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Supplements To Increase Ketosis

3 Supplements To Jumpstart Ketosis

3 Supplements To Jumpstart Ketosis

For some, adding supplements may make the ketogenic transition easier, or may even improve tolerance to certain foods. Here are 3 supplements that can help you kick start ketosis, improve blood sugar control, and fat digestion. Supplemental medium-chain triglycerides oil is the ketotic dieters best kept secret. The short and medium length fats can directly enter the mitochondria sparing precious cellular energy transport (ATP). Supplementation with MCT oil allows for a very biochemically efficient means to produce ketones. Longer chain fats, such as those found in omega-3s, require multi-step enzymatic conversion and are less efficiently converted to ketones despite having other health promoting properties. MCT oil is neutrally flavored, or available in a coconut flavor which can easily be added to a high fat smoothie. Dr. C sneaks plain MCT oil into butter coffee and drizzled over vegetables. Coconut oil is a source of MCTs but is not as well absorbed as the emulsified, highly concentrated supplemental forms. MCT oil can be cooked with due to its high smoke point. Use it liberally to boost your total fat content and stimulate nutritional ketosis on your very low carbohydrate diet. Reaching metabolic ketosis may be harder for some individuals than others. This is primarily due to the fact that carbohydrate tolerance is individualized. For some, even the smallest amount of carbohydrate intake can cause surges in blood sugar. Careful monitoring of this using blood glucose/ketone monitors will help you discover how sensitive you are to carbohydrate intake. Still others may have comorbid metabolic issues such as metabolic syndrome or PCOS, which will make them especially sensitive to carbohydrate due to the early stages of insulin resistance. Not sure? Work with a doctor w Continue reading >>

5 Of The Best Keto Supplements (to Help You Stay In Ketosis)

5 Of The Best Keto Supplements (to Help You Stay In Ketosis)

The Best Keto Supplements for a Ketogenic Diet The Ketogenic Diet has been proven time and time again to help with medical conditions such as: Alzheimer’s Disease: Research is increasingly linking sugar with Alzheimer’s, and a Ketogenic diet can reduce the symptoms of this disease and slow down it’s progression. (source) Parkinson’s Disease: One study found a Ketogenic Diet can help the symptoms of this disease. (source) Polycistic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): The Ketogenic Diet can help reduce insulin levels. Elevated insulin levels are associated with PCOS. (source) Insulin Resistance/Diabetes: A Ketogenic Diet is designed to not produce an insulin response in the body, resulting in lower insulin levels in the blood, helping to control these diseases. Acne: Studies have been linking sugar and insulin levels to acne, and a Ketogenic Diet has virtually no sugar. (source) Cancer: The Ketogenic Diet is currently being used to treat some types of cancer and to slow tumor’s growth. (source) Heart Disease: Eating more fat on Keto improves risk factors for heart disease such as body fat percentages, blood pressure, blood sugar, and HDL Levels. (source) Read More: Keto 101 (What The Heck is a Ketogenic Diet?) As time goes on, however, staying in Ketosis can get more difficult than it was in the beginning. You still want to reap the benefits of being in Ketosis, but staying in it can get tough because your body adapts, you get busy, or you may even get bored. Sure, if you eat 100% perfectly and never, ever have anything go wrong or unplanned in your life. But that’s not me. And I’m going to guess that’s not you either. (Sorry, I love you but the truth sometimes hurts) If you’re needing a little bit of help, Keto supplements can be a good avenue to explore. Unfortuna Continue reading >>

12 Great Herbs And Supplements To Improve Ketosis

12 Great Herbs And Supplements To Improve Ketosis

A ketogenic diet is a very low carbohydrate, moderate protein and high fat based nutrition plan. A ketogenic diet trains the individual’s metabolism to run off of fatty acids or ketone bodies. This is called fat adapted, when the body has adapted to run off of fatty acids/ketones at rest. This article will cover how best to improve ketosis and supplement a healthy lifestyle. This nutrition plan has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation. This leads to reduced risk of chronic disease as well as improved muscle development and fat metabolism (1, 2). Ketogenic diets have been quite popular over the last 10 years due to the beneficial effects being in stable ketosis has on brain function, aging and chronic disease development. People all around the world have tried going on a specific ketogenic diet and lifestyle with varying results. Here are some helpful herbs, foods and supplements that are often overlooked by individuals who are trying to achieve and improve ketosis. 1. Use Fresh Lemon/Lime: Lemon and lime contain citric acid which helps to reduce blood sugar levels naturally (3). Additionally, the anti-oxidants and trace minerals such as potassium help to improve insulin signaling boost liver function and stabilize blood sugar. How To Use: Put lemon or lime in your water and use it in your green juices, salads and squeezed over meat and cooked veggies to help improve your blood sugar and improve ketosis. 2. Use Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is naturally high in acetic acid. The use of acetic acid with meals has been shown to reduce the glycemic response of a typical carbohydrate meal by 31% (4). One study actually showed that using acetic acid reduced a carbohydrate rich meal from a typical glycemic index of 100 to 64 (5). Continue reading >>

Four New, Cutting-edge Ways To Easily Shift Your Body Into Fat-burning Mode & Ketosis.

