The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet designed to shift the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. This article explores keto gummies, supplements marketed to support a ketogenic diet and aid in weight loss, energy, and metabolism.
Introduction to Keto Gummies
Keto gummies are supplements that resemble ordinary chewable vitamins but offer a different purported health benefit. These products claim to help keep your body in ketosis. Keto gummies are made with exogenous ketones, which is a term for ketones you get from an outside source.
What is Ketosis?
Ketosis is when your body uses ketones, a fatty acid, for energy instead of glucose. Typically, 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. According to Katie Schwartz, a registered dietitian, "It typically takes a few days of strict carbohydrate restriction to enter this state." Once the body enters a state of ketosis, it begins producing ketones, which are then used for fuel.
How Keto Gummies Fit In
"Keto gummies are marketed as a way to help boost ketone levels in the blood," says Schwartz. Registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD, explains, “Keto gummies are a supplement that adds exogenous ketones into your body, which may help continue ketosis.” 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
Many keto gummies contain apple cider vinegar, an ingredient popularized for its effect on blood sugar levels. However, some keto gummies even contain glucose syrup and glucose-carbohydrates that act counter to ketosis. Several keto gummy products exist with varying ingredients that push the boundaries of what "keto" means.
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Most keto gummies typically contain medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of saturated fat that helps give your body energy, in addition to exogenous ketones. “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.”
Here's a breakdown of common ingredients:
- Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil: MCTs are fatty acids that contain six to 12 carbon molecules. Unlike long-chain triglycerides, the liver absorbs MCTs and breaks them down quickly. MCTs induce the process of making ketones for energy (ketogenesis) with lower fat intake and without requiring carbohydrate restriction. For its ketogenic benefits, it is recommended to start MCT supplementation at a dose of 5 grams daily and gradually increase it to 20 grams daily.
- Ketone esters: Doses of 395 mg per kilogram of body weight significantly increase BHB levels. Ketone esters may enhance muscle-building with exercise and a high-protein diet.
- Ketone salts: A form of ketones that combines ketone acids with sodium or other electrolytes to enhance their effectiveness. Combining ketone salts with MCT may be a promising supplement preparation because it provides ketones and induces ketogenesis at lower ingredient levels.
- Apple cider vinegar: Small studies show the potential benefits of apple cider vinegar on weight loss, but not all research agrees.
- Sugar alcohols: Low-calorie sugar alcohols like mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol contain about half of the calories of sugar. The body absorbs sugar alcohols more slowly than sugar.
- Gelatin and/or pectin: Gelatin is an animal-derived compound that gives gummies their chewy, rubbery texture. Pectin is a plant-based compound used to make vegan gummy products.
What to 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.” It's essential to check product labels.
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. Potential benefits include:
- Increase weight loss. Some research suggests that a keto diet may lead to greater fat loss than a carbohydrate-containing control diet.
- Improve athletic performance. Supplementing with ketones during exercise is thought to reduce how much stored glucose (glycogen) the body uses for energy.
- Decrease your appetite. Drinking a ketone ester supplement raises levels of the ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), suppressing appetite and reducing hunger levels and the desire to eat.
- Muscle protein synthesis. Other lab research suggests that ketone supplementation may improve muscle protein synthesis.
However, 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.
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It is important to recognize the limitations of keto gummies. Keto gummies are unlikely to provide the same benefits as a ketogenic diet and may have little effect on individuals looking for the benefits of keto without following the strict diet.
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. “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.”
- Low blood sugar. “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.”
- Stomach issues. The sugar alcohol content of keto gummies may cause stomach issues in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
- Blood sugar levels. Although evidence yields mixed results, the apple cider vinegar in keto gummies may affect blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. People with kidney disease or diabetes should exercise caution with these supplements.
- Medication interactions. Minimal research exists on keto gummies and their potential interactions with other medications. Consuming a meal or a carb-containing meal with keto supplements may attenuate their effects.
- Inhibition of natural ketone production: Keto gummies and supplements increase blood BHB levels but are not ketogenic and may inhibit some of the body’s natural ketone production.
Precautions
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.
Keto Gummies vs. Keto Supplements vs. Keto Diet
Keto gummies and keto supplements may be similar depending on the product. Keto supplements, including capsules, powders, and liquids, are more likely to contain ketone esters or salts. Oral ketone ester supplements can significantly increase circulating levels of BHB regardless of overall diet. Keto gummies are less likely to contain ketone esters or ketone salts and instead rely on MCT oil that may enhance ketosis. Whether MCT oil in the amount present in keto gummies has a ketogenic effect is unclear.
Keto Gummies vs. Keto Diet
Keto supplements claim to induce ketosis without requiring a ketogenic diet, but keto gummies affect your body differently than a ketogenic diet does. A ketogenic diet increases blood ketone levels within seven days compared to ketone supplements that raise levels immediately following ingestion.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto
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.
Lifestyle Factors for Healthy Body Composition
There is no magic bullet for enhancing athletic performance or altering body composition, and keto gummies are no exception. A holistic approach is recommended:
- Diet: Protein recommendations vary for body composition depending on your activity level and goals. A healthy eating plan with fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy supports body composition. Diets high in saturated fat and added sugar make it harder to maintain. Aim for a balanced plate in which half is non-starchy vegetables, a quarter is protein, and a quarter is whole-grain carbohydrates or starchy vegetables.
- Exercise: A mix of aerobic and resistance training supports a healthy body composition. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise plus two sessions of strength training each week.
- Sleep: Not sleeping enough can influence appetite and increase insulin levels, inflammation, and body weight. Sleeping seven to nine hours every night supports a healthy body composition.
- Support: Healthy group support-either via apps and/or in-person interventions-may greatly enhance your exercise and nutrition journey. A registered dietitian nutritionist can also provide more specific recommendations about your nutrition, movement goals, and more.
Regulatory Considerations
It is important to be aware that dietary supplements are not approved for safety or efficacy by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and ingredients and their amounts may vary. “These products are not evidence-based and often rely on misleading marketing,” says Schwartz.