Apple cider vinegar (ACV) gummies and keto gummies have become increasingly popular as dietary supplements, with manufacturers claiming various health benefits, including immune support, weight loss promotion, and blood sugar regulation. These claims have propelled ACV and keto gummies into a profitable sector of the health supplement market. However, it's crucial to examine the ingredients, purported benefits, and potential risks associated with these gummies through the lens of scientific research.
What are Active Life Keto ACV Gummies?
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Gummies
Apple cider vinegar gummies are dietary supplements that contain ACV concentrate and other ingredients like vitamins and fruit extracts.
Keto Gummies
Keto gummies are supplements marketed to help support a ketogenic diet and help with weight loss, energy and metabolism, among other things. Keto gummies are made with exogenous ketones, which is a fancy term for ketones you get from an outside source.Most keto gummies typically contain medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of saturated fat that help give your body energy, in addition to exogenous ketones.Sometimes, keto gummies may contain gelatin or natural sweeteners like Stevia,” notes Czerwony. “It’s not like eating a traditional gummy. It’s not going to have any additional sugars because if it did, then it would throw you out of ketosis.
Ingredients in Active Life Keto ACV Gummies
The ingredients in Active Life Keto ACV Gummies typically include a combination of apple cider vinegar, ketone bodies, vitamins, and other additives.
Apple Cider Vinegar Concentrate
ACV gummies contain apple cider vinegar concentrate, which is believed to offer health benefits similar to those of liquid ACV.
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Exogenous Ketones
Keto gummies are made with exogenous ketones, which is a fancy term for ketones you get from an outside source.Exogenous ketones are produced outside of the body and consumed orally (as opposed to endogenous ketones that are produced inside the body). Exogenous ketones include ketone salts and ketone esters, which have different chemical structures and potencies, with esters considered more potent.
Vitamins and Minerals
Any supposed health benefits of ACV gummies may come from the added vitamins and minerals in the supplement. For example, if you’re low in vitamin B12 and consume B12 in the form of ACV gummies, this may help increase your body’s B12 levels. The scant vitamin and mineral contents in ACV gummies may contain the right compounds to support your health, but they contain a fraction of the necessary servings for you to see any obvious health benefits.
Fruit Extracts
Many ACV gummies advertise that added fruit extracts provide significant antioxidant effects. Some studies show that taking beetroot and pomegranate juices - ingredients in many ACV gummies - can help reduce markers of inflammation.
Other Ingredients
Sometimes, keto gummies may contain gelatin or natural sweeteners like Stevia,” notes Czerwony.
Claims vs. Reality: Examining the Purported Benefits
Blood Sugar Regulation
Companies that produce ACV gummies claim that consuming these supplements can support your immune function, promote weight loss, and enhance your ability to regulate your blood sugar. Claims that these supplements offer support with your blood sugar levels, weight loss goals, inflammation, detoxification, and energy levels remain unfounded.However, further analysis showed that the reduction in fasting blood sugar was only significant in participants with diabetes. Additionally, taking ACV for more than 8 weeks may be necessary to see a meaningful benefit on blood sugar and total cholesterol levels. There are no current studies investigating the effects of ACV gummies on blood sugar. Also, keep in mind that ACV gummies may often contain added sugar - which can impact your blood sugar levels.
Read also: Are Active Keto Gummies Right for You?
Weight Loss
A 2018 study suggests potential weight loss benefits for people who consume at least 1 ounce (30 ml) of organic liquid ACV - not ACV gummies. A 2020 review of 13 human and 12 animal studies concluded that there was not enough credible evidence to determine whether ACV has any beneficial effects on weight loss. More comprehensive research is needed before suggesting that ACV gummies offer any help in weight management.
Energy Boost
However, even though you need B12 and other B vitamins to stay energized and combat fatigue, you might be disappointed to discover that ACV gummies may not boost your energy as advertised.
Detoxification and Immunity
Furthermore, claims that ACV gummies help your body detox or boost your immunity remain unfounded.
Athletic Performance
Czerwony says potential benefits include improve athletic performance.
Appetite Suppression
Czerwony says potential benefits include decrease your appetite.
Read also: Keto Diet Tips
Keto Diet, Ketosis, and Keto Gummies
The Ketogenic Diet Explained
The ketogenic diet, also known as the keto diet, is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet intended to shift the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. Keeping your body in ketosis can be hard - doing so includes eating a restricted list of foods like meat, eggs, nuts and fish and avoiding foods like fruit, sugar, beans and high-carb veggies.
