When you hear the word supplement the first thing that might come to your mind is that a supplement is a substance that might harm your body. But this might not be the actual truth.
If you ask me personally, I would say that the truth is, not all supplements may harm your body. Well, that is true in my case at least.
The same could be said for a keto supplement. Just as there are supplements available for weight loss, weight gain, and a number of other kinds of stuff.
Similarly, you could also use supplements when it comes to following a keto diet.
Keto supplements could really prove to be helpful for a keto diet. They might provide many health benefits like helping the body get into ketosis, supporting the body while in ketosis, and many other benefits.
Keto supplements may be taken in a low carb, high fat ketogenic diet. They may provide nutritional support while the body can go into the state of ketosis easily. These supplements may help support healthy digestion of foods that you eat in keto diet, keto diet fruits, quality sleep, and healthy energy levels.
There are some supplements available for a keto diet. However, not all supplements may be helpful in a ketogenic diet. Below are some of the supplements that may be helpful in a keto diet.
I have tried my best to incorporate these ingredients in some form or the other. Hence, they really helped me a great deal in my keto diet regime.
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Exogenous Ketones
The main factor of a keto diet is the production of ketones in the body. These ketones may provide instant energy in a keto diet. It may happen that while in a keto diet the body might not be able to produce ketones in that much amount which may be required to get in the state of ketosis. This is when exogenous ketones are helpful. The word exogenous means “outside”. Exogenous ketones supplements may provide the body with enough ketones, usually in the form of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). These ketones may help support ketosis and provide energy. Exogenous ketones supplements may be available in powder or capsule forms and can be used pre-workout, between meals, or while fasting. These supplements may be helpful for athletes to speed up their muscles, decrease their appetite, and boost performance. Potential benefits of using exogenous ketones are:-- High energy levels
- Increased focus
- Decreased inflammation
- More energy
MCT Oil
Medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs, are popular keto supplements. They are broken down by the liver and quickly enter the bloodstream where they may be used as a fuel source for the brain and muscles.
Adding MCTs supplements to a keto diet may be helpful as the benefits of MCT Oil supports overall health improvement. It could help in increasing the fat intake quickly, which may increase ketones level and help to stay in ketosis.
Apart from being a good promoter of weight loss, the supplement may also increase the feeling of fullness, which may be helpful in the ketogenic diet.
MCT oil can be taken by swallowing a tablespoon of it, or by adding it to coffee or smoothie, etc. Moreover, there are MCT oil capsules available and also one can take MCTs from coconut oil.
The potential benefits of using MCT oil are as follows:-
- Boosts exercise performance
- Develops brain functioning
- Impact on weight loss
The importance and effectiveness have been discussed here.
Keto Multivitamin
During a keto diet, there may be a possibility that the body is unable to get enough vitamins, minerals, and fibers because of the restrictions on some foods like non-starchy vegetables, which may be a good source of multivitamins.
The keto diet may also cause kidneys to excrete extra water, sodium, and other electrolytes which might drain lots of nutrients.
A keto multivitamin supplement may support balance and provide minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium. You can take vitamin capsules or a powdered green drink that may contain electrolytes. In addition to multivitamins, enough sodium may also be required by adding some sea salt.
Having said all that, special attention to calcium has been advised in this assessment.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha may help battle chronic stress. It can help the body healthily respond to stress, which might support healthy weight management. sleep quality, and overall outlook. Ashwagandha might not only support healthy weight management, but there are a number of other benefits of ashwagandha as well.
It may even help to build muscle strength and recover from workouts.Root extracts of ashwagandha are their most popular form, but leaf extracts are also available in capsule forms. The powder form of ashwagandha is also available. The dosage of ashwagandha may vary from product to product, but one may refer to the product label directions or may consult a professional.
Having said all that, you might also want to note that there are ashwagandha benefits for women as well.Digestive Enzymes
Because of the high-fat content in a keto diet, the eating pattern may be tough on the digestive system. Usually, a keto diet may consist of 70 to 75% of fats. When a diet is changed from a low-fat diet to a high-fat diet chances of gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and diarrhea may be high.