Four New, Cutting-edge Ways To Easily Shift Your Body Into Fat-burning Mode & Ketosis.

Great article. You actually answered my question as to the ratio of the 3 BHB salts which is quite helpful for me. For me, I had Keto O/S and found it quite good – my favorite was the chocolate swirl. But it was and is very expensive. Only 15-20 servings and would break the bank. So I turned to KetoCaNa and I’ve tried two flavours. Both of them were so salty that I almost threw up every time. Like flavoured sea water. Also only 15 serving per bottle. Then I turned to Ketond which is okay – Tigers Blood and Caramel Macchiato. What I like about Ketond is that it has a full 30 servings and is very transparent with it’s ingredients. It’s also the same price as Keto OS but you get 30 servings. But still, not the best taste. So in the end, I ordered 1kg of pure BHB Magnesium from a supplier in China and I will be developing my own Ketone product with 30 servings as a lower price than all the competitors, and with more Magnesium, and Calcium in it than Sodium so that it tastes the best and actually helps with weight loss (which Magnesium is proven to do at the right amount). What the companies don’t tell you is that actually Sodium BHB is the cheapest, then Calcium BHB and then Magnesium BHB to source so I would be interested in knowing if what you wrote is actually true or just an excuse to make the product cheaper. Probably a mix of both. So I have 2 questions Ben: 1. If you had to split the 11.7g of BHB into Sodium, Ca, and Mg, what ratio would you do for the best health results and potential weight loss? The current products on the market are about an 80/12/8 split. I would think it should be the other way around. 2. When I develop my own product and sell it, would you be up for sampling it and reviewing it on your website here? What flavours do you like/would Continue reading >>

The 7 Best Keto Supplements For The Ketogenic Diet

The 7 Best Keto Supplements For The Ketogenic Diet

Ketogenic Diets (more specifically, Cyclic Ketogenic Diets) are the most effective diets for achieving rapid, ultra low bodyfat levels with maximum muscle retention. Now, as with all such general statements there are circumstantial exceptions. But done right – which they rarely are – the fat loss achievable on a ketogenic diet is nothing short of staggering. And despite what people might tell you, you will also enjoy incredible high energy and overall sense of well being. The Perception Despite these promises, more bodybuilders/shapers have had negative experiences than have seen positive results. The main criticisms are: Chronic lethargy Unbearable hunger Massive decrease in gym performance Severe muscle loss All of these criticisms result from a failure to heed the caveat above: Ketogenic Diets must be done right. It must be realised that they are an entirely unique metabolic modality that adheres to none of the previously accepted ‘rules’ of dieting. And there is no going half-way; 50 grams of carbs per day plus high protein intake is NOT ketogenic. So how are ketogenic diets ‘done right’? Let’s take a quick look at how they work. Overview of Ketosis Simply put our body, organs, muscles and brain can use either glucose or ketones for fuel. It is the function of the liver and pancreas (primarily) to regulate that fuel supply and they show a strong bias toward sticking with glucose. Glucose is the ‘preferred’ fuel because it is derived in abundance from the diet and readily available readily from liver and muscle stores. Ketones have to be deliberately synthesised by the liver; but the liver can easily synthesise glucose (a process known as ‘gluconeogenesis’ that uses amino acids (protein) or other metabolic intermediaries) too. We don’t get bet Continue reading >>

