The ketogenic diet, known as the keto diet, is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet designed to shift the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. Keto gummies are supplements marketed to support this diet, aiding in weight loss, boosting energy, and enhancing metabolism, among other benefits. However, understanding their ingredients and efficacy is crucial.
Understanding Keto Gummies
Keto gummies are supplements resembling ordinary chewable vitamins but offer a different purported health benefit. They are marketed as a way to help boost ketone levels in the blood. 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.
Ketosis Explained
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. Once the body enters a state of ketosis, it begins producing ketones, which are then used for fuel.
Exogenous Ketones
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. Keto gummies are a supplement that adds exogenous ketones into your body, which may help continue ketosis.
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.
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Common Ingredients in Keto Gummies
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. 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.
Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs)
Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil may provide a quick source of energy.
Sweeteners
Regarding sweeteners, it's crucial to examine the label for natural options like Stevia. The absence of added sugars is vital to maintain ketosis while using these supplements.
What to Look for in a Keto Gummy
There are a lot of options available and they all seem comparable. It is suggested opting for something that fits in your budget and buying a small batch at first to make sure you like it.
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.
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Potential benefits include:
- Increase weight loss.
- Improve athletic performance.
- Decrease your appetite.
But, again, 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.
Potential Risks and Side Effects
Are keto gummies safe? Before you decide to try keto gummies, it’s also worth understanding the potential risks.
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. 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.
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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.
Specific Health Conditions
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.
Scientific Evidence and FDA Regulations
Dietary supplements are not approved for safety or efficacy by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and ingredients and their amounts may vary.
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. It’s important to note that being in ketosis, however, is generally considered safe.
Alternatives and Recommendations
Before you hop on the keto gummy bandwagon, consider 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.
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