The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet designed to induce a metabolic state known as ketosis. Keto gummies are marketed as supplements that support this diet, promoting weight loss, energy, and enhanced metabolism. However, it's crucial to understand their ingredients, potential benefits, and risks.
Understanding Keto Gummies
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.
What is 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.
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.
“Your body makes ketones on its own through the foods you eat,” explains registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD. “Keto gummies are a supplement that adds exogenous ketones into your body, which may help continue ketosis.”
Read also: Weight Loss in First Month Post-Surgery
It’s important to note that keto gummies (or any keto supplement, for that matter) don’t put you in ketosis. “Keto gummies may help the process of ketosis continue, but you need to be in ketosis first,” clarifies Czerwony.
Ingredients Found in Keto Gummies
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. Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil may provide a quick source of energy, explains Rancourt. “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.”
So, what should you look for in a keto gummy? “There are a lot of options available and they all seem comparable,” says Czerwony. “I would suggest opting for something that fits in your budget and buy a small batch at first to make sure you like it.”
Potential Benefits of Keto Gummies
Do keto gummies work? There’s limited research on the benefits of keto gummies. “There aren’t any studies that have shown the long-term effects of keto gummies and if they’re beneficial,” states Czerwony.
Czerwony says potential benefits include:
Read also: Eden Weight Loss Program: Benefits, risks, and what to expect.
- Increase weight loss.
- Improve athletic performance.
- Decrease your appetite.
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.
Research is sparse when it comes to determining whether keto gummies and supplements support losing weight. “There’s no credible evidence that keto gummies can reliably initiate or maintain ketosis,” says Schwartz. “These products are not evidence-based and often rely on misleading marketing,” says Schwartz.
Potential Risks of Keto Gummies
Are keto gummies safe? Before you decide to try keto gummies, it’s also worth understanding the potential risks.
Czerwony says those potential risks include:
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Gastrointestinal issues, like diarrhea.
- Low blood sugar.
“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.”
Read also: Risks of a Protein-First Diet
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.”
It’s important to note that being in ketosis, however, is generally considered safe. 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.
Regulation and Oversight
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).
Should You Try Keto Gummies?
Before you hop on the keto gummy bandwagon, Czerwony suggests looking at your diet first if you’re struggling to stay in ketosis. “What is the reason that your body isn’t staying in ketosis? Are you overdoing it on carbohydrates? Is it because you’re getting bored? Is it because you’re still hungry?”
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.