Using Supplements To Maximize Your Ketogenic Diet

Using Supplements To Maximize Your Ketogenic Diet

Science shows that the ketogenic diet is an effective way to lower blood sugar in diabetes, control insulin resistance, and optimize cholesterol. One of the most common questions we get from people is how to utilize supplements to further reap the benefits of a carbohydrate-restricted diet. Below we outline some science-backed supplements and reasons you might want to use them in order to optimize your carbohydrate-restricted diet. About 145 million Americans use nutritional supplements each year—that’s almost one-half of the population. [1] Fight Triglycerides with Fish Oil Supplements According to Nutrition Business Journal, Americans spend over 1.2 billion dollars on fish oil supplements per year. But what are they exactly and can they benefit your health? Fish oil supplements are capsules that contain various oils derived from the liver and skin of fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel. They are rich on a special kind molecule called omega-3 fatty acids, a polyunsaturated fat which helps protect against heart disease and potentially a variety of other health conditions. Omega-3 fatty acids come in one of three varieties. The first one is called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is found in foods like canola oil, soybean oil, walnuts, and chia seeds. The other two, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are only found in fatty fish and fish oil supplements. Omega 3 fatty acids are an essential food; this means that it isn’t naturally produced by the body and you must obtain it through dietary means. Unfortunately, many American don’t get enough of any of these three types of omega-3 fatty acids in their diets. Recent research suggests that fish oil supplements may lower levels of triglycerides, fat molecules found in the blood Continue reading >>

Using Supplements On Keto: The Top 16 And Why You Need Them

Using Supplements On Keto: The Top 16 And Why You Need Them

Using Supplements on Keto: The Top 16 and Why You Need Them Being in ketosis is not healthy by itself. After all, anyone can induce ketosis by eating cubes of cheese and nothing else. Thats not healthy. What makes ketosis and the ketogenic diet healthy or not depends on the quality of macros and micronutrients youre consuming. It can be challenging to obtain all of your nutrition in while also trying to focus on getting the right amount of macros . So thats where supplements come in. To lead a healthy ketogenic diet, you need to understand supplements. Each of those points about using supplements on keto will be answered in this article: The ketogenic diet is unique because it changes the way your body works. Your default energy source is glucose from carbs. You take away this primary source of energy when you start a very low carb diet. Your body cranks gears and shifts to an alternate energy source. Your body starts ketogenesis: your gallbladder and liver release stored fats in your body, and, alongside fat intake, turn these fats into ketones, the bodys alternate energy fuel. From being a carb-fueled machine, you shift to being a fat-fueled machine. This change is huge, and like all changes, it will take some pain and adjustment while your body settles. Supplements help you go through this change with little to no pain, literally. While not always necessary on a keto diet, supplements can help: Reduce the uncomfortable symptoms of keto flu , which is often caused by a lack of vitamins and minerals during the transition to ketosis. Fill in any nutritional gaps of your ketogenic diet. Maximize keto results, such as better energy levels and faster weight and fat loss. Using supplements on keto helps you be at your best, and understanding how certain supplements work ma Continue reading >>

Top 8 Keto Supplements And 5 Functional Foods

Top 8 Keto Supplements And 5 Functional Foods

So you’ve decided to go keto and you’ve done all of your research on which foods you’ll be eating on the keto diet. But before you do your next big grocery run, you may want to consider these keto supplements too. While supplements aren’t 100% necessary on the keto diet, certain keto supplements can maximize your results by accelerating weight and fat loss and boosting your energy levels. Some keto supplements are also helpful for reducing symptoms of the keto flu and can help make the transition to a high-fat/low-carb diet much easier, especially in the early stages when you may want to give up. In addition to keto supplements, we’ll also let you know which superfoods — or ‘functional foods’ as we call them — can also be helpful on the keto diet. These foods are concentrated in essential nutrients and can further improve how you feel on the keto diet. Let’s take a look at the most popular keto supplements and the keto-approved functional foods you may also want to try. Top 8 Keto Supplements 1. Perfect Keto Perfect Keto is a powdered drink mix and keto supplement that provides your body with exogenous ketones (whereas your body produces endogenous ketones). Taking exogenous ketones provides ketone bodies for you to burn as fuel right away, whether or not you’re in ketosis. This is why some people who aren’t following a keto diet will still take ketone supplements for energy. Being made from exogenous ketones, Perfect Keto provides the same benefits that endogenous ketones naturally offer your body: long-lasting energy, improved cognitive function, athletic performance, and mental focus, fat burning, and accelerated weight loss. To be clear, exogenous ketones aren’t a replacement for the keto diet. While exogenous ketone supplements will raise Continue reading >>

3 Supplements To Make The Keto Diet Easier

3 Supplements To Make The Keto Diet Easier

When you cut out carbs on a ketogenic diet, you force your body to run on ketones—which come from stored body fat—for fuel. This process, known as ketosis, is extremely effective for getting leaner, and offers a host of other health benefits as well. The only downside: The first week or so of a ketogenic diet can make you hate life itself. Most keto dieters report feeling deprived, lethargic, and just plain cranky untill their metabolism makes the switch. In fact, it’s often referred to as the “low-carb flu.” Fortunately, science has a solution: Ketone-supplying supplements that can smooth your transition to an ultra-low-carb lifestyle and help keep you there—and you won’t have to sacrifice any intensity in the gym in the process. Here, three of our favorite options. Play Video Play Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% Remaining Time -0:00 This is a modal window. Foreground --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Opaque Background --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window --- White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan --- Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Default Monospace Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Sans-Serif Casual Script Small Caps Defaults Done Continue reading >>

Can You Cheat On Your Ketogenic Diet By Taking Keto Supplements?

Can You Cheat On Your Ketogenic Diet By Taking Keto Supplements?

A ketogenic diet is a strict low-carb eating plan that forces the body to burn fats for energy instead of carbohydrates. When carbs are restricted, the body moves into a state of ketosis, a metabolic state that produces ketones by breaking down fats in the liver, which are then used for diet. Is it Possible to Cheat On the Ketogenic Diet? In a regular moderate to high-carb diet, carbs are converted to glucose in the bloodstream. Glucose is the easiest molecule for the body to convert into energy so it will be used before any other energy source. When the glucose is used for energy, the fats consumed are not needed by the body and are stored, resulting in excess weight. The effectiveness of the diet depends on your carb intake. Normally an intake of between 20-30g of net carbs per day is recommended and reducing this intake to less than 15g will give faster results. As the carb intake of a “normal” diet can range between 150-400g of carbs per day, reducing them to the level required to get into the state can be quite challenging. Because of this, some people may be tempted to have a cheat day on keto. The good thing is that, there are many ways that you can do cheats days or meals without breaking your ketosis state which a lot of people who have been on the diet for years can attest to. So, yes, there are are many ways to do it which we will get into in just a little bit. Keto Supplements That Help You Stay in Ketosis ​There are various supplements available designed to benefit those on trying the keto diet. Some supplements also aim to induce a state of ketosis in the body, even if the blood glucose level is too high to be achieved naturally. These products or supplements can also help you stay in ketosis even if you decide to take a cheat day on keto: MCT (Mediu Continue reading >>

Avoid This Ketogenic Rip-off

Avoid This Ketogenic Rip-off

The Truth About Exogenous Ketones Ketones are all the rage among low carbers. And like most things in nutrition and performance, we've found a way to get them in supplement form so we don't have to do any actual work. What are ketones? They're a byproduct of ketosis caused by the process of converting fat to fuel. Your body makes them when it's in a calorie or carb restricted state. What do they do? The body and brain can use them as fuel without the presence of glucose in the blood. And now, you can take ketone supplements (salts and esters), known as exogenous ketones, without actually restricting anything. According to those promoting this nasty-tasting supplement, that means you can have a brain and body fuelled by ketones, along with all of the supposed health benefits that come with running on fat. Well, don't fall for it. Exogenous Ketones = Endogenous Fat Storage? The problem with ketone supplementation (EXOgenous) is that it's not even close to the same thing as being in ketosis (ENDOgenous ketone production). And just like the butter-blended-into-coffee trend, it's a farce. Ketones may be depressing dieters' hunger and giving them a hit of energy and cognitive enhancement, but it's INHIBITING their ability to burn fat, providing zero nourishment, and doing nothing for their metabolic health. There's an assortment of evidence suggesting that it's probably making things worse. Think of exogenous ketones kind of like alcohol. When they're consumed, everything is stored and nothing else is burned. So any lipolysis (fat burning) that would be taking place is halted; any glucose and fatty acids in your blood that were circulating are stored; and the ingested ketones are burned until there aren't any left. More importantly, this clearance of alternative fuels (glucos Continue reading >>

Ketogenic Diet: Are There Any Foods Or Supplements I Can Eat To Speed Up Ketosis?

Ketogenic Diet: Are There Any Foods Or Supplements I Can Eat To Speed Up Ketosis?

If you want to help yourself get into ketosis faster then using a high quality MCT (Medium Chain Triglyceride) Oil will speed this up. I think Dave Asprey makes the best oils. The next level down is the standard MCT Oil which has both C8 and C10 chains XCT Oil - 32 oz. By far my favorite way of getting into and staying in Ketosis (and this is coming from somebody who follows all the correct nutritional rules) is Exogenous Ketones. These put you into a state of Ketosis almost immediately (and that is reflected in the price range). Until now most of them were too unpalatable to bother with but there have been some fantastic innovations in the last year. I really like KetoSports KetoCaNa (10.75oz) The Original Exogenous Ketone Supplement - it has a very pleasant taste and does not have any sugar, unlike some of the other brands. Anyway, best of luck to you. And if you have any more questions pop them in the comments below. Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com: Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more Continue reading >>

