The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a popular dietary approach characterized by low carbohydrate and high fat intake. This dietary composition shifts the body into a metabolic state known as ketosis, where fat is used as the primary energy source instead of carbohydrates.
What are Keto Gummies?
Keto gummies are supplements designed to support a ketogenic diet and aid in weight loss, boost energy, and enhance metabolism. These supplements resemble ordinary chewable vitamins but offer purported health benefits related to ketosis.
Regulation and Composition
It is crucial to understand that dietary supplements, including keto gummies, are not evaluated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safety or efficacy. This means that the ingredients and their amounts can vary significantly between brands, so you should be warry of the ingredients.
Most keto gummies contain medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of saturated fat that the body converts into energy. Exogenous ketones are also found in keto gummies, and are produced outside the body and consumed orally. These include ketone salts and ketone esters, which vary in chemical structure and potency. Some keto gummies may also include gelatin or natural sweeteners like Stevia.
How Ketosis Works
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. When carbohydrate intake is restricted, the body enters "nutritional ketosis" and begins to break down fat for energy. This process results in the production of ketones, which are then used as fuel.
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Exogenous Ketones
Keto gummies are marketed as a way to help boost ketone levels in the blood. Exogenous ketones are ketones produced outside of the body and consumed orally, as opposed to endogenous ketones, which 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.
BHB: The Potential Miracle Molecule
Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is one of the three ketones the body produces during states of fasting or through low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets. In both contexts, the body naturally changes its primary source of energy from glucose (provided by carbohydrates) to stored fat. Fat is broken down and BHB is formed, providing an alternate energy source for every part of the body, including the brain.
Of the three ketone bodies produced during ketosis (BHB, acetone, and acetoacetate), BHB is present in significantly higher quantities in the blood. BHB is more than just an energy source for the body. It is also a signaling molecule that triggers protective mechanisms in cells. BHB has the potential to induce a protective state in the cells and make them more resistant to oxidative stress.
BHB Benefits
BHB appears to affect beneficially epilepsy, lifespan, cognitive ability, and Alzheimer’s. BHB supplementation in the diet improves cognitive performance in rats and reduces food cravings by regulating appetite and hunger hormones. BHB also helps increase the synthesis of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that we need for proper brain health. BHB has been shown to inhibit a complex known as the NLRP inflammasome, which could reduce levels of inflammation within the brain. BHB is associated with better cognitive performance and memory in Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive deficit.
Claims vs. Reality: Do Keto Gummies Work?
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. These products are not evidence-based and often rely on misleading marketing.
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Keto weight loss pills are nutritional supplements designed to help your body achieve or stay in ketosis. However, there are questions about the legitimacy of keto weight loss pills, and the safety and efficacy of supplements, including keto weight loss pills, aren’t FDA-approved.
One major misconception about keto weight loss pills is that by raising blood ketone levels, they help your body achieve ketosis and lose weight. While they do help you achieve ketosis, they don’t necessarily help you lose weight. Raising ketone levels in your blood doesn’t immediately translate into weight loss, and many ketone weight loss supplements make misleading claims that they melt off pounds without you having to follow a ketogenic diet. This simply isn’t true.
While exogenous ketones (ketones taken from supplements) have been shown in studies to increase blood ketone levels, they have not been shown to result in weight loss. Forcefully elevating your blood ketone levels by taking a supplement isn’t the same as producing ketones naturally or being in a state of ketosis.
Potential Indirect Benefits
While keto weight loss pills don’t melt fat to cause weight loss, they may help weight loss efforts in a minor, indirect way. Research is still being done and is far from conclusive, but some studies show that keto weight loss pills may help with weight loss indirectly.
A small study on ketones and appetite of 15 people showed a 50% reduction in perceived hunger and desire to eat following drinking a ketone ester beverage before bed compared to the placebo group who received a simple sugar drink. Participants who got the ketone drink also experienced a reduction in ghrelin levels, the body’s primary hunger hormone.
