The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a dietary approach characterized by low carbohydrate and high-fat intake, designed to induce a metabolic state known as ketosis. Keto gummies have emerged as supplements intended to support this ketogenic diet, with purported benefits including weight loss, increased energy, and enhanced metabolism. However, it's essential to understand their ingredients and effectiveness.
Understanding Keto Gummies
Keto gummies are supplements that resemble ordinary chewable vitamins but offer a different purported health benefit. “They’re marketed as a way to help boost ketone levels in the blood,” says Schwartz.
What is Ketosis?
In general, 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. “It typically takes a few days of strict carbohydrate restriction to enter this state,” explains Katie Schwartz, a registered dietitian based in Asheville, North Carolina. But once the body enters a state of ketosis, it begins producing ketones, which are then used for fuel.
Regulatory Landscape
It's crucial to note that dietary supplements, including keto gummies, are not subject to the same rigorous evaluation as pharmaceuticals. Dietary supplements are not approved for safety or efficacy by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and ingredients and their amounts may vary.
Ingredients in Optix Medical Products Keto Gummies
Optix Medical Products Keto Gummies are a specially formulated supplement that combines the power of ketogenic ingredients with the convenience and great taste of gummies.
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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.”
The key components include exogenous ketones, such as beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which helps elevate ketone levels in the body. Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil may provide a quick source of energy, explains Rancourt.
Exogenous Ketones: A Closer Look
Exogenous ketones are produced outside of the body and consumed orally (as opposed to endogenous ketones that are produced inside the body). Exogenous ketones include ketone salts and ketone esters, which have different chemical structures and potencies, with esters considered more potent. When consumed, these gummies provide the body with exogenous ketones, which can help initiate and maintain a state of ketosis. By providing an alternative fuel source in the form of ketones, the gummies help the body transition into fat-burning mode and increase energy levels.
What to Look For
“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.”
Purported Benefits of Keto Gummies
The keto diet - a high-fat diet that keeps your body in a state of ketosis - has its perks. It can help your metabolism speed up, increase your muscle mass and improve your blood pressure - all while helping you lose fat. And it’s all thanks to ketosis, which is when your body uses ketones, a fatty acid, for energy instead of glucose.
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Keto gummies are made with exogenous ketones, which is a fancy term for ketones you get from an outside source. “Your body makes ketones on its own through the foods you eat,” explains registered dietitian Beth Czerwony, RD, LD. “Keto gummies are a supplement that adds exogenous ketones into your body, which may help continue ketosis.”
Czerwony says potential benefits include:
- Increase weight loss.
- Improve athletic performance.
- Decrease your appetite.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Keto Gummies
Research is sparse when it comes to determining whether keto gummies and supplements support losing weight. “There’s no credible evidence that keto gummies can reliably initiate or maintain ketosis,” says Schwartz. “These products are not evidence-based and often rely on misleading marketing,” says Schwartz.
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.
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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Potential Risks and Side Effects
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.
- Low blood sugar.
“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.”
And while some people with Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney issues may opt to go on the keto diet, Czerwony cautions against adding keto gummies to the mix. “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.”
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.
Important Considerations Before Trying 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.