If you are looking for ways to get into ketosis faster then you will probably be interested to know about ketone esters. These are substances that contain ketones, which help people reach ketosis easier.
Related reading: What Are Keto Diet Ketones?
As you probably know, before you can reap the benefits of the keto diet, you must first enter into the state of ketosis. This is when your body starts using fats as fuel instead of carbs.
Related reading: How Ketosis Works for Burning Fat Faster?
Related reading: How Does The Keto Diet Work?
If you’re interested to find out more about ketone esters, then read on. We will try to understand what it’s all about and the pros and cons of taking it.
What Are Ketone Esters?
Ketone esters are a type of exogenous ketones. These are ketone supplements that help people to reach ketosis faster. Aside from the ketone esters, the other type of exogenous ketones is ketone salts. While ketone salts are bound to potassium, sodium, or calcium, ketone esters work by binding an alcohol molecule to a ketone body.
Related reading: What Are Exogenous Ketones? Do they Help Fat Loss?
Since the ketone esters are not bound to salt, they contain more Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB). The BHB is one of the ketone bodies that we can produce. It’s available in greater quantities than the other ketone bodies and is usually the source of ketone-based fuel.
Because of this, ketone esters are thought to be more efficient than ketone salts when it comes to increasing the body’s ketone levels.
But, are they really effective at helping you to lose weight?
Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, a physician specializing in obesity, called it a big marketing gimmick. According to him,
The drinks are “not useful” for most people. There are some potential therapeutic benefits to ketone ester drinks but losing weight isn’t one of them.
To find out whether or not the ketone esters are really worth it, let’s take a look at their pros and cons for the keto diet.
Pros and Cons of Ketone Esters
There is a lot of talk about ketone esters among keto dieters. While many believe that this supplement is effective at helping you reach ketosis faster, some health experts argue that it is not very effective at helping you lose weight on keto. So, before you decide to give the ketone esters a try, let’s identify their pros and cons.
Pros:
• Boost energy and performance – one of the benefits of using ketone esters is that it can boost your energy levels. As a result, you could perform better at the gym and achieve weight loss faster. In fact, some users use it as an alternative to coffee due to its energy-boosting properties.
• Improved focus – cognitive enhancement is one of the benefits of taking the ketone esters. As a result, your brain function will be improved, and you’ll be able to focus and concentrate better. This is very helpful for those who are suffering from the symptoms of keto flu.
• Faster recovery – ketone esters are also being marketed as a natural supplement to improve recovery after a workout. Some users have revealed that it helps them to experience faster recovery after a tough workout at the gym.
• Convenient to use – ketone esters are usually being sold in the form of sports performance drinks. Therefore, it’s very easy and convenient to use.
• Instant results – makers of ketone esters supplements claim that you will achieve the state of ketosis after only a few minutes of taking it.
Cons:
• Expensive – if you compare it with other sports performance drink, ketone esters are usually more expensive and this is because of the more stringent process involved in making it in a lab.
• Strong unpleasant taste – some users find the taste unpleasant and can be hard to stomach.
• Dodgy marketing claims – if you check the website of the companies that sell the ketone esters, you’ll find that it’s filled with sales spiel and dodgy claims that are not backed with scientific studies.
Should You Include Ketone Esters on your Keto Diet?
The ketogenic diet aims to put your body into a state of ketosis. While in ketosis, your body will start to burn fats for fuel, and that’s when you start to experience weight loss and the other health benefits of the keto diet.
During the early stages of following the keto diet, you could find it difficult to achieve ketosis because it could take a while for your body to get used to a high-fat diet. Moreover, you could find yourself experiencing the symptoms of keto flu, such as fatigue, nausea, and constipation.
The keto esters may help you to achieve ketosis without all the nasty side effects of keto flu. Many keto dieters would take this supplement when starting with their keto diet to boost their ketone levels.
But take note that taking this supplement alone is not enough to help you lose weight. You need to restrict your carb consumption and take in more fats to help your body transition into ketosis. Once you are in ketosis, that’s when you can start experiencing weight loss.
Final Thoughts
Ketone supplements like ketone esters claim to put your body into ketosis faster. Although more research is needed to prove if they are effective, one study found that these supplements may help to decrease appetite for hours if taken in a fasted state.
But, other research suggests that this could hinder your weight loss efforts. Until more research is available, there is no actual evidence that ketone esters can help with weight loss.
It’s also worth noting that the ketone esters are expensive. These supplemental drinks are being sold for around $90 to $100 per bottle. Also, many people who have tried the drinks claim that they have a very unpleasant taste that can be hard to stomach.
If you have been following the keto diet for a while and are struggling with achieving ketosis, you can give ketone esters a try. But then again, relying on this supplement alone is not enough to achieve ketosis. You also need to restrict your carb consumption and eat lots of healthy fats.
