May 26, 2001
Other
Question from Wakefield, Rhode Island, USA:
My 24 year old daughter, who has had diabetes since age 10, has a 23 month old son, so when the opportunity presents itself, I test his urine.He does not have diabetes, but he’s been sick with a cold for several days, and his urine today showed high ketones with negative sugar. I think that his ketones are high because he hasn’t eaten anything but a few crackers for a couple of days, but he’s drinking a sufficient amount. Isn’t it possible for the ketone burning to be a result of his illness and not eating?
Answer:
People who don’t have diabetes do occasionally have ketones in their urine. It is usually because of being a little dehydrated and not eating well during an illness. It is called starvation ketosis and is fixed easily by increasing fluid intake and eating. It has no relation to diabetes in folks who don’t have diabetes.
MSB
