Ketone beverages (exogenous ketones) are ketone supplements that come in liquid, powder, or pill form. Ketone esters (drinks) and salts (powders) are the most popular products.
Regardless of what you want to go for, you stand to gain a lot from them. This is because ketone drinks come with plenty of benefits that include:
They suppress hunger
The keto diet is excellent for weight loss, and part of this can be related to the perks of ketosis, which include hunger suppression. Following an overnight fast, 15 healthy-weight subjects who drank a ketone esters beverage felt 50% less hungry than other participants who drank a sugar drink.
Lower levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin were linked to the appetite-suppressing effect between two and four hours after drinking the ketone ester drink. It’s important to note that this study was conducted after an overnight fast; hence, participants are more likely to enter ketosis effectively than if they had just eaten a meal.
Increases fat burning
When your body breaks down fat for energy, it produces ketones, which can be used as your body’s and brain’s primary energy source. This process occurs when the body does not have enough carbs for fuel.
By altering your metabolism this way, your body may burn fat more efficiently, resulting in a higher rate of fat loss and overall weight loss. Furthermore, the breakdown of fat for energy aids in reducing hunger, allowing for a more balanced and sustainable diet. This also means that your body burns stored fat while in ketosis.
May improve Alzheimer’s disease
A male patient with early-onset, sporadic Alzheimer’s disease was given ketogenic metabolic treatment (KMT) in the form of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) and KME in a 2015 case report. Within three months, the patient’s cognitive and physical abilities improved dramatically, and their mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score increased from 12 to 20.
Furthermore, the patient improved in many facets of daily living, including regaining the capacity to recite, write the alphabet, and dress.
Optimizes workouts
While the data supporting ketone beverages and greater workout performance is mixed, one study found that being in a metabolic state of ketosis improves physical endurance. The unique metabolic state increased physical endurance in five distinct investigations of 39 high-performance athletes by modifying fuel competition for oxidative respiration.
Furthermore, ketosis reduced muscle glycolysis and plasma lactate levels while offering an alternate substrate for oxidative phosphorylation. Even with normal muscle glycogen, co-ingested carbs, and raised insulin, ketosis boosted intramuscular triacylglycerol oxidation during exercise.
It helps transition into ketosis
Ketone beverages can be beneficial (particularly on the keto diet) because they provide your body with a direct source of ketones, which can be easily used as fuel. Using the drinks to transition, on the other hand, can help you in various ways.
For example, individuals starting the keto diet may supplement to help their bodies enter ketosis. Exogenous ketones can speed up entering ketosis after restricting carbs for 2-4 days.
Others may supplement to avoid the feared ‘keto flu,’ which causes flu-like symptoms when you begin the diet. Common symptoms include nausea, headaches, lethargy, bloating, irritability, and severe stomach discomfort.
If you have lower ketosis levels, ketone supplements can help. Consuming 50 grams of carbohydrates daily can cause your body to exit ketosis, which can happen quickly with a daily carb intake of 225 to 325 grams.
Ketone drinks can help your body transition into ketosis (as long as you maintain low-carb levels) if you don’t want to go full keto but still want to get the benefits of a low-carb diet.
A 28-day study examined the effects of rats given 5-10 g/kg ketone supplementation. Researchers discovered that exogenous ketone beverages increased ketone levels without reducing carbs. As a result, weight was reduced compared to placebo patients.
While keto drinks are great, they come with their fair share of negatives when you don’t take the right ones or fail to consume them correctly. To stay safe, consume LifeAid keto drinks or any other high-quality keto drinks.
Some of the common side effects that you can have include:
- Electrolyte imbalance: High amounts of ketones in the bloodstream might make some people thirstier than usual, leading to dehydration. Many ketone salt beverages have electrolytes added to help with the imbalance.
- Digestive problems:Â High blood ketone levels can frequently produce an unsettled stomach, resulting in loss of appetite, nausea, or vomiting.
- Hypoglycemia:Â Ketones can create dangerously low blood sugar levels, which is especially dangerous for people with diabetes. It can also make people feel tired or drowsy.
- Diabetes-related ketoacidosis (DKA): Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) happens when the body is forced to utilize fat instead of glucose due to a significant lack of insulin. When ketones are released but not examined regularly, they can accumulate and cause your blood to become acidic. DKA can be fatal; therefore, knowing the signs is crucial. Those with type 1 diabetes are more likely to develop DKA than those with type 2 diabetes. You are at risk of DKA if your blood ketone levels are high. Seek medical assistance right away if you suspect DKA.
When is the best time to consume ketone drinks?
You should take ketone supplements the first morning to replenish your body’s ketones. Alternatively, you can supplement 30-60 minutes before your session to maximize performance if you intend to exercise.
How do you know you need to supplement with ketones?
A fast blood test is the most accurate way to determine keto levels. This will tell you whether your levels are low, and you may decide whether to supplement. Then, when your body adjusts, you can establish a more constant routine for when to take them.
Which is better? Esters or salts
While they both serve the same purpose, ketone esters are more effective than salts since they are bioidentical to endogenous ketones and operate faster. They are, however, significantly more expensive, and some people don’t like their taste.
There is no way to tell you what you should take. It’s all up to you.
