The ketogenic diet, or "keto" diet, has gained considerable attention as a potential weight-loss strategy due to the low-carb diet craze. The premise of the ketogenic diet for weight loss is that if you deprive the body of glucose-the main source of energy for all cells in the body, which is obtained by eating carbohydrate foods-an alternative fuel called ketones is produced from stored fat. So-called “keto pills” are those that claim to boost ketosis, which is a process in which the body burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. 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.
What are Keto Pills?
Many keto pills contain BHB salts or BHB esters and are promoted as a natural weight loss supplement. The three most common types of keto diet supplements are Keto pills, Keto powders, and Keto gummies. Keto powders are similar to keto pills, keto powders contain some form of BHB. 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. Some keto gummies may also contain MCT oil, and most are sweetened with a non-nutritive sweetening agent, such as stevia.
How the Keto Diet Works
The ketogenic diet typically reduces total carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams a day-less than the amount found in a medium plain bagel-and can be as low as 20 grams a day. Generally, popular ketogenic resources suggest an average of 70-80% fat from total daily calories, 5-10% carbohydrate, and 10-20% protein. For a 2000-calorie diet, this translates to about 165 grams fat, 40 grams carbohydrate, and 75 grams protein. The protein amount on the ketogenic diet is kept moderate in comparison with other low-carb high-protein diets, because eating too much protein can prevent ketosis.
During fasting, or when very little carbohydrate is eaten, the body first pulls stored glucose from the liver and temporarily breaks down muscle to release glucose. If this continues for 3-4 days and stored glucose is fully depleted, blood levels of a hormone called insulin decrease, and the body begins to use fat as its primary fuel.
The liver produces ketone bodies from fat, which can be used in the absence of glucose. When ketone bodies accumulate in the blood, this is called ketosis. Healthy individuals naturally experience mild ketosis during periods of fasting (e.g., sleeping overnight) and very strenuous exercise. Proponents of the ketogenic diet state that if the diet is carefully followed, blood levels of ketones should not reach a harmful level (known as “ketoacidosis”) as the brain will use ketones for fuel, and healthy individuals will typically produce enough insulin to prevent excessive ketones from forming. How soon ketosis happens and the number of ketone bodies that accumulate in the blood is variable from person to person and depends on factors such as body fat percentage and resting metabolic rate.
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Ingredients in Keto Pills
Many keto pills contain ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), a compound that the liver produces from fats. Such supplements are also 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. However, there’s no evidence to support that keto pills can help prevent keto flu.
Some keto gummies may also contain medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil. Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil may provide a quick source of energy, explains Rancourt.
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,” 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.”
Benefits of Keto Pills
Proponents of keto pills claim that taking extra ketones in the diet may help the body lose weight by using ketones for energy and, therefore, burn fat. The claim is that you can take these keto diet pills and not have to follow a low-carb diet.
Czerwony says potential benefits include:
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- Increase weight loss.
- Improve athletic performance.
- Decrease your appetite.
Research on Keto Pills
Research on keto pills has thus far not shown any serious health risks or side effects.
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.
Ultimately, the jury is still out on whether or not these supplements work. But one thing is for certain: Experts do not recommend keto pills - or any diet pill, for that matter.
Side Effects and Risks of Keto Pills
Even if there are no reported risks of taking keto pills, keep in mind that dietary supplements, including keto pills, are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and may not do what they claim, may not contain quantities of ingredients listed on the label, or may not contain the ingredients in listed on the label at all. Some may contain additional ingredients not listed. Many don’t work as advertised, and some may even be dangerous.
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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.
The keto diet - and the addition of a keto supplement like gummies - can potentially lower your blood sugar, leading to hypoglycemic responses. And it can dehydrate you as well.