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Some dieters swear that taking keto weight loss pills reduces their keto flu symptoms. Research to prove this or identify a connection is sparse at best, But, if keto weight loss pills make the transition to a ketogenic diet easier, it may be worth trying, provided you consult with your healthcare provider before starting either.
There’s some evidence to support that certain keto weight loss pills help with blood sugar fluctuations. A review of several studies on the effects of exogenous ketones on blood glucose (sugar) concluded that they increase blood ketone levels and reduce blood sugar levels. While lower blood sugar won’t directly cause weight loss, it’s thought that better blood sugar control may help with cravings and hunger, which can have a positive effect on weight management.
Types of Keto Weight Loss Pills
There are a variety of keto diet pills for weight loss. The most popular types are covered here while the most popular brands are covered in the table below.
Exogenous simply means ketones that come from an outside source like a supplement, as opposed to endogenous ketones, which are the ones your body produces naturally. Most of the studies on keto weight loss pills that do show benefits, like appetite suppression, are done on exogenous ketones. There are two primary types of exogenous ketones: salts and esters. Ketone salts are far more common on the market and accessible to the public. They consist of synthetic ketones bound to an electrolyte, such as magnesium, sodium, or calcium. They come in many forms, including pills, powders, and drinks. Ketone esters contain beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), the most common ketone produced by the body. They’re considered more powerful, but are much more expensive and have a very strong, even revolting, taste.
MCT oil or MCTs are a type of saturated fat your liver quickly converts into ketones. In this way, they boost your body’s own endogenous ketone production. As with exogenous ketones, MCT oil alone won’t put you into ketosis the same way that diet will. You still need to follow a ketogenic diet to lose weight. MCT traditionally comes in an oil form, but there are also powdered products on the market and even MCT oil coffee creamers.
Raspberry ketones are the organic compound that gives raspberries their distinct smell. They’re commonly used in cosmetics and food flavorings. A study published in the Journal of Berry Research showed a small effect on obesity in mice fed whole raspberries, raspberry juice concentrate, and a combination of the raspberry phytochemicals ellagic acid and raspberry ketone, no human studies are available. That means they haven’t been through clinical trials to prove their effectiveness or identify potential risks or side effects.
Potential Risks and Side Effects
It’s important to note that being in ketosis, however, is generally considered safe. 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.
Before taking any new medication or supplement, talk to your healthcare provider. We do know that some keto weight loss pills can cause problems.
Ketone salts contain a lot of salt and may pose a risk to those with conditions like high blood pressure or kidney disease. High amounts of sodium (salt) can be dangerous for those with hypertension. And people with kidney disease have an impaired ability to regulate their electrolytes, one of which is sodium, and have to be careful how much they consume. Even in healthy people, too many electrolytes and too much salt can lead to imbalances, which can affect vital functions like heart rhythm. Exogenous ketone supplements may also cause serious stomach upset. People with diabetes may be at risk for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) due to the potential blood-sugar-lowering effects of keto diet pills. If you’re diabetic, always monitor your blood sugar and know how different food affects your blood sugar levels.
MCT oil is a type of saturated fat. MCTs are different in chemical structure than standard long-chain triglycerides (LCTs). MCT though may pose some of the same risks as LCTs, like causing a small increase in triglyceride levels, which may lead to arterial and heart disease later.
A study on raspberry ketones published in Plants concluded that they “can be considered safe and efficacious with limited side effects as an alternative to modern medicines in the treatment of major lifestyle-based diseases.”
Responsible Use and Alternatives
If you want to try keto supplements, talk with your doctor and consider what’s available to you. Before you hop on the keto gummy bandwagon, Czerwony suggests looking at your diet first if you’re struggling to stay in ketosis. 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.
Other proven effective options for weight loss include obesity counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy, such as through a therapist found on Klarity Health. A therapist can help you identify emotional and mental triggers that lead to overeating. There are also a variety of other medical weight loss programs and medications. These programs and medications include the guidance of a healthcare provider and are proven to help people lose weight. And prescription weight loss pills are safer than supplements because any prescription medication your doctor prescribes is tested and FDA-approved for safety and effectiveness.