Keto Bhb For Weight Loss: Does It Really Work?

Ketogenic diets are low-carb, high-fat diets that aim to put the body into a state of ketosis, where fat is burned for energy instead of carbohydrates. Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is a ketone body produced by the liver during ketosis, and it has been proposed as a potential miracle molecule that could offer various health benefits, including weight loss. While ketogenic diets are challenging to maintain, BHB supplements have been suggested as a way to quickly induce ketosis and enhance weight loss. However, the effectiveness of these supplements is still under debate, with limited research available. While some studies suggest that BHB can suppress appetite and enhance physical and mental performance, others indicate that it may hinder weight loss efforts. Furthermore, the safety of these supplements is also a concern, with potential side effects including stomach discomfort and diarrhoea. Overall, while BHB supplements may offer a potential shortcut to ketosis, more research is needed to confirm their effectiveness and safety for weight loss.

Ketone supplements may reduce appetite and hunger

Ketone supplements, such as ketone salts and ketone esters, have been shown to decrease appetite, which may aid weight loss by reducing the amount of food consumed. In a study of 15 people of normal weight, those who drank a beverage containing ketone esters experienced 50% less hunger after an overnight fast than those who drank a sugary drink. This effect was attributed to lower levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin between two and four hours after drinking the ketone ester drink.

However, ketone supplements may not affect appetite as much in people who have eaten a meal beforehand. Studies have shown that ketone supplements increase blood ketone levels more in those who have fasted than in those who have eaten a meal. As elevated ketone levels are associated with reduced appetite and lower ghrelin levels, ketone supplements may only be beneficial during a fast, such as upon waking in the morning, rather than after a meal containing carbohydrates.

One small study found that exogenous ketone supplements reduced appetite for over four hours, which could be promising for weight loss. However, more studies are needed before ketone supplements can be recommended for appetite control.

Ketone supplements may help treat psychiatric diseases

Ketone supplements have been found to have therapeutic potential in the treatment of psychiatric diseases. Ketone bodies, such as beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), acetoacetate, and acetone, can be produced endogenously or come from a synthetic source outside the body (exogenously).

Ketone supplements have been found to positively affect the following:

• Mitochondria
• Glycolysis
• Neurotransmitter levels
• Activity of free fatty acid receptor 3 (FFAR3)
• Hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCAR2)
• Histone deacetylase
• NOD-like receptor pyrin domain 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome
• Mitochondrial uncoupling protein (UCP) expression

Ketone supplements have been found to have therapeutic potential in the treatment of the following psychiatric diseases:

• Anxiety disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Schizophrenia
• Depression
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Ketone supplements may improve cognitive function

A small study involving oral ketone supplementation for 14 days suggests an improvement in brain blood flow and function in people with obesity. The study showed that ketone supplementation improved the number of correct items processed in 90 seconds in the digit symbol substitution task, compared with a placebo. However, there was no significant difference between the groups in the Stroop test or task-switching test.

Another study, the BENEFIC trial, showed that performance on widely used tests of episodic memory, executive function, and language improved over 6 months in mild cognitive impairment when consuming 30 g/day of a ketogenic drink (kMCT) relative to a matching placebo. Moderate to large effect sizes were observed on four cognitive tests in the kMCT group, suggesting that these cognitive improvements were clinically relevant, especially on tests of executive function and language.

Additionally, a review of the literature found that ketosis induced by exogenous ketones may attenuate damage or improve cognitive and motor performance in neurological conditions such as seizure disorders, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and neurotrauma.

Ketone supplements may help treat diabetes

Ketone supplements are proving to be a fertile ground for research into Type 2 diabetes because ketones are said to be the natural fuel source of the body when it is in ketosis - the metabolic byproduct of consuming a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet. There is mounting evidence that a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet is very effective in controlling blood sugar and even reversing Type 2 diabetes.

In a study by researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Oxford, 20 healthy individuals consumed a ketone monoester supplement or a placebo after a 10-hour fast. Thirty minutes later, they consumed a drink containing 75 grams of sugar. Blood samples were collected every 15 to 30 minutes throughout the entire 2.5-hour protocol for analyses of glucose, lipids, and hormones. Compared to the placebo, the blood sugar spike was reduced on the day the individuals had consumed the ketone drink.

Another study by Little and his team asked 15 people to consume a ketone drink after fasting overnight. After 30 minutes, they were then asked to drink a fluid containing 75 grams of sugar while blood samples were taken. The results showed that, compared with the control drink, the ketone drink reduced glucose (−11%), NEFA (−21%), and glucagon-like peptide 1 (−31%) areas under the curve (AUCs) whereas the glucagon (which promotes the breakdown of glycogen to glucose in the liver) AUC increased (+11%).

Little says that these results show the ketone drink "seemed to launch participants into a sort of pseudo-ketogenic state where they were better able to control their blood sugar levels with no changes to their insulin". He adds that "It demonstrates that these supplements may have real potential as a valuable tool for those with type 2 diabetes". However, he also points out that ketone supplements are not a magic bullet in managing the disease, and that there are a number of problems that still need to be worked out, including the long-term effects of consuming ketones.

Ketone supplements may help treat Alzheimer's

Over the last decade, ketogenic interventions i.e., ketogenic diets (KD) with very low carbohydrate intake or ketogenic supplementation (KS) based on medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) consumption, have been studied in Alzheimer's animal models, as well as in Alzheimer's patients. These interventional studies reported interesting clinical improvements in animals and decreases in neuroinflammation, β-amyloid and tau accumulation. In clinical studies, KS and KD were associated with better cognition, but also improved brain metabolism and Alzheimer's biomarkers.

In a study of 413 older participants with mild to moderate Alzheimer's, the intervention consisted of 20 g of MCT supplementation, a standard daily dose to produce KB. The study did not observe significant improvements regarding their two main endpoints i.e., cognitive performance and clinician's impression of change. On the other hand, in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 30 g of MCT supplementation over a 6-month follow-up significantly improved three major cognitive functions: episodic memory, executive function and language.

In summary, ketone supplements may help treat Alzheimer's disease.

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