Should You Include Ketone Drinks in Your Keto Diet?

The Keto diet or ketogenic diet is a low to zero-carb diet. This diet consists of foods which do not contain carbs. Therefore, one can say that it consists of good fat and protein. Following this diet is quite popular nowadays. Also, this is because it triggers a unique mechanism of drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat.

This reduction of carbs takes you into a ketosis metabolic state. When ketosis occurs, your body burns fat more efficiently as energy. In this process, the fat turns into ketones in the liver, which the body uses for energy supply. 

A ketogenic diet also causes a reduction in insulin spikes or rising blood sugar levels. Especially fitness enthusiasts and physique competitors follow this diet to get rid of extra fat. Apart from weight loss, a ketogenic diet has other benefits also against chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer.

It is a metabolic state characterised by increased levels of ketone bodies in the body tissues. It is pathological and occurs due to a condition like diabetes or an extremely low intake of carbohydrates. Apart from burning fat, ketosis can reduce hunger. Ketosis takes place after one reduces the carb intake to less than 50 grams daily and usually starts after 3 to 4 days. 

The Science Behind Keto Diet

To understand science and working behind a keto diet, especially for fat loss, we need to understand it with an example. Imagine your body as a machine. It needs fuel to work. Fuel means food which is broken down into glucose to produce energy.

Generally, the body uses carbs first to produce energy because they are easy to break down into simpler forms(glucose) to have power. But what if you are not getting carbs as fuel for your body. Machines might stop working, but the human body doesn’t. 

There is stored fuel in the human body, which is in the form of fat. The body breaks down fat when there is insufficient energy or food in your stomach to carry on tasks. A backup fuel is ketones, which your liver creates from your fat, putting your body into ketosis.

According to research, following a keto diet over a low-fat diet may help you lose 2kg more fat over one year. However, the study also says that weight loss may peak in the initial five months. Still, later on, there is not much difference in results for a person on keto or a low-fat diet.

Our body regularly makes ketones. But when you switch to a keto diet, ketones replace glucose as the dominant fuel for your body. However, following a ketogenic diet is not that easy. Shifting glucose to ketones may take days or weeks, and sustaining it is equally challenging. Even a tiny amount of extra carbs or too much protein may prevent the body from ketosis. 

Ketone Drinks with Keto Diet

Professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts who practice intense workouts often look for ways to boost their energy and performance. They might look for energy drinks, supplements or energy bars. At such times one on a keto diet cannot follow such options and ketone drinks come into play.

Ketone drinks are supplements that contain exogenous ketones. These drinks are also a shortcut to achieving ketosis. Your body usually goes through ketosis following a low carb high-fat diet.

But fluctuation is always possible, and keeping yourself in ketosis is challenging. Ketone drinks help to regulate your keto diet performance and make you stay on track. In addition, as it contains ketones, consuming a ketone drink will boost ketone production, resulting in proper ketosis.

The HealthifyMe Note

Ketone drinks and supplements like ketone esters or salts are known as exogenous ketones. They are artificial and produced outside of your body. Ketone drink brands claim that they put your body into ketosis and boost the fat-burning process. It is also contended that these drinks are like ketones produced in your body. As a result, one does not need to maintain a strict keto diet to stay in ketosis perennially. 

Are Ketones Drinks Regulated?

Ketone drink benefits are customer testimonials or brand claims. Till now, ketone drinks are not industry regulated. However, the substances used in ketone drinks are approved by FDA and considered safe.

According to some studies, exogenous ketone drinks are an effective way to achieve ketosis. This study also found that ketone drinks are also beneficial in lowering blood sugar levels and triglyceride concentrations. In addition, ketone drinks lower blood potassium levels. 

According to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, ketone supplements or drinks do not need approval; therefore, they are freely available.

However, its effect on health conditions like diabetes, PCOD etc., is not ascertained. But yet, people believe in results experienced by consumers, and feedback is a way to trust ketone drinks for their health benefits.

Types of Ketones and Drinks

Mainly there are two types of ketones. According to the NCBI study, two main ketone bodies are acetoacetate and 3-beta-hydroxybutyrate. There is a third one, also known as acetone and the least abundant ketone body.

