Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) has garnered attention for its potential role in weight loss, cognitive function, and overall health. This article explores the benefits of keto BHB capsules, examining scientific evidence and practical considerations.
Understanding BHB and Ketosis
Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is a ketone body produced primarily in the liver from fatty acids during periods of low carbohydrate intake, fasting, or prolonged exercise. Ketogenesis is considered the metabolism of fatty acids by β-oxidation. It serves as an alternative energy source when glucose levels are low, playing a crucial role in energy metabolism and various physiological processes. BHB is synthesized in the liver through the oxidation of fatty acids. This process is particularly active during fasting states, ketogenic diets, or intense physical activity, where carbohydrate availability is limited.
When someone eats a standard diet that includes various sources of carbohydrates, the main function of carbs is to provide fuel or energy for the body. While carbohydrates are the body’s “preferred fuel source” and the first type of energy used to fuel physical and cellular activities, fat is also a fuel source. Other situations in which beta-hydroxybutyrate is produced is when someone fasts (abstains from eating food) for around 16 hours or more. Since the body interprets fasting as a sign that energy intake is low, it increases ketone production in order to have another fuel source. The production of ketone bodies helps save any available glucose for the brain, which uses glucose quickly.
BHB is one of three ketones the body produces during states of fasting or through low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets. In both contexts, the body naturally changes its primary source of energy from glucose (provided by carbohydrates) to stored fat. Fat is broken down and BHB is formed. It provides an alternate energy source for every part of the body, including the brain. Of the three ketone bodies produced during ketosis (BHB, acetone, and acetoacetate), BHB is present in significantly higher quantities in the blood.
The Ketogenic Diet and BHB
Ketogenic diets (KDs) have been demonstrated to promote weight loss, often to a greater extent than low-fat diets, and without explicit instructions to limit calories. Some authors have suggested that low-carbohydrate diets may facilitate a metabolic advantage by increasing energy expenditure, but others have argued against such an effect. Irrespective of whether KDs promote greater weight loss than non-KDs, an important unresolved question is how KDs impact the tissue composition and distribution of weight loss, especially when matched for calories.
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The keto diet eliminates nearly all carbohydrates and relies on calories from fat for fuel, a process called ketosis. However, getting into and staying in ketosis can be tricky because you need a specific amount of macronutrients: 90% fat, 6% protein and 4% carbs, traditionally. (A modified keto diet clocks in at around 82% fat, 12% protein and 6% carbs.)
Exogenous Ketones: An Overview
Exogenous ketones (ketones supplements that come from outside the body) are also used to mimic or amplify the positive effects of calorie restriction or very low carbohydrate ketogenic diets. A plausible approach to support muscle anabolism during a hypocaloric KD is the use of exogenous ketone salts (KS), which enhance ketosis while also providing additional sodium and potentially other minerals (e.g., potassium, calcium, magnesium). Oral ingestion of ketone salts consisting of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and minerals is a safe and effective method of transiently increasing circulating ketones as we and others have shown. This particular KS has been previously reported to raise BHB 4 to 5-fold in capillary blood of non-keto adapted individuals, with significant effects observed up to 1-h post-ingestion.
Types of Keto Supplements:
- Keto pills: Many keto pills contain BHB salts or BHB esters and are promoted as a natural weight loss supplement.
- Keto powders: Similar to keto pills, keto powders contain some form of BHB. Many keto powder supplements may also include electrolytes to help people stay hydrated and remain in ketosis.
- Keto gummies: One of the newer keto supplements on the market, keto gummies are deceiving because many don’t actually contain any ketones. Instead, they are often made with apple cider vinegar, which companies say boosts metabolism and, therefore, promotes weight loss. However, there’s not enough scientific evidence to support this claim. Some keto gummies may also contain MCT oil, and most are sweetened with a non-nutritive sweetening agent, such as stevia.
Potential Benefits of BHB Capsules
Weight and Fat Loss: Ketogenic diets (KDs) that elevate beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) promote weight and fat loss. Drasanvi Keto Bhb 60 capsules is specially designed for people who are following a low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diet.