Ketogenic Supplements Reviews Fast & Safe Keto Products For Weight Loss

Ketogenic Supplements Reviews Fast & Safe Keto Products For Weight Loss

Ketogenic supplements are taking the world by storm and the right product can steady the balance of fats that your body needs to get your body into that state of ketosis. Those of you who have tried this form of weight loss before are probably more than aware of how hard it can be to first get your body to adapt to such a dramatic change in your daily intake of food, let alone without the help of a single exogenous ketone supplement. And the situation isn’t made any easier if you use a poor quality ketosis supplement because the wrong product may actually do you more harm than good. Bad quality ketosis supplements, have proven to lead to side-effects such as constipation and increased levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in men and women may also experience amenorrhea or other disruptions to the menstrual cycle. This is why it is really important to know what combination of compounds you are consuming, particularly while you are on this very strict diet, because the wrong balance can really mess with you in the long term. DO YOUR RESEARCH. I can't stress this point enough. This lifestyle change isn't for the faint hearted and you can't just wing it. It's a calculated exercise, which can lead to so many benefits. Check out the rest of this article so you can get up to speed, on how everything works and what powder or pill are actually out there and when you're finished go deeper and read our articles on the science behind this fascinating and our reviews on the best mix of exogenous ketone supplements out there in the market. Because without the knowledge and the right information, you'll never reach your goals and you may as well just keep eating that mash potato for dinner and club sandwich for lunch. Believe me, I stumbled onto this trend before it even blew up a Continue reading >>

Three Supplements That Enhance Ketosis

Three Supplements That Enhance Ketosis

Low-carb, high-fat diets owe much of their popularity and effectiveness to the fact that they place a greater emphasis on unprocessed whole foods. In addition to enjoying more flavorful meals, dieters are able to obtain good sources of important nutrients directly from food sources, like certain vitamins, which are more bioavailable in fats. As a result, this reduces the need to supplement when consuming low-carb, high-fat diets. Having said that, there are certain supplements that can enhance the effects of low-carb, high-fat diets by enhancing the positive effects of ketosis. Omega-3 fatty acids can help enhance the effects of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet by helping increase insulin sensitivity and reducing inflammation. Another major benefit of omega-3s is that they can help balance out your intake of omega-6s. When someones eating a high-fat diet, its ideal that their saturated fat sources be grass-fed if theyre from animal sources. Otherwise, commercially farmed animal products typically have higher omega-6 to omega-3 ratios. Fortunately, by supplementing with omega-3s, youre able to help counteract some of this effect. A group of 34 overweight male subjects between the ages of25 and 65 were analyzed.The subjects followed a ketogenic diet for four weeks and were divided into two groups (one that was supplemented with omega-3s and a control group). [1] All of the subjects experienced significant body weight and body fat losses. Triglycerides and insulin levels decreased more in the ketogenic diet group that supplemented with omega-3s (although levels decreased for both groups). The omega-3 group saw significant decreases across various measures of inflammatory biomarkers. Coffee is a morning wonder drug for most people because of its ability to increase alertn Continue reading >>

5 Supplements For Ketogenic Dieters

5 Supplements For Ketogenic Dieters

When you make the decision to embrace ketogenic dieting—or "go keto"—you need fat and plenty of it. After all, all those calories that you used to get from carbs have to come from somewhere, right? And as Dr. Jacob Wilson pointed out in his "Ketogenic FAQ" article, eating excessive protein (at or above .67-.81 grams per pounds of body weight) can actually produce enough glucose to kick you out of the desired state of ketosis. Where the fat comes from, well, that's up to you. For many people, bacon, avocado, and heavy cream can found on the menu eaten at almost any meal, and never do you need to think twice about choosing egg yolks again. But even with the mouth-watering menu, the adaptation period to a ketogenic diet can be challenging. Many have felt compelled to quit before actually entering ketosis—which is when the pure fat-burning and benefits begin! These three supplement staples can help you make it through the dreaded "induction flu" that many experience during the early days of ketogenic diet, and help you and come out stronger and leaner on the other side! 1. Electrolytes Transitioning your body's preferred fuel sources from carbohydrates to fat can be tough. Not only does it take time to do so, but along the way, you're likely to have a few headaches, perhaps some nausea, and for some, day-long fatigue. This is the so-called "induction flu." As carbs get kicked to the curb, so do key electrolytes such as sodium and potassium. To prevent headaches and fatigue, consider an electrolyte supplement. If you're dehydrated or low on electrolytes, all of these symptoms are going to be worse. Compounding the quandary is that many people end up cutting out electrolytes such as sodium and potassium as their carb consumption goes down. Particularly if you're trainin Continue reading >>

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