Trustees of Boston College

Finger-Prick Glucose Ketone Index Test Proposed as Practical Tool to Monitor Mitochondrial and Metabolic Health

- Researchers propose the glucose ketone index (GKI), a simple finger-prick blood test measuring the ratio of glucose to β-hydroxybutyrate, as a practical biomarker for tracking metabolic health in non-communicable diseases. - The GKI could help clinicians monitor whether diet, fasting, or exercise interventions shift the body toward nutritional ketosis, a state linked to improved mitochondrial function and potentially lower disease risk. - Non-communicable diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes account for roughly three-quarters of deaths worldwide, with mitochondrial dysfunction emerging as a common underlying feature. - The authors call for larger, standardized clinical studies to validate disease-specific GKI target ranges and determine whether the index can reliably predict disease risk, progression, or treatment response.