Ketones are always present in the blood. Their activity is enhanced if one is fasting or due to prolonged exercise. They are also present in the blood of neonates and pregnant women. In the market, you will find mainly two types of ketones-

• Ketone esters are the most potent ketone supplements. Ketone ester keeps your body in ketosis for longer. The cost of ketone esters-containing drinks is relatively high. This ketone supplement has an odious taste. You might need a highly flavoured drink to lower the nasty taste to fix it.
• Ketone salts are another type used in drinks. Ketone drink manufacturers add electrolytes, potassium and calcium to such beverages to keep you hydrated and boost their nutritional content during your ketogenesis.

Potassium in these drinks regulates your healthy body fluids and avoids losing vitamins and minerals from blood. Ketone salt drink helps put your body in ketosis but yet it is not as powerful and lasting as ketone ester drinks.

Side Effects of Ketone Drinks

It is better to talk to your nutritionist and evaluate your parameters before supplementing yourself with ketone drinks. Please pay special attention to your body’s electrolyte levels. 

There are specific well-known adverse effects: 

• Increased bowel movement- ketone drinks can lead to tummy upset and an increased bowel movement.
• Low blood sugar levels- can lead to hypoglycaemia or low blood sugar levels. As a result, you may feel low on energy. It is hazardous if you have diabetes and can clash with existing medications. 
• High Sodium- Ketone drinks are usually high in sodium. It can lead to high blood pressure in some cases. Therefore, one must avoid them in case of a confirmed hypertension diagnosis. 
• Dehydration- Due to the lack of starch and carbs in the diet, the body tends to get dehydrated during ketosis. Such drinks aggravate dehydration. 

The HealthifyMe Note

A keto diet was devised to support certain medical conditions. Therefore, it is essential to know if at all it works for you. It is always better to assess your health conditions and then get onto a strict regimen like this. Even if keto is suitable, achieving the outcomes with dietary interventions is always better. It would help if you approached supplementation with caution. 

Types of Keto Diet

There are several ways in which you can bring ketosis into your body. There are various keto diet types which help you to stay in ketosis. As the end goal of all of these diets is the same, they share most of the common properties. Specifically, all are low in carbs and high in fat. However, different keto diets work differently, and the effect is different.

• Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD): This is a very low-carb, high-fat diet with moderate protein. According to studies, Macro composition in SKD is 70
• 75% fat, 20%protein and 5-10% carbs. In terms of quantity, a standard ketogenic diet would contain 20-50g carbs and 40-60g protein, and there is no limit for fat. Also, this is not always a specific quantity for everyone. It’s a general parameter. You should constantly monitor your macros in terms of percentage.
• Very Low Carb Ketogenic Diet (VLCKD): It is much similar to a standard ketogenic diet. Still, the only additional restriction is on carbs. In a very low carb, ketogenic diet, carbs are set nearly to zero per cent. However, VLCKD can be a standard ketogenic diet with 0-3% of carbs in the diet. This diet follows to achieve ketosis at the earliest.
• MCT Ketogenic diet: This diet follows the outline of the standard ketogenic diet. Still, it also follows the use of medium-chain triglycerides to provide much fat content to the diet. MCT is found in coconut oil and also in MCT emulsions. MCT helps treat epilepsy. MCT works so that a person can still be in ketosis if he takes some extra protein or fat in his diet. 
• Targeted Ketogenic Diet: This is a standard keto diet, but carbs are consumed during workouts or around workout times. The reason is that your body needs quick energy while working out, so having carbs just before activities will give you instant energy. This excess you will burn out during your workout session. It will not disturb ketosis much as carbs are utilised much more efficiently during workouts. Also, taking a small number of carbs just after workouts does not affect ketosis as it gets stored as glycogen in your muscles.

Ideal Keto Diet Foods

One might need to stay on a very low carb or restricted diet to stay in ketosis. For example, some people can achieve ketosis by consuming 20g of carbs daily. But always try to restrict as much as possible to achieve ketosis at the earliest.

When you follow a keto diet, try to stick around the following foods.

• Eggs: Eggs are a great source of both protein and fats. Eggs are also rich in vitamin D and zinc. According to a USDA study, 100g raw eggs contain about 143Kcal 12.3g protein and 9.5g fat. Also, have minimal carbs of 0.7g.
• Poultry: Chicken and turkey are rich in protein and iron. Do not contain any carbs in it. These are also useful for the week before your physique competition.
• Fatty fish: Fish like salmon, herring, and mackerel are high in fat. A 100g salmon contains 13g of fat and 20g of protein.
• Meat: Beef, organ, and pork are good fat sources and a decent amount of protein. A 100g of pork contains 14g of fat and 0g of carbs.
• Full Fat Dairy: Dairy products are already low in fat. However, following full-fat dairy products may give your overall diet a good fat content. You can consume unsweetened yoghurt, butter and cream.
• Nut Butter: No sugar added peanut butter is a great choice. Peanut butter is unsaturated healthy fat which you can combine with a keto diet. Almond and cashew butter can also get used, but it’s pretty expensive and gives similar results to peanut butter.
• Non-starchy vegetables: If we talk about potatoes, they are full of starch and known to be 100% carbohydrates. It would help if you relied on such veggies, which are very low in carbs. Some soft carb veggies include tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms, peppers and green leaves like spinach.

