Keto gummies have surged in popularity as a convenient and palatable way to support a ketogenic lifestyle. Marketed with promises of boosted energy, enhanced metabolism, and weight loss assistance, these supplements have captured attention through viral ads and celebrity endorsements. However, it's crucial to understand what keto gummies are, how they function, and whether they genuinely contribute to your health and wellness goals or are simply another fleeting trend.
Understanding the Ketogenic Diet and Ketosis
The ketogenic diet, commonly known as the keto diet, is a dietary approach characterized by low carbohydrate intake and high fat consumption. This dietary shift aims to induce a metabolic state called ketosis. In ketosis, the body, deprived of its primary fuel source (carbohydrates), begins to break down fat for energy.
Typically, the body relies on carbohydrates for fuel. However, when carbohydrate intake is severely restricted, the body enters "nutritional ketosis" and starts breaking down fat for energy instead. This process leads to the production of molecules called ketone bodies, which the body can then use as an alternative fuel source. It usually takes a few days of strict carbohydrate restriction to enter this state.
The classic ketogenic diet, often employed to manage seizures in children, necessitates a ratio of up to four times as many calories from fat as from carbohydrate and protein. Less strict variations are used for obesity and diabetes. Ketogenic diets are also being explored for migraine headaches, Parkinson's disease, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and other conditions, though scientific evidence supporting these uses is still limited.
What are Keto Gummies?
Keto gummies are supplements designed to align with the principles of a ketogenic diet. They often resemble ordinary chewable vitamins but claim to offer specific health benefits related to ketosis. These gummies are marketed as a way to help boost ketone levels in the blood.
Read also: Their Weight Loss Journeys After the Show
Keto gummies typically fall into two categories:
- Low-Carb Sweet Treats: These gummies use gelatin or pectin for a chewy texture and are sweetened with keto-friendly options like stevia, erythritol, or monk fruit. They aim to satisfy sweet cravings without disrupting ketosis.
- Functional Supplements: These gummies include the same base ingredients as the snack version but add MCT oil to support energy and enhance ketone production.
It’s important to note that dietary supplements, including keto gummies, are not approved for safety or efficacy by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Therefore, ingredients and their amounts may vary between brands.
Exogenous Ketones
Keto gummies often contain exogenous ketones, which are ketones produced outside the body and consumed orally. Exogenous ketones come in two primary forms: ketone salts and ketone esters. Ketone esters are considered more potent due to their chemical structure.
Uses and Effectiveness of Keto Gummies
While keto gummies are marketed for various benefits, it's essential to examine the evidence supporting these claims.
Weight Loss
Research on the effectiveness of keto gummies for weight loss is sparse. There’s no credible evidence that keto gummies can reliably initiate or maintain ketosis. These products are not evidence-based and often rely on misleading marketing.
Read also: Extreme Weight Loss: Season 4 Revisited
When you’re in ketosis, your body burns fat for fuel. However, the body will burn whatever fat is most readily available first. Therefore, if you're consuming keto gummies supplemented with MCT oil, your body will likely burn that fat before tapping into stored body fat.
Keto gummies with added MCT oil aren’t calorie-free, typically containing between 50 to 150 calories per serving. Multiple servings per day can lead to an excess calorie intake, potentially hindering weight loss goals.
Other Potential Benefits
Some marketers of keto gummies claim the product can:
- Increase weight loss.
- Improve athletic performance.
- Decrease your appetite.
However, there’s limited research on the benefits of keto gummies, and 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.
Ketogenic Diet Effectiveness
Separately, the ketogenic diet itself has demonstrated some effectiveness for specific conditions:
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- Diabetes: Following a ketogenic diet can improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes.
- Seizure Disorder (Epilepsy): A strict ketogenic diet high in fat and very low in carbohydrates can reduce seizures in some people with hard-to-treat epilepsy.
- Obesity: A ketogenic diet that limits carbohydrate intake can reduce body weight. However, it's not clear if it works better than other calorie-restricted diets.
Potential Side Effects and Safety Considerations
While being in ketosis is generally considered safe, keto gummies can cause side effects.
Common Side Effects
- Bloating, Gas, and Diarrhea: Often caused by low-carb sweeteners and sugar alcohols like erythritol or xylitol.
- Upset Stomach: Common with higher doses, especially if you're new to MCT oil.
- Blood Sugar Fluctuations: Some gummies can temporarily lower blood sugar, which may be risky for those on insulin or sulfonylureas. Conversely, certain people may experience a rise in blood sugar from specific low-carb sweeteners.