Ketoacidosis: A Serious Risk
Excessive ketone bodies can produce a dangerously toxic level of acid in the blood, called ketoacidosis. During ketoacidosis, the kidneys begin to excrete ketone bodies along with body water in the urine, causing some fluid-related weight loss. Ketoacidosis most often occurs in individuals with type 1 diabetes because they do not produce insulin, a hormone that prevents the overproduction of ketones. However in a few rare cases, ketoacidosis has been reported to occur in nondiabetic individuals following a prolonged very low carbohydrate diet.
The Importance of Consulting a Healthcare Professional
If one chooses to start a ketogenic diet, it is recommended to consult with one’s physician and a dietitian to closely monitor any biochemical changes after starting the regimen, and to create a meal plan that is tailored to one’s existing health conditions and to prevent nutritional deficiencies or other health complications.
CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid)
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a type of fat. Dairy and beef are major sources of CLA in the diet. Most CLA supplements are made from safflower oil.
CLA might help reduce body fat deposits and improve immune function. The average diet supplies 15-174 mg of CLA daily. People commonly take CLA by mouth for weight loss. It is also often used for bodybuilding and fitness, but there is limited scientific evidence to support these uses.
Uses & Effectiveness of CLA
CLA is possibly effective for:
- High blood pressure: Taking CLA by mouth along with a drug called ramipril seems to reduce blood pressure more than ramipril alone in people with uncontrolled high blood pressure. However, taking CLA alone does not seem to reduce blood pressure.
- Obesity: Taking CLA by mouth daily might help decrease body fat in adults and children. CLA might also reduce feelings of hunger, but it's not clear if this reduces food intake. CLA doesn't seem to decrease body weight or body mass index (BMI) in most people.
CLA is possibly ineffective for:
- Common cold: Taking CLA by mouth does not prevent or reduce symptoms of the common cold.
- Diabetes: Taking CLA by mouth does not improve pre-meal or post-meal blood sugar or insulin levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
- High levels of cholesterol or other fats (lipids) in the blood (hyperlipidemia): Taking CLA by mouth or drinking milk containing CLA doesn't seem to improve levels of cholesterol or blood fats called triglycerides in people with mildly high cholesterol levels.
Side Effects and Precautions of CLA
When taken by mouth, CLA is likely safe when taken in amounts normally found in foods, such as milk and beef. It is possibly safe when taken in larger amounts as medicine. It might cause side effects such as stomach upset, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, and headache.
Special precautions and warnings:
- Pregnancy and breast-feeding: CLA is likely safe when taken by mouth in amounts normally found in foods. But there isn't enough reliable information to know if CLA is safe to use in larger amounts when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
- Children: CLA is likely safe when taken by mouth in amounts normally found in foods. CLA supplements are possibly safe for children when taken by mouth for up to 7 months. There isn't enough reliable information to know if long-term use of supplements is safe.
- Bleeding disorders: CLA supplements might slow blood clotting. In theory, CLA might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding in people with bleeding disorders.
- Diabetes: There are concerns that taking CLA supplements can worsen diabetes. Avoid use.
- Metabolic syndrome: There are concerns that taking CLA supplements might increase the risk of getting diabetes if you have metabolic syndrome. Use cautiously.
- Surgery: CLA supplements might cause extra bleeding during and after surgery. Stop using it at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
Interactions of CLA
Moderate interaction:
- CLA might lower blood pressure. Taking CLA along with medications that lower blood pressure might cause blood pressure to go too low. Monitor your blood pressure closely.
- CLA might slow blood clotting. Taking CLA along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.
- Taking CLA along with ramipril seems to lower blood pressure more than taking ramipril alone. Taking CLA plus ramipril might cause your blood pressure to go too low. Monitor blood pressure closely.
Dosing of CLA
CLA is naturally found in foods such as dairy and beef. The average diet supplies 15-174 mg of CLA daily. As a supplement, CLA has most often been used by adults in doses of 1.6-6.8 grams by mouth daily for 2-12 weeks. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what dose might be best for a specific condition.