Muscle Preservation: Exogenous ketones, such as ketone salts (KS), also elevate BHB concentrations with the potential to protect against muscle loss during caloric restriction. Notably, prior studies have demonstrated that ketosis achieved by intravenous infusion of sodium BHB preserves fat free mass (FFM) during very low-calorie diets and starvation. Sodium BHB infusion to levels within the higher range of nutritional ketosis (i.e., ~2-4 mM) has also been shown to increase skeletal muscle protein synthesis, decrease leucine oxidation, and inhibit protein breakdown. There is also evidence that ketone bodies may protect from muscle loss in catabolic settings such as sarcopenia, cachexia, and excessive inflammation, perhaps through mTORC1 signaling. BHB inhibits muscle protein breakdown and decreases whole-body protein oxidation.
Cognitive Function: BHB has been associated with cognitive benefits, particularly in the context of neurodegenerative diseases and aging. It can upregulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is crucial for brain health and cognitive function. A small 2004 study found that individuals with Alzheimer’s or mild cognitive impairments that were fed certain saturated fats to promote ketone production had greater memory improvement than a control group. Since then, more studies have also looked at the ketogenic diet as a remedy for Alzheimer’s. Ketones can help reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases - such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and Parkinson’s - by reducing oxidative stress in the brain and protecting brain cells (especially the mitochondria), neurons and synapses. Ketones also seem to help reduce accumulation of the molecule called amyloid-β, which has been associated with development of diseases, including Alzheimer’s. BHB can upregulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), particularly its precursor proBDNF, which is associated with brain health.
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Cardioprotective Properties: Research has shown that BHB has cardioprotective properties. For instance, BHB can mitigate doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiac cells, thereby preserving cardiac function. BHB has demonstrated significant cardioprotective properties, particularly in the context of doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity. In a study involving mice, BHB treatment restored cardiac function, reduced fibrosis, and decreased cellular injury and apoptosis. BHB has been shown to protect against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting cell apoptosis and oxidative stress, and maintaining mitochondrial membrane integrity.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects: BHB can help prevent the release of inflammatory molecules that contribute to various diseases affecting the heart, brain, bones, skin and so on. BHB suppresses the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, which is involved in inflammatory responses.
Potential Longevity Benefits: While this hasn’t yet been proven in human studies, studies involving yeast, mice and primates have found that ketones can help extend life span and promote longevity. For years, it’s been known that calorie restriction is one intervention that extends life span by reducing excess fat mass, causing less oxidative stress and inflammation, causing positive changes to the gut microbiome, lowering and insulin growth hormone, and causing less iron accumulation. Researchers believe that ketones may be able to extend life span due to decreased activity of insulin/IIS. Ketone bodies also seem to help combat free radical damage and power cells’ mitochondria, including in older individuals who have limited ability to oxidize glucose metabolites.
Enhanced Ketosis: Drasanvi Keto Bhb 60 capsules is indicated for those following a low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diet who wish to accelerate the transition to ketosis or remain in ketosis. Benefits of adding a beta hydroxybutyrate supplement to your routine include helping with the transition into a state of ketosis, supporting energy levels when in a fasted state, preventing keto flu symptoms, and improving athletic/exercise performance and recovery. Ketone supplements can be used in between meals or before a workout to provide a quick source of ketones.
Scientific Studies and Research
Overweight and obese adults were provided a precisely defined hypocaloric KD (~75% of energy expenditure) for 6 weeks. In a double-blind manner, subjects were randomly assigned to receive ~24 g/day of a racemic BHB-salt (KD + KS; n = 12) or placebo (KD + PL; n = 13). A matched comparison group (n = 12) was separately assigned to an isoenergetic/isonitrogenous low-fat diet (LFD). The KD induced nutritional ketosis (>1.0 mM capillary BHB) throughout the study (p < 0.001), with higher fasting concentrations observed in KD + KS than KD + PL for the first 2 weeks (p < 0.05). There were decreases in body mass, whole body fat and lean mass, mid-thigh muscle cross-sectional area, and both visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues (p < 0.001), but no group differences between the two KDs or with the LFD. Conclusion: Energy-matched hypocaloric ketogenic diets favorably affected body composition but were not further impacted by administration of an exogenous BHB-salt that augmented ketosis.
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One small 2021 study, for instance, found that people with obesity who followed a low-calorie ketogenic diet and took 24 grams of a BHB salt supplement per day for six weeks experienced enhanced ketosis. However, having higher levels of ketones in the blood didn’t seem to boost these participants' weight loss when compared to other groups, such as those following only the keto diet without the supplement.
Other research, such as this 2020 study, suggests that taking exogenous ketones can help boost concentrations of ketones in the blood quickly. Whether they have an appreciable effect on weight loss, however, is still murky, and more robust studies with strong evidence are lacking.
In a clinical trial involving malnourished older adults, a high-protein oral nutritional supplement containing BHB (HP-HMB) was associated with a significant reduction in 90-day mortality compared to a placebo.
In healthy older adults, BHB has been shown to influence brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, which are crucial for brain health. A study found that increased BHB levels were associated with higher levels of proBDNF, a precursor to mature BDNF, suggesting a potential link between BHB and improved brain health.
Potential Drawbacks and Side Effects
- Nausea and Vomiting: Users often report nausea and vomiting as common side effects of BHB supplementation.
- Dehydration: BHB can lead to dehydration, especially if not accompanied by adequate water intake.
Several factors may explain the discrepant results on the composition of weight loss to KDs. First, consuming protein at a level <1 g/kg ideal body mass impairs nitrogen balance while an intake closer to 1.5 g/kg ideal body mass appears optimal during hypocaloric diets for maintaining lean mass. Second, many KD studies failed to provide adequate sodium to compensate for the natriuretic effect of these diets, resulting in counter-regulatory hormonal responses that adversely impacts sodium and potassium balance. In the KD studies that did not provide adequate sodium, nitrogen balance, and lean mass were compromised. Lastly, common methods of assessing body composition, such as hydro-densitometry and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), detect water loss as a decrease in lean tissue, but this does not reflect a change in whole-body intracellular protein.
Concerns About Supplement Quality
Because dietary supplement products are not regulated by the FDA, it can be difficult to know whether you’re getting what you pay for. If you're intent on purchasing a keto supplement, do your homework and ask the company to provide its research or evidence that the supplement does what the company is saying it does. A reputable manufacturer should be able to provide information about how its product has been tested and what it contains.
Pharmacopeia. These companies will test to make sure that what’s on the label is actually inside the bottle because a lot of times with supplements, it might not even contain what it claims to contain. Keep in mind, however, that while third-party tests can check for ingredients, they do not check for efficacy. You should also be cautious of potentially misleading recommendations.
Dosage and Usage
The amount of ketones in your blood, urine and breath can be tested to provide a reading of your body’s ketone levels and to indicate that you are (or are not) in ketosis. Depending on the quality of ketone supplements, different brands and types will affect blood BHB (ketone) levels in different ways. Quality ketone products can help increase blood ketone levels to as high as 1.5 mmol/L. Following a keto diet correctly can increase levels even more. The optimal range of beta hydroxybutyrate is between 0.6-6.0 mmol/L, depending on your goals and the condition you’re treating. For general weight loss, aim to get your levels above 0.6 mmol/L.
Potential of BHB as a Therapeutic Agent
Epilepsy, lifespan, cognitive ability, and Alzheimer’s are all part of a growing list of conditions that BHB appears to affect beneficially. But demonstrating its effectiveness in humans, particularly in a supplement form, is still a long way off. Nonetheless, both Verdin and Masino are optimistic. They do caution the public in getting too excited about the next miracle supplement, though.
BHB has been linked to muscle improvement in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). A pilot study found that increased BHB levels, achieved through a Mediterranean diet supplemented with coconut oil, were associated with higher levels of the enzyme Paraoxonase 1 (PON1).
Natural Ways to Increase BHB Levels
The best way to naturally increase/optimize beta hydroxybutyrate levels is by eating a very-low carb, very high-fat diet (the ketogenic diet). This can also be combined with intermittent fasting or other types of fasting to further boost ketone production. Even when correctly following the keto diet, many people can also benefit from using ketone supplements (exogenous ketones) - although for the most payoff it’s best to alter your diet, leading to natural ketone production. The top foods for increasing ketone production are healthy fats like MCT oil, butter and coconut oil. MCT oil is a very popular food/supplement among people following the keto diet because it has positive effects, including boosting ketone production, increasing energy, and reducing appetite and cravings, plus it’s less expensive than many exogenous ketone supplements.
The Importance of a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle
A BHB pill should be added to a healthy diet - not taken as a shortcut. Very restrictive diets are hard to follow, and they’re not sustainable. With the keto diet specifically, when we look at it for weight loss, most of that weight you’re losing quickly at the beginning is water weight. You’re not losing fat. It’s very exciting to see that number drop, but it’s not going to be metabolically better for you.