Conclusion

The Keto diet is the most popular diet among people who are overweight. However, health professionals have diverse opinions on the efficacy of different types of the keto diet.

However, research on the keto diet claims that it aids in weight loss faster than any other calorie deficit or low-carb diet. In addition, ketone drinks are popular among keto diet followers as they contain ketones prepared outside the body. 

Brands claim that ketones in ketone drinks are much similar to the ketones in your body. As a result, it helps you stay in ketosis for longer. However, there are divided opinions on the long-term effects of such drinks. Therefore, it may be advisable to take the diet route. One must follow a Keto diet with some basic macro rules.

For example, a standard keto diet has 70-75% fat, 20% protein and 5-10% carbs. However, it would be best if you tried to minimise the carbs as much as possible. Achieving ketosis is the main objective of a ketogenic diet. Depending on your health and body response, it may take 3-4 days or a week. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Does drinking ketones help with ketosis?

A. Having ketone drinks and beverages can help to stay in ketosis. In addition, it may help you to stay in ketosis even when you add excess carbs to your diet. Also, ketone drinks contain ketones which get prepared outside the body. Therefore, when you consume this drink, it improves the number of ketones in your liver. So yes, it helps to achieve ketosis faster and stay in ketosis for longer.

Q. Are ketone drinks good for you?

A. Ketones drinks are good for people who are on a keto diet. Regardless of the keto diet, having the least carbs is the main objective. Ketone drinks are helpful for those who are not able to achieve ketosis or not able to stay in ketosis for longer.

Q. When should I drink ketones?

A. Ketones are preferred to be drunk in the morning routine; however, it is not compulsory. You can add this as a snack beverage and consume it before your workout session. Try to take ketone drinks mixed with low-carb beverages or coconut water to get the best results.

Q. What happens when you drink ketones?

A. When you drink ketones, then your body will make them burn out as energy for your body. As you get ketones from outside and on a keto diet, overall ketones in your body get boosted, resulting in a higher ketosis rate. Ketone drinks help decrease appetite, which may help you lose weight by eating less.

Q. Do ketone drinks help you lose weight?

A. Ketone drinks contain ketones made outside through various industrial processes. These are helpful when combined with a keto diet. However, everybody keeps producing some amount of ketones. Still, it is better to have a ketone drink with a keto diet to achieve the best weight loss results. The mechanism of keto drinks is that it increases the ketosis rate in your body to gain extra fat burning.

Q. How can I get into ketosis in 24 hours?

A. It is not easy to get into ketosis in 24 hours but yet not impossible. If you take strict diet actions and fasting combined with high-intensity exercise training, you can achieve ketosis in 24 hours. In addition, you can have ketone supplements like ketone ester drinks to make your process much more manageable.

Q. Do ketones make you poop?

A. Taking ketone supplements on a keto diet is helpful and generally does not show any potential side effects. However, if you overdo ketone intake or your ketone synthesis increases significantly, you may have adverse effects like an upset stomach and more frequent bowel movements.

Q. How long do Pruvit ketones keep you in ketosis?

A. Pruvit Ketone drinks are reputable manufacturers. The product receives positive customer feedback and has a shelf life of 6 months after opening the bottle. Pruvit Keto OS NAT helps you rapidly increase ketone levels and may last 3-4 hours. However, there is no specific proof as drink consumers provide the data.

Q. How can I speed up ketosis?

A. To speed up your ketosis, you need to follow a low to zero carb diet and use ketone supplements. Other ways to boost ketosis in your body include fasting for shorter periods, increasing exercise activity, and increasing fat and ketone intake.

Q. Can ketosis cause kidney damage?

A. Ketosis is the metabolic state that results from the ketogenic diet, which has limited carbohydrates and high fat intake. Additionally, ketosis burns fat rather than carbohydrates to provide energy, which may exacerbate metabolic acidosis and result in kidney failure and other renal disorders. So it’s best to avoid the Keto diet if you have renal problems.