Digestive issues like nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, constipation, and bloating may be experienced when transitioning to a ketogenic diet. A digestive enzyme blend that may contain enzymes that breaks down fat and protein may help optimize digestion.
Moreover, enzymes that may break down and digest proteins, may also help reduce post-workout muscle soreness in a keto diet.Multi Collagen
A collagen protein supplement may provide various benefits in a keto diet, such as improved digestive system, immune system, joint health, and improved hair and skin. Collagen is the most abundant type of protein found in the human body. It may help to repair tissues, bones, and may hold the body together.
A keto-friendly collagen powder that is free from sugar and may be low in carbs is beneficial. Collagen powder can be mixed with beverages such as tea, coffee, or smoothies.While going through this paper, you might be able to find the conclusion that consuming collagen peptides of skate skin might enable weight loss activities.
Having said all that, Here are some of the potential benefits of using collagen supplements.
- Improved hair texture, strength, and skin health
- Improved joint flexibility and mobility
- Promotes nail health and growth
Keto Greens
Veggies are an essential part of a ketogenic diet because they may contain vitamins, minerals, and powerful plant compounds which may help fight inflammation, lower disease risk, and may help the body function at an optimum level.
During a keto diet, we might not get enough green vegetables and our body might not get enough nutrients to function at an optimal level. An easy way to boost vegetable intake is by adding a green powder keto supplement to your diet.
Green powders are the main components of powdered plants such as spinach, broccoli, wheatgrass, etc. These powders may be added to drinks, smoothies, and shakes that may increase nutrients in the keto diet.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acids. They may be found in foods such as fish, eggs, nuts, and seeds and may be beneficial for weight loss, inflammation levels, and positive effects on insulin. Supplements such as fish oil or krill oil may be rich in omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which might have many health benefits.
EPA and DHA might reduce inflammation, prevent mental decline, and lower heart disease risk.Not to miss, consumption of fish oil helped in the decrease of weight and glucose levels as per this report.
Some of the other Omega 3 supplements that might be used in a keto diet are:-
- Krill oil
- Flaxseed
- Algae
- Other natural Omega 3 sources
Magnesium
Generally, a keto diet may not provide enough magnesium-rich foods. Magnesium deficiency may occur because keto food is high in calcium and low in magnesium and may result in muscle cramps, and constipation.
To counter this effect, magnesium supplements might be taken which would help avoid the loss of energy, headaches, etc.
Magnesium may not only help boost energy but also regulate blood sugar levels and supports the immune system.
At the same time, weight reducing capabilities have been found with the magnesium supplementation according to this study.
However, some foods may be a good source of magnesium as they are low in carbs. Some of these foods are:-
- Spinach
- Avocado
- Swiss chard
- Pumpkin seeds
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for everyone’s health. The keto diet may not necessarily put the high risk of Vitamin D deficiency, but Vitamin D deficiency is quite common, and therefore, adding a Vitamin D supplement to a keto diet may be a good option.
As per this study, the vitamin D deficiency may be corerlated to a weight gain. And its deficiency may lead to obesity.
Vitamin D is important for many body functions, including the absorption of calcium, a nutrient that may be lacking on a keto diet for those who are lactose intolerant. It may also be important for supporting the immune system, regulating cellular growth, lowering inflammation in the body, and promoting bone health.
Since very few foods are rich in Vitamin D, adding a supplement to ensure the proper intake of this vitamin may be a good option.
Conclusion
The high fat, medium protein, and low carbs ketogenic diet may be followed for promoting weight loss, boosting athletic performance, and many more reasons. The supplements used in a keto diet may make the transition easy and help reduce the symptoms of keto flu.
Apart from this, many supplements may improve the nutritional value of a ketogenic diet and may enhance athletic performance. These supplements may also speed up the process of ketosis, decrease the chances of nutrient deficiency, control cravings, appetite, improve digestion, increase energy, and so on.
You should also be aware of some foods you cannot eat on a keto diet.
- The above list is for informational purposes.
- The above article is not backed up by FDA authorities.
- None of the material of the above article is, in any case, a substitute for professional advice.