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A new handheld breathalyzer can detect whether your body is in ketosis — the fat-burning metabolic state — by measuring acetone in your breath. Developed by Alivion AG with ETH Zurich researchers, the device matched gold-standard lab accuracy in a small study. It's currently used in clinical research, but its broader clinical role is still being defined.
Monitoring your metabolism just got a whole lot easier — at least in theory. Researchers from ETH Zurich and University Hospital Zurich, partnering with Swiss health tech startup Alivion AG, have developed a handheld breathalyzer that measures acetone levels in exhaled breath to detect ketosis, the metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel. The device connects to a smartphone app that guides users through proper sample collection, making home use practical and consistent.
In a small study published in Device (a Cell Press journal), the breathalyzer's readings matched mass spectrometry — the lab gold standard — in 12 healthy adults. It also tracked real-world metabolic shifts during ketogenic diets, intermittent fasting, and exercise interventions. The device, now commercially available under the name Nutrion, is currently used primarily in clinical research settings.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: Metabolism is central to managing obesity, diabetes, and other chronic conditions — yet real-time monitoring has been nearly impossible outside a lab. If validated in larger trials, this device could enable clinicians to personalize metabolic treatment plans and give patients meaningful, actionable health data between appointments.
