After two weeks of the Atkins plan I'm approaching ketosis. I monitor that with medical Diascreen-10 reagent strips. I've noticed if there's no ketones I'll have a moderate amount of bilirubin (++). If I til over into ketosis (+ to ++) the biliribin level goes negative. I'm not worried about liver disease because I recently had a full panel which was all within normal limits except for elevated cholesterol.

Anyone care to theorize what's causing the elevated bilirubin?

Thanks.

I forgot this part. I drink enough water that my Specific Gravity stays around 1.005 to 1.010. All other tests on the reagent strip are negative.

hi kaypeeoh,

I'm not sure why it seems that the sticks seem to only test positive for either ketones or bilirubin but not both together? But I do know that high levels of vitamin C will cause a false positive reading for bilirubin. So, if you're taking supplements, that may be the reason for that. Metabolites of aspirin or other salicylates, and sulfa drugs or sulfates may also trigger a false positive reading.

Otherwise, positive urinalysis for bilirubin isn't really significant unless there are other signs of liver or gallbladder disease.

hth,

Doreen

Thanks for the reply.

I take 2 grams of Vit C daily, so you may have hit the nail on the head. It may also be that the urostix are old. I'm pretty sure they've passed their expiration date. That may also explain why the stix only show ketosis intermittantly.

Don't you love suddenly loose jeans? :-)