenic diets have been used for decades, with great success, for neurological disorders like epilepsy. In these cases, a therapeutic level of ketosis is often required. (7) By going keto, you may also help reduce your risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease. (8, 9)
• Cancer: Therapeutic ketosis may be helpful for certain types of cancer. Often, a healthcare team will strictly monitor these cases. An early study even shows that ketosis may help to inhibit tumor cell and cancer cell growth. (10)
• Athletic performance: Many athletes experiment with nutritional ketosis or supplemental ketones for optimal performance and increased endurance. (11) Knowing your GKI may be an incredibly helpful tool when it comes to combining athletics with ketosis.
• Longevity and overall wellness: A low level of nutritional ketosis may be optimal for longevity and overall health. (12) So, even if you don’t have more defined health goals, you may want to check your GKI occasionally.

Try our Perfect Keto Nootropic, a doctor-developed blend of brain-boosting ingredients that increases focus, attention, and mental clarity so you can do more for longer.

How GKI Is Calculated

To calculate your glucose ketone index level, you will need to first make sure you have the following supplies:

• A testing device capable of testing both glucose and ketones
• Alcohol wipes
• Lancets
• Glucose and ketone testing strips

After you have gathered the necessary equipment, it’s time to begin the actual GKI calculation process. 

Ideally, you’ll want to calculate GKI 2-3 hours after eating, as this is considered the best time to check your glucose-ketone index. It’s important to note that testing too soon or too long after eating to test may affect your results.

How to test:

1. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your testing device to check your glucose and ketone levels. Make a note of your glucose reading and ketone reading by writing them down in a journal or on a note on your phone.
2. Calculate your GKI using one of the following formulas, or plug your data into a GKI calculator:
   • Standard GKI formula: (Glucose in mg/dL ÷ 18) ÷ Ketones in mmol/L = GKI
   • If your glucose reading is already in mmol/L: Glucose in mmol/L ÷ Ketones in mmol/L = GKI
3. Finally, interpret your results using a GKI values chart. We have one listed below that you can use.

Factors that Impact GKI

Various factors can influence your glucose and ketone levels, which in turn can impact your GKI. These factors include): (13, 14, 15

• Amount of food you eat in a single sitting
• Dehydration
• Diet
• Fasting status
• Health status/medical conditions
• Hormonal changes
• How recently you’ve eaten
• How recently you’ve exercised
• Macro composition
• Recovering from an illness
• Sleep quality
• Stress levels
• Total calorie intake
• Use of certain medications
• Use of exogenous (supplemental) ketones

Since all of these can affect GKI, it’s best to check and monitor your GKI under similar conditions and circumstances every time. 

Interpreting Your Results

This table can help you interpret your GKI results: (16)

FAQ

How often should I test my GKI?

According to a 2015 study, if you’re using GKI for the management of a severe condition such as brain cancer, you should ideally measure GKI twice a day, 2-3 hours after you’ve eaten a meal.

However, if you’re not managing a serious health condition, you might want to scale back on testing – especially as those glucose and ketone testing strips can add up in cost. If this is the case, try to check your GKI once a week, but make sure to test it on the same day of the week, at the same time, and after the same meal (e.g. Tuesdays at 8:00pm after dinner every week). Make sure you consistently track your progress so you can get a good idea of your overall progress as the weeks go on.

Should ketogenic metabolic therapy become the standard of care for glioblastoma?

Glioblastoma is a brain cancer that hasn’t seen major treatment breakthroughs in over 100 years. The usual approach involves surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, but these can make it easier for tumors to grow by increasing fuels like glucose. (17)

That being said, recent research has come to light that ketogenic metabolic treatment (KMT) may be a practical treatment option. By participating in KMT, glucose is reduced, and ketone levels are boosted.

This change in levels is considered safer for the brain and could help stop tumor growth without harming brain function. However, more research is needed to confirm this treatment as a viable option for this specific type of brain cancer.

What is the ideal GKI for weight loss?

The ideal GKI for weight loss is anywhere between 3.0 and 9.0. If you are looking to lose a large amount of weight or have obesity along with other chronic health conditions, you may benefit from a lower GKI level — which indicates a deeper state of ketosis.

However, if you are only trying to lose a small amount of weight and have no other underlying health conditions, a GKI from 6.0 to 9.0 is a good range.

Is the keto diet dangerous?

The keto diet can be safe and healthy, as long as you make sure to follow a ketogenic diet that is rich in whole foods. If you keep your meals balanced, follow a keto-friendly meal plan, control your carb intake, and maintain an overall healthy lifestyle, you’ll be able to maintain ketosis in a beneficial way and improve your health in a number of ways.

Live Healthier on Keto — We Can Help

The glucose ketone index (GKI) is a powerful tool for helping you on your journey to better health. Whether you’re aiming for a gentle shift or a more therapeutic state of ketosis, understanding your GKI can help you tailor your approach to meet your individual goals.

Wherever you are on your journey to better health, a ketogenic lifestyle could be the right choice for you. We here at Perfect Keto have tools and resources that can help you achieve long-lasting results and show you just how easy and beneficial keto can be. 

Read Next: