The ketogenic (keto) diet, a high-fat, low-carb eating plan, has gained significant popularity for its potential to manage health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. The keto diet eliminates nearly all carbohydrates and relies on calories from fat for fuel, a process called ketosis. However, given how challenging the keto diet can be, it's no surprise that manufacturers have created keto supplements claiming to help you boost energy, burn fat, and lose weight fast. The diet involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and increasing fat consumption to shift the body's metabolism towards using fat for energy, producing ketones. To support individuals on this restrictive diet, various supplements have emerged, promising to enhance the benefits and mitigate potential side effects. This article delves into the world of keto cleanse supplements, examining their ingredients, purported benefits, potential risks, and the scientific evidence (or lack thereof) behind their claims. We will also explore the importance of a balanced keto diet and the role of other supplements that may support overall health and well-being.
What is Keto Cleanse?
Keto Cleanse is a type of dietary supplement marketed to individuals following a ketogenic diet. These supplements often claim to aid in detoxification, improve digestion, reduce bloating, boost energy levels, and support gut health. Ketao’s Keto Cleanse is one such supplement that aims to help users feel lighter and refreshed. The suggested use is to take 2 capsules per day, with or without food, preferably in the evening.
Ingredients and Types of Keto Supplements
Keto supplements come in various forms, including pills, powders, and gummies, each with different ingredients and purported benefits.
- Keto Pills: Many keto pills contain beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) salts or BHB esters, which are promoted as natural weight loss aids. BHB is a ketone body that the liver produces from fats. The theory is that taking extra ketones may help the body lose weight by using ketones for energy and, therefore, burn fat.
- Keto Powders: Similar to keto pills, keto powders also contain BHB. Additionally, they may include electrolytes to help maintain hydration and ketosis.
- Keto Gummies: These are a newer form of keto supplement, and some may not contain ketones. Instead, they often include apple cider vinegar, which is claimed to boost metabolism and promote weight loss, although scientific evidence supporting this claim is limited. Some keto gummies may also contain MCT oil and are typically sweetened with non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia.
Common Ingredients 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. Sometimes, keto gummies may contain gelatin or natural sweeteners like Stevia.
Purported Benefits of Keto Cleanse Supplements
Manufacturers of keto cleanse supplements often make several claims regarding their benefits, including:
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- Boosting Energy: Keto supplements are marketed to help ameliorate the so-called “keto flu,” an unofficial term that refers to a group of flu-like symptoms that can develop within about a week of switching to a keto diet.
- Burning Fat: The claim is that you can take these keto diet pills and not have to follow a low-carb diet.
- Weight Loss: Many keto supplements are promoted as a natural weight loss supplement.
- Improving Athletic Performance:
- Decreasing Appetite:
Do Keto Pills Work?
There’s not enough research on the efficacy of keto supplements to support the claim that taking keto pills, powders or gummies will help you achieve ketosis. 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.
Potential Risks and Side Effects
Before trying keto gummies, it’s also worth understanding the potential risks, including:
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Gastrointestinal issues, like diarrhea.
- Low blood sugar.
Supplements are often expensive (urine) because, at best, you’ll just pee it out. At worst, it could be harmful for your liver because it does have to process everything you’re taking.
Scams and Misleading Advertising
There’s a risk of scams with some keto products, namely supplements being pushed heavily on social media. Also, keep an eye out for certain words and phrases in any marketing text, such as “quick fix,” “guaranteed results” and “scientific breakthrough.” They’re usually a red flag of false advertising.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
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.
Third-Party Testing and Quality Assurance
To ensure the quality and safety of keto supplements, it is crucial to look for products that have undergone third-party testing. Organizations like U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) verify that the ingredients listed on the label are accurate and that the product is free from harmful contaminants.
Other Supplements to Consider on a Keto Diet
While keto cleanse supplements may not be necessary or effective for everyone, certain other supplements can be beneficial for individuals following a keto diet:
- Magnesium: Magnesium is a mineral that helps produce energy, regulate blood sugar levels, and support your immune system. Some people claim supplementing with magnesium may also help reduce symptoms commonly experienced by those transitioning to a keto diet, such as muscle cramps, difficulty sleeping, and irritability.
- MCT Oil: MCT oil provides a more concentrated dose of MCTs and may be beneficial for individuals following a keto diet. MCT supplementation has also been shown to promote weight loss in several ways, such as by increasing feelings of fullness, which could be helpful if you’re following a keto diet for weight management.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: EPA and DHA may help reduce inflammation, lower the risk of heart disease, and prevent age-related cognitive decline. Some animal research has also found that fish oil supplements may be particularly beneficial for individuals on keto diets, as they may help regulate cholesterol levels, fat metabolism, and inflammation associated with high fat diets.
- Vitamin D: Vitamin D is important for many bodily functions, such as supporting your immune system, regulating cellular growth, promoting bone health and lowering inflammation in your body.
- Digestive Enzymes: Digestive enzyme supplements can help your body break down macronutrients. Look for a digestive enzyme blend that contains enzymes that break down fats (lipases) and proteins (proteases) to help optimize digestion during a keto diet.
- Greens Powder: Greens powders can be added to drinks, shakes, and smoothies, but they shouldn’t replace fresh produce.
- Electrolyte Supplements: Focusing on staying well hydrated and getting enough electrolytes is key on the keto diet, especially for preventing keto flu symptoms when transitioning to this way of eating.
Is the Keto Diet Worth It?
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.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
tags: #keto #cleanse #supplement #review