Ketosis
In general, the body uses carbohydrates for fuel, but when there aren’t sufficient amounts of carbohydrates, the body enters what’s known as “nutritional ketosis” and starts to break down fat for energy instead. “It typically takes a few days of strict carbohydrate restriction to enter this state,” explains Katie Schwartz, a registered dietitian based in Asheville, North Carolina. But once the body enters a state of ketosis, it begins producing ketones, which are then used for fuel.
The Role of Keto Gummies
“Keto gummies may help the process of ketosis continue, but you need to be in ketosis first,” clarifies Czerwony.Keto gummies are supplements that resemble ordinary chewable vitamins but offer a different purported health benefit. “They’re marketed as a way to help boost ketone levels in the blood,” says Schwartz.
Scientific Studies and Research
ACV Dosage and Effectiveness
The studied ACV doses ranged from 0.5 to 26 ounces (15-770 mL) per day. This is not comparable to taking common ACV gummy supplements containing 500 milligrams (mg) of ACV powder per gummy.
Liquid vs. Supplement Form
Interestingly, a small, randomized control study published in 2020 found that vinegar supplements do not have the same effect on blood sugar as liquid vinegar. The study showed that the liquid vinegar resulted in a 31% greater reduction in post-meal blood sugar compared with the control and whole vinegar tablets. Liquid vinegar also proved more effective than the vinegar tablets dissolved in water. All this suggests that ACV supplements don’t have the same effect on blood sugar as drinking ACV.
Pomegranate Extract Studies
For example, a 2020 review found that pomegranate supplements may be effective in reducing inflammatory markers like interleukin-6 (IL-6). Yet, the lowest dose used in the studies included in the review was 500 mg.
Keto Gummies Scientific Consensus
But, again, whether keto gummies or other keto supplements can actually keep you in ketosis has been inconclusive, according to research. In fact, one study explains that supplements may increase the amount of ketones too much. Ideally, your body wants to maintain an even level of ketones. And when this happens, your liver may not produce as many ketones naturally, making it harder to stay in ketosis.
Potential Risks and Side Effects
Gastrointestinal Issues
“You run the risk of GI issues if your keto gummies use sorbitol, which is known as a laxative,” warns Czerwony. “You should be cautious if you’re going try it. Slowly introduce keto gummies to see how you do because you don’t want to all sudden just kind of overdo it and have those side effects and not be very happy.”
Blood Sugar Levels
“The keto diet - and the addition of a keto supplement like gummies - can potentially lower your blood sugar, leading to hypoglycemic responses,” she says. “And it can dehydrate you as well.”
Other Risks
Czerwony says those potential risks include:
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Gastrointestinal issues, like diarrhea.
- Low blood sugar.People with underlying health conditions like kidney disease or diabetes, people who are pregnant or nursing, children, or anyone on medications affecting blood sugar shouldn’t use keto gummies, notes Rancourt.
Dosage and Usage
Considerations for Consumption
Before you hop on the keto gummy bandwagon, Czerwony suggests looking at your diet first if you’re struggling to stay in ketosis. Consider making the necessary tweaks to your keto diet so you’re getting enough calories or fiber. Doing so can be a healthier option instead of turning to keto gummies. But if you’re following the keto diet, everything seems to be running fine and you want to see a boost to your weight loss, then I think you could certainly try keto gummies,” says Czerwony.
Consulting Healthcare Professionals
Before you decide to try keto gummies, it’s also worth understanding the potential risks. It’s important to do your research and understand the potential risks and potential benefits, while understanding that there’s no conclusive research that keto gummies do in fact work. But if you want to try keto gummies, make sure you talk to a healthcare provider first. And remember that keto gummies are an addition to your keto diet plan - they don’t replace it. You may only reap the potential benefits if you use them consistently.
Regulatory Oversight and Quality Control
FDA Regulations
Dietary supplements are not approved for safety or efficacy by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and ingredients and their amounts may vary. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Third-Party Verification
“These products are not evidence-based and often rely on misleading marketing,” says Schwartz.
Alternatives to Active Life Keto ACV Gummies
B Complex Vitamin
You’ll get similar or better results from taking a B complex vitamin every day.
Liquid ACV
A 2018 study suggests potential weight loss benefits for people who consume at least 1 ounce (30 ml) of organic liquid ACV - not ACV gummies.