- Weight Gain or Plateau: Gummies with added MCT oil can be calorie-dense, and excess consumption may stall weight loss or lead to weight gain.
- Nausea and Vomiting: Some users have reported these symptoms.
- Gastrointestinal Issues: Diarrhea is a potential risk, especially if the gummies contain sorbitol, known as a laxative.
If you experience side effects like an upset stomach or diarrhea, dehydration can become a concern, potentially leading to headaches, fatigue, and heart palpitations. In severe cases, it could contribute to ketoacidosis or aggravate existing kidney conditions.
General Ketogenic Diet Side Effects
When taken by mouth, the ketogenic diet is likely safe for most adults when used for up to 1 year. The most common side effects include constipation, fatigue, dizziness, headache, weakness, nausea, diarrhea, and stomach pain. The long-term safety of the ketogenic diet in adults is unknown. It is important to ensure any diet remains balanced and contains nutrient-rich foods.
Precautions and Warnings
- Pregnancy: There isn't enough reliable information to know if the ketogenic diet is safe when pregnant. Don't follow this diet unless under the care of a healthcare professional.
- Breast-feeding: The ketogenic diet is possibly unsafe when breast-feeding. Don't follow this diet unless under the care of a healthcare professional.
- Children: The ketogenic diet is possibly safe when used by children under the care of a doctor, short-term. When used for more than 2 years, the ketogenic diet has been linked with slowed growth, fractures, and kidney stones in children.
- Heart Conditions: Use with caution. The ketogenic diet might worsen certain heart conditions.
- Diabetes: Following a very-low carbohydrate ketogenic diet might increase the risk for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a serious complication of diabetes. If you have diabetes, speak with a healthcare professional before starting the ketogenic diet.
- Acid Reflux: Some ketogenic diets are high in fat. High-fat diets can worsen symptoms of acid reflux.
- High Levels of Fat in the Blood: Some ketogenic diets are high in fat. Diets high in fat can increase levels of cholesterol and other fats called triglycerides. Talk to your doctor before starting the ketogenic diet.
- Liver Disease: The ketogenic diet might cause liver injury and may worsen symptoms of liver disease.
- Problems Breaking Down Fats in the Diet: For people unable to break down fat, the ketogenic diet might lead to serious adverse effects, including coma or death.
- Kidney Disease: The ketogenic diet may worsen kidney disease and has been linked with kidney stone development.
- Weak and Brittle Bones (Osteoporosis): Long-term use of the ketogenic diet may weaken the bones. Use caution if you are at risk for or have a history of osteoporosis.
- Swelling (Inflammation) of the Pancreas (Pancreatitis): The ketogenic diet may increase the risk of developing pancreatitis. Use caution if you have a history of pancreatitis or have very high triglyceride levels.
- Surgery: Talk to your healthcare provider before any surgery if you are using the ketogenic diet to reduce seizures.
Interactions
- Diabetes Medications: The ketogenic diet might lower blood sugar levels. Following the ketogenic diet while also taking diabetes medications might cause blood sugar to drop too low.
- Medications That Slow Blood Clotting: The ketogenic diet might slow blood clotting. Following the ketogenic diet while taking medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
- Seizure Medications: The ketogenic diet might reduce blood levels of some medications used to prevent seizures.
- SGLT2 Inhibitors: Following the ketogenic diet while taking an SGLT2 inhibitor, a type of diabetes medication, increases the risk of a serious complication called ketoacidosis.
Who Should Avoid Keto Gummies?
People with underlying health conditions like kidney disease or diabetes, pregnant or nursing individuals, children, and those on medications affecting blood sugar should exercise caution or avoid keto gummies altogether.
Dosage and Variations of the Ketogenic Diet
The classic ketogenic diet requires 90% of daily calories to come from fat, but there are many other, less restrictive versions that typically allow 20-50 grams of carbs daily. Variations include the medium chain triglyceride diet, modified Atkins diet, modified Mediterranean diet, and low glycemic index treatment. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out which variation of the ketogenic diet might be best for a specific condition. The ketogenic diet isn't suitable for everyone.
Red Flags and False Promises
The FTC warns consumers about weight loss supplements. Be wary of false promises. If a product claims you’ll lose a significant amount of weight in a short period without diet or exercise, it’s likely a scam. The same applies to promises that a product will work for everyone or take weight off permanently. Watch for fake “success” stories and altered “before” and “after” images.