Ketone bodies are special metabolic products that form in the liver. They are also called acetone bodies. These include: acetoacetic, beta-hydroxybutyric acid, acetone. These substances have a similar chemical structure and have the property of interconversion. The synthesis of ketone bodies in the liver directly depends on the method of nutrition and can be seriously impaired as a result of a metabolic failure. Having formed in the liver, they leave with a blood stream into the tissues of different organs, where they participate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, decomposing into water and carbon dioxide. Ketone bodies in urine happen to be found. The causes of this phenomenon, as well as the possible meanings of this symptom will be discussed below.
As already mentioned, keto bodies with blood flow from the liver are delivered to other organs. If there is an excess of them in the blood, they are secreted through breathing (even an “acetone” smell is possible when air is exhaled) and the excretory system. In other words, ketone bodies appear in the urine. But the reasons that they are produced in excess may be different.
The synthesis of ketone bodies increases with fasting, constant carbohydrate-free nutrition, eating a large number of protein products, alcohol ketoacidosis, processing alkaline salts (they disrupt the tricarbon cycle), eating foods containing the so-called ketogenic amino acids. Ketogenic amino acids include phenylalanine, tyrosine, isoleucine, leucine.
However, not only certain foods contribute to increased production of ketone bodies, which may result in ketone bodies in the urine, this can also be due to surgery, pregnancy, significant physical exertion, and insufficient production of insulin. It is worth paying attention to the last possible reason. It is noted that the formation of ketone bodies in especially large numbers - the so-called hyperketonemia - occurs in diabetic coma.
In the presence of ketone bodies in the urine is higher than normal, urine acquires a specific “fruity” smell. For example, with diabetes, urine in its smell may resemble rotten apples. The presence of ketone bodies in urine should be minimal, their norm is 20-50 mg / day. If the content of ketone bodies in the urine exceeds the norm, this may indicate the course of pathological processes in the body. The presence of a large amount of these substances in the urine is called ketonuria.
Based on the above information, it is worth paying special attention to the increased content of ketone bodies in the urine. The cause of ketonuria can be completely harmless, not related to causing harm to the body. In young children, ketone bodies in the urine may not talk about anything at all. Their norm in babies can be exceeded even with small changes in the diet, mental feelings, fatigue. However, the cause of the appearance of ketone bodies in the urine can also be pathological - for example, diabetes mellitus, influenza, scarlet fever, dysentery, acute pancreatitis, fever, anemia, predomatous conditions, infectious diseases and even mental illnesses, as well as many other ailments. In addition to the listed reasons for exceeding the norm of ketone bodies in the urine, the cause can be such a rare congenital disease as leucinosis.
When conducting tests for the presence of ketones, the patient receives a negative result if the ketone bodies in the urine do not exceed the norm, and positive if the urine contains more than necessary. The number of "pluses" in the analysis may indicate the degree of ketonuria. For example, one “cross” - a weakly positive reaction, four - the resulting reaction is pronounced, which probably indicates the presence of a serious pathology.
The results of a ketonuria test cannot unambiguously indicate a patient’s disease. Even a high indicator of the presence of ketone bodies in the urine does not always indicate that there is a serious threat to health. However, they may be an indication for further examination of the general condition.