Over the past few years, there has been a surge in ketone-boosting products, including specialized foods, supplements, and sports drinks. Drinks such as Ketone-IQ are marketed to raise ketone levels in the body, aiming to support energy, focus, recovery, and endurance. While these products can indeed elevate ketones, one of the key challenges for consumers and researchers has been finding a practical way to monitor their real impact.

Traditionally, measuring ketones meant invasive blood testing, which can be inconvenient, costly, and uncomfortable for daily or repeated use. This is where the ReFleX Ketone Breath Meter provides a breakthrough solution.

Why Breath Acetone Measurement Works

When the body is in ketosis—whether from fasting, a ketogenic diet, exercise, or ketone supplementation—it produces three main ketone bodies:

  • Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB)

  • Acetoacetate

  • Acetone

Acetone is a natural byproduct of fat metabolism and is released through the breath. Studies show that breath acetone levels generally correlate with blood ketone concentrations, particularly BHB. This makes breath monitoring a reliable, non-invasive proxy for tracking metabolic shifts.

Using ReFleX to Track Ketone Responses

The ReFleX Ketone Breath Meter allows users to:

  • Get Real-Time Feedback
    Blood ketone levels fluctuate throughout the day based on diet, exercise, or supplement intake. With intraday breath monitoring, users can observe these changes instantly.

  • Evaluate Foods and Supplements
    By measuring breath acetone before and after consuming products such as sports drinks or ketone supplements, users can objectively assess how these products influence their ketone metabolism.

  • Enjoy a Sustainable Alternative
    Unlike single-use blood testing strips, the breath meter is reusable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly—making daily ketosis tracking more accessible.

Practical Applications

  • Athletes can assess how ketone drinks affect performance and recovery.

  • Dieters can test whether certain foods or fasting strategies push them deeper into ketosis.

  • Researchers can collect non-invasive, high-frequency ketone data to study metabolism with greater ease.

The ReFleX solution combines precision sensor technology with cloud-based data management, enabling both individuals and research teams to gain deeper insights into how lifestyle and nutrition impact ketone metabolism.

Disclaimer

ReFleX Wireless Inc. and the ReFleX Ketone Breath Meter are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Ketone-IQ or its parent company in any way. References to Ketone-IQ are for illustrative purposes only, as an example of a ketone-boosting product category.

References

1. Tsunemi et al. (2022)

  • Title: Correlation between blood total ketone bodies and breath acetone measured with the FM-001 in patients with diabetes

  • Summary: This study found a strong correlation (R = 0.828) between breath acetone and blood total ketone bodies (TKB) in patients with diabetes, suggesting that breath acetone can be a reliable non-invasive marker for ketosis. PubMed

2. Jones et al. (2025)

  • Title: Breath Acetone Correlates With Capillary β-Hydroxybutyrate in Type 1 Diabetes

  • Summary: The study observed a correlation of r = 0.75 between breath acetone and capillary β-hydroxybutyrate (BOHB) in individuals with type 1 diabetes, indicating that breath acetone can serve as a proxy for blood ketone levels. PMC

3. Marfatia et al. (2025)

  • Title: Is Breath Best? A Systematic Review on the Accuracy and Correlation Between Breath Acetone and Blood Ketones

  • Summary: This systematic review analyzed 11 studies and reported high sensitivity and correlation between breath acetone levels and blood ketones, with some studies demonstrating accuracies up to 94.7% and correlations as high as R² = 0.98. MDPI

4. Garipoğlu et al. (2021)

  • Title: Determination of Ketosis with Breath Acetone Measurement Sensor on Ketogenic Diet: A Prospective Controlled Study

  • Summary: This study found significant positive correlations between breath acetone levels and urinary ketone levels in individuals undergoing a ketogenic diet, supporting the use of breath acetone as a marker for ketosis. tjn.org.tr

5. Saasa et al. (2019)

  • Title: Blood Ketone Bodies and Breath Acetone Analysis in Type 2 Diabetes

  • Summary: The study assessed the relationship between blood ketone bodies and breath acetone in type 2 diabetes patients and found a significant correlation, suggesting that breath acetone can be used as a non-invasive biomarker for diabetes monitoring. PMC

6. Prabhakar et al. (2015)

  • Title: Acetone as Biomarker for Ketosis Buildup Capability

  • Summary: This research highlighted that breath acetone is a reliable indicator of ketosis in adults consuming ketogenic meals and can be used to predict plasma ketone bodies, especially in children with epilepsy on a ketogenic diet. BioMed Central

7. Anderson et al. (2015)

  • Title: Measuring Breath Acetone for Monitoring Fat Loss: Review

  • Summary: The review discussed that breath acetone is strongly correlated with blood ketone body BOHB and can range in concentration from 1 ppm in healthy non-ketotic individuals to higher levels in those in ketosis, making it a useful tool for monitoring fat loss. Wiley Online Library

8. Rydosz et al. (2015)

  • Title: A Negative Correlation Between Blood Glucose and Exhaled Acetone Concentration

  • Summary: This study reported a negative correlation between blood glucose and exhaled acetone concentration, providing insights into metabolic processes and the potential of breath acetone as a biomarker. SAGE Journals

9. Huang et al. (2024)

  • Title: Update on Measuring Ketones

  • Summary: In a pilot study involving 10 adults and 9 children with type 1 diabetes, a significant association between breath ketone levels and blood ketone levels was observed, suggesting the potential of breath analysis in ketone monitoring. SAGE Journals

10. Wei et al. (2023)

  • Title: Nanowire Array Breath Acetone Sensor for Diabetes Monitoring

  • Summary: The study developed a nanowire array-based acetone sensor and demonstrated its capability to detect varying acetone concentrations in breath, correlating with blood ketone levels, and highlighting its potential for non-invasive diabetes monitoring.

Monitoring the Impact of Ketone-Boosting Products with the ReFleX Ketone Breath Meter