Keto Pills: How Long Until They Work?

Keto pills are dietary supplements that claim to help your body enter ketosis without having to follow a strict keto diet. The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat approach to weight loss that involves putting your body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. Keto pills, also known as exogenous ketones, aim to mimic this process by providing your body with ketones from an external source. However, there is conflicting information about the effectiveness of keto pills, with some sources claiming they work, while others stating there is little evidence to support their efficacy. So, how long do keto pills take to work? According to some sources, you may start noticing the results of keto pills within eight weeks, with continued improvements in subsequent weeks. However, it's important to note that individual results may vary, and there are potential side effects associated with the use of keto pills.

Keto pills are not the same as the keto diet

While keto pills can increase ketone levels in the blood, this does not guarantee weight loss. Keto pills are marketed as a way to send your body into a state of ketosis to aid rapid weight loss. However, ketosis is achieved through eating low-carb, high-fat foods, not by taking keto pills.

Keto pills contain medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of saturated fat found in coconut and palm oil. When consumed while restricting carb intake on a keto diet, your liver breaks MCTs down into ketones. But this does not mean MCTs in keto pills will help you lose weight. Keto pills are limited because they only increase ketones in your blood and only when you're also following a highly restricted ketogenic diet.

The ketogenic diet offers additional benefits that keto pills lack. For example, a ketogenic diet lowers circulating insulin and often glucose, which may have more benefits than ketones themselves. Keto pills also do not offer the same benefits as the keto diet in terms of stimulating fat loss. In fact, taking ketone supplements decreases free fatty acids, meaning less fat is available for burning. This is because when the body senses high ketone levels, the liver stops making its own and tries to flush out excess ketones in your urine, a process called ketonuria.

Furthermore, keto pills are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and may not be safe. They may not do what they claim, may not contain the quantities of ingredients listed on the label, or may contain additional ingredients not listed. Some may even be dangerous.

Ketone pills may not work if you don't cut carbs

Ketone pills are dietary supplements that claim to help you sustain ketosis and lose weight. However, there is little evidence to support these claims, and experts do not recommend keto pills or any other diet pills.

Ketone pills typically contain two active ingredients: ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). BHB is a compound that the liver produces from fats, and MCTs are a type of fat found in coconut and palm oil. While taking extra ketones in the form of supplements may help the body use ketones for energy and burn fat, this is unlikely to be effective if you are not also following a low-carb diet.

When you consume exogenous ketones in the form of pills, you are consuming molecules of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which is the main energy ketone produced by your body on a keto diet. However, taking ketone supplements has been shown to decrease free fatty acids, which means less fat is available for burning. This is because when you rapidly elevate your ketone levels by taking supplements, your body gets a signal to stop burning fat and producing ketones to prevent a dangerous condition called ketoacidosis. As a result, ketone pills are not well-suited for stimulating fat loss.

In addition, the supplement market is not tightly regulated, and it is difficult to know whether you are getting what you are paying for. There is also a risk of scams and false advertising with some keto products. Therefore, it is important to consult a healthcare professional before taking any dietary supplements or starting a new diet.

Keto pills can be expensive

Secondly, the supplement market is not tightly regulated, so there is a risk of buying products that don't follow good manufacturing practices or don't contain the advertised levels of active ingredients. This means that consumers might be paying for something that doesn't deliver on its promises. For example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a warning to a supplement company for violating multiple GMP rules.

Additionally, keto pills are often marketed with misleading claims that are not based on scientific evidence. For instance, they might promise "effortless weight loss" or "enhanced fat-burning", but these claims are not supported by research. In fact, taking ketone supplements may even decrease the amount of fat burned, as it tells your body to stop burning fat and producing ketones to prevent a dangerous condition called ketoacidosis.

Finally, keto pills can be expensive in terms of potential health risks. While they are generally considered safe, there is a chance that they could be contaminated or harmful to your liver, as it has to process everything you're taking. Therefore, it's important to consult a healthcare professional before taking any dietary supplements.

Keto pills are not approved by the FDA

The FDA has issued a warning to consumers about certain products promoted for weight loss that have been found to contain hidden ingredients and may pose a significant health risk. These products may cause potentially serious side effects and may interact with medications or dietary supplements that a consumer is taking.

The FDA encourages consumers and health care professionals to report any adverse events to its MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme so the agency can take action to protect the public from any unsafe products.

There is no evidence to support that keto pills can help prevent keto flu. While the exact causes of the keto flu are unclear, symptoms typically resolve within a few days as your body adjusts.

Keto pills may not be safe

Additionally, ketone salts, which are usually made up of ketones bound to sodium, can be harmful to those with high blood pressure who need to keep their salt intake in check. Before taking keto supplements, it is important to check in with a healthcare provider.

Furthermore, the body seeks to maintain an even level of ketones to prevent a potentially toxic buildup in the bloodstream. When the body senses high ketone levels, the liver stops producing its own ketones and tries to flush out the excess in your urine, a process called ketonuria. This means that supplements are often expensive, as they are simply flushed out of the body. At worst, they could be harmful to the liver, as it has to process everything you are taking.

Moreover, there is a risk of scams with some keto products, especially those heavily pushed on social media. In July 2020, AARP reported that two women in their 80s were scammed out of more than $200 each when they purchased keto diet pills. The number of reported scams is on the rise. The FDA encourages consumers to be cautious of any supplements pushed via email or pop-up ads, as these are more likely to lead to scam products.

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