What Are Exogenous Ketones and How Do They Help You Lose Weight?

The ketogenic diet, also known as the keto diet, is characterised by high-fat and low-carb diets. This diet promotes a physiological response known as ketosis, where the body uses fat as its main source of energy rather than carbohydrates. Ketones are fatty acid by products that are produced during the fat-burning process. When carbs are in limited supply, the body turns to these molecules for energy. The ketogenic diet is quite restricting. Many people struggle to keep to their diets and hence fail to attain ketosis. These ketones are dietary supplements that can assist a person in establishing ketosis while allowing them to eat a little more freely.

Types

These ketones are available over the counter at some health food stores. There are several distinct exogenous ketones in the market. These are some of them:

• Ketone esters. The most powerful form of EK is ketone esters. As a consequence, compared to other EK products, they may induce prolonged periods of ketosis. On the other hand, ketone esters can be costly to acquire and have a powerful, unpleasant flavour.
• Ketone salts. Ketone salts are created by mixing artificial ketones with electrolytes like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium. Ketone salts come in many forms, including beverages, powders, and pills. These EKs can raise electrolyte levels. If an individual has a medical problem that limits their capacity to manage electrolytes, increased concentrations can be dangerous, like kidney disease. Ketone salts quickly induce ketosis; however, they do not usually stay as long as ketone esters.
  
• Other related supplements. Although medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are not officially EKs, they have comparable properties. The body quickly absorbs MCTs. After this assimilation, the MCTs are converted to ketones by the liver. MCTs, on the other hand, will not put a person into ketosis. To fully induce ketosis, they will need to adopt a ketogenic diet or use other EK supplements.

Effectiveness

• Helps put someone in ketosis quicker. These ketones are used in the keto tablets diet. These ketones can help people get into ketosis faster, particularly if they are new to the keto diet. When people are in ketosis, their bodies prefer fat to carbohydrates as a source of energy. Some individuals may need several days or even a week to finish the process. After four days on an extremely low-carb diet, the body produces more keto acids in the blood. For one to enter ketosis, a person’s body must burn down its carbohydrate reserves. Once this process is complete, the body breaks down fat and converts it to ketones. Weight loss is possible when ketones become the body’s only source of energy. The body uses these ketones as a source of energy when they are consumed. These ketones promote weight loss by facilitating and speeding up the transition from carbohydrate to fat burning. MCT oil and caffeine, which are found in keto diet pills, can help the body burn fat by accelerating its metabolism rate.
• Enhanced athletic performance. These ketones could also be used to improve athletic performance. Long-term physical exercise can deplete the supply of oxygen to the muscles, increasing lactic acid generation. Lactic acid build-up can make muscles feel achy and feeble. These ketones work as an alternative source of energy for the body during intense activity, according to the 2016 study. As a result, they aid in the reduction of lactic acid generation. According to the findings, these ketones could increase a person’s athletic performance by roughly 2%. Professional and endurance athletes are the most likely to profit from this improvement.
  
• Psychiatric disorders and epilepsy. Some individuals follow a keto diet for reasons other than losing weight. Persons with epilepsy, for example, have long employed the keto diet to help lessen the number and intensity of seizures. Doctors have also looked at whether the diet can benefit people with psychiatric diseases like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and anxiety. These illnesses are believed to be caused in part by metabolic abnormalities that influence the brain. Variations in the release of brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters, increased inflammation, and improper glucose metabolism in the brain are only some of the symptoms. Some researchers believe that EKs’ metabolism-altering properties could aid in the treatment of various illnesses. However, just a few studies have looked into this theory. EKs alter the levels of particular neurotransmitters in the brain, lowering the symptoms of psychiatric illness. Taking EK supplements to help the body enter ketosis could be a good way to treat psychiatric disorders.

Ellen Diamond did her degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. She is interested in mental health and well-being.