Should You Use Exogenous Supplements to Put Your Body in Ketosis?
Keto supplements are marketed as a quick fix when you indulge in a non-keto-friendly meal. But are they too good to be true?
WHAT IS KETO EXACTLY?
- Keto — the diet that celebs like Mick Jagger and Halle Barry are said to have tried —although it is said to have been around since the 1920s, the keto diet has recently been adopted as an entirely new way of eating. The aim of the keto diet is to put, and keep, your body in a metabolic state called ketosis.
Our bodies normally burn carbohydrates for energy. When you restrict the amount of carbs, the body will break down stored fat, creating molecules called ketones to use as fuel.
What’s the benefit? For a lot of people, it’s all about weight loss. It takes more work to turn fat into energy than it takes to turn carbs into energy. Because of this, a ketogenic diet can help speed up weight loss. And since the diet is high in protein, it doesn't leave you hungry like other diets do.
Dina Griffin, RDN, with eNRG Performance in Littleton, Colorado, says "people are also drawn to the diet for the potential anticancer and anti-inflammatory benefits and the positive effect it’s been shown to have on athletic performance".
But the problem is, it’s hard to maintain ketosis, and one snack is all it takes to slip up. Going over [about] 50 grams (g) of carbohydrates, would kick you out of ketosis and the weight could come back.
That’s where exogenous ketones come in.
What Are Exogenous Ketones Exactly?
The idea is when you eat something that’s not keto-friendly, you can reach for exogenous ketones to keep your body in ketosis. The word exogenous means created externally, and these supplements are forms of the ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which your body normally creates on its own.
“The purpose is to, in a timely fashion regardless of your dietary pattern, raise your blood level of ketone bodies,” Griffin says. Of course, your body can get back into ketosis through your diet, but that can take a few days, so exogenous ketones are designed to speed up the process.
Another study published in February 2018 in the Journal of Physiology found drinking a ketone ester supplement may lower blood sugar. The study was done on healthy individuals but could be helpful if similar results were found among people with type 2 diabetes.
How to identify a Good Exogenous Ketone Supplement
While several different ketone supplements are on the market, there are a few things to look out for when choosing a good exogenous ketone supplement.
1. Should contain patented goBHB® : While there are several different ketone supplements claiming to contain ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), it's best and safest to choose a supplement with lab tested and approved patented goBHB® by Compound Solutions, Inc. This way, you can be assured that you are taking genuine ketone supplement capsules which will guarantee best results and will not be harmful to your health.
2. Should be made in USA: It's best to always look out for Ketone supplements made in the USA. It's not that supplements made outside of the USA are bad but opting for USA made supplements is one of the best ways to be safe from adulterated supplements. This is because there are standard regulatory bodies present in the USA that oversee the safety and quality of these products.
3. Must be GMP Certified: You must ensure that you choose supplements manufactured in an FDA-registered facility in the USA, and is GMP-certified.
4. GMO Free: A good Exogenous Ketone Supplement should not contain any GMOs and must have been third-party tested to assure only the best quality.
5. Money Back Guarantee: A genuine supplement company should be able to stand behind their product’s safety and quality. They should fully understand the uncertainty of trying new supplements. It is important to choose a company with at least 30 days money back guarantee. This should give you better assurance as regards both the company and the product.
6. Should not be expensive: It is important to avoid excessively expensive exogenous ketone supplements. This is because expensive supplements make continuity difficult and consistency is a very important success factor for the Keto Diet.
The Bottom Line on Using Exogenous Ketones for Ketosis
There’s some support that exogenous ketones can be helpful for people already dutifully following the keto diet — Ketone supplements are claimed to put your body into ketosis without having to follow a ketogenic diet.
One study found that exogenous ketone supplements may decrease appetite for over four hours when taken in a fasted state.
