The ketogenic diet has gained immense popularity as a weight-loss strategy. This article dives into the details of Keto Drive, an exogenous ketone supplement by Zhou Nutrition, examining its ingredients, potential benefits, and possible side effects.
What are Exogenous Ketones?
Exogenous ketones are supplements designed to rapidly elevate blood ketone levels, offering an external source of ketones to the body. Ketones support mental energy, focus, and physical performance during workouts and may have a beneficial effect on blood sugar. They come in two primary forms:
- Ketone Esters: Generally less popular due to their higher cost and unpleasant taste.
- Ketone Salts: A more common and palatable option.
Keto Drive utilizes ketone salts to help users achieve ketosis more efficiently.
Keto Drive: An Overview
Keto Drive Exogenous Ketones are manufactured by Zhou Nutrition, a supplement company that aims to provide high-quality products. Zhou Nutrition, founded in 2014 and based in Utah, formulates its supplements with quality ingredients, which are tested to ensure that buyers get exactly what was promised. Keto Drive aims to provide a fast track to ketosis.
Ingredients of Keto Drive
The key ingredients in Keto Drive include:
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- goBHB Blend: Keto Drive contains 11.7 grams of the proprietary blend “goBHB” but does not specify the amount of each actual BHB salt present per serving. This blend is a patented BHB complex designed to increase blood ketone levels.
- Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB): Consisting of calcium beta-hydroxybutyrate, magnesium beta-hydroxybutyrate, and sodium beta-hydroxybutyrate, BHB ketones are commonly added to ketogenic formulas for their ability to usher in ketosis, forcing the body to utilize its fat reserves for fuel instead of carbs. BHB ketones contain around 4-7 calories per gram.
- Vitamin A: An essential nutrient with various health benefits.
- Calcium: Included for its bone-building and bone-maintaining effects.
- Magnesium: Magnesium plays a crucial role in several of the body’s biochemical processes.
- Sodium: An electrolyte that helps maintain fluid balance.
It's worth noting that Keto Drive contains three different types of gums: acacia gum, xanthan gum, and guar gum. Guar gum, in particular, can trigger digestive symptoms like gas and bloating in some individuals.
Benefits of Keto Drive
Keto Drive is designed to offer several potential benefits:
- Rapid Ketosis: The BHB ketones in Keto Drive aim to help users achieve ketosis more quickly.
- Weight Loss: By promoting ketosis, Keto Drive may support the body's reliance on fat for fuel, potentially leading to weight loss.
- Increased Energy: Users report that Keto Drive can provide a boost of energy without the use of caffeine.
- Improved Athletic Endurance: The ketones in Keto Drive may enhance physical performance and endurance.
- Enhanced Mental Focus: The supplement is claimed to improve mental performance and focus.
- Regulation of Blood Sugar and Cholesterol Levels: It may also help regulate blood cholesterol and sugar levels.
- Boost Cognitive Function: Improving cognitive performance.
- Improve Overall Wellbeing: Elevate energy levels and boost overall wellness.
Potential Side Effects
While Keto Drive is generally considered safe when taken as directed, some potential side effects should be considered:
- Digestive Issues: The presence of guar gum may cause gas and bloating in some individuals.
- Taste: Some users may find the taste of exogenous ketones unpalatable.
User Reviews and Feedback
Keto Drive has largely positive reviews. The most common themes are its sweet taste and ability to mix well with water. Many reviewers on sites like Amazon have reported experiencing weight loss with regular use.
Here are some user testimonials:
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
- "Great flavor and mixes perfectly."
- "Absolutely delicious. Just mix with water and ice. Don’t need to add anything else. Love it."
- "Yummy! I was on the hunt for ketones and I spent quite a bit of time reading reviews on the Strawberry Lemonade, I’m so glad I pulled the trigger! It is not too sweet, doesn’t leave an aftertaste, and is incredibly refreshing."
- "I just received my order of Strawberry lemonade base and I am addicted! I added a couple of strawberries, a bit of watermelon, Ice, and some lemon carbonated water and this is better than the frozen lemonade you get at any amusement park or refreshment stand!"
- "I’ve been adding this to my iced coffee in the mornings and it’s made a huge difference. Way more energy throughout the day and less cravings."
- "I cannot say enough about this product. This is the first time that I’ve ever tried it. I just got back into ketogenesis and I had zero keto withdrawals and for me, that’s absolutely amazing because I am a sugar addict. I have no cravings. I feel energy."
- "I’ve been using this product for over a year. So that should tell how good it is. 50 lbs lighter and more active. Won’t lie I’ve tried others but it was the last time I did."
However, not all reviews are glowing. One user noted, "My keto strips did not show any difference with this product," indicating that individual results may vary.
Comparison with Other Keto Supplements
When comparing Keto Drive to other keto supplements like Perfect Keto, some differences emerge. Perfect Keto Exogenous Ketones are made with all-natural clean ingredients with no fillers or substitutes and does not contain any gums, colors, fillers, or substitutes. Keto Drive, on the other hand, contains gums that may cause digestive issues in some users.
Both Perfect Keto and Keto Drive exogenous ketones are designed to help you achieve ketosis rapidly. Keto Drive contains 11.7 grams of the proprietary blend “goBHB” but does not specify the amount of each actual BHB salt present per serving.
Taste and Flavor
Most users seem to find the taste of Keto Drive palatable. The only downside is that only two flavors are available. Perfect Keto Exogenous Ketones base went through six months of reformulation and reiteration to arrive at a pleasant taste without adding any sugar or artificial sweeteners. According to reviewers, you won’t notice any of the bitterness that’s found in most other ketone salts. One reviewer even compared the Chocolate flavor to the Orange Tang drink.
Price and Value
Keto Drive and Perfect Keto exogenous ketones have a similar price point. Keto Drive is an above-average product, but unlike Perfect Keto, Zhou Nutrition doesn’t specialize in keto supplements.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
How to Use Keto Drive
If you’re just beginning your keto journey, start with a little less than the recommended serving, to see what your tolerance is before you fully dive in.
Guarantee
Zhou Nutrition offers a 60-day money-back guarantee on products purchased on the official Zhou Nutrition site and their Amazon store.
The Ketogenic Diet: A Quick Overview
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. The goal when starting the ketogenic diet is to get yourself into a state of what’s called “ketosis” - where your body relies on ketones for fuel instead of carbohydrates. Ketones are a type of acid that your liver creates from fat, and then sends into your bloodstream to be used for energy.
The ketogenic diet isn’t a modern trend or fleeting fad. In fact, the earliest form of it dates back to the time of ancient Greece, when physicians noticed that altering an epileptic patient’s diet drastically helped reduce the frequency and intensity of their seizures.
Keto Gummies: An Alternative?
Keto gummies are supplements marketed to help support a ketogenic diet and help with weight loss, energy and metabolism, among other things. But what’s actually in them-and do they work? Dietary supplements are not approved for safety or efficacy by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and ingredients and their amounts may vary.