2023-08-04 17:27:45
Ketogenic drinks are one of the newest nutritional supplements getting a lot of attention right now, and they come in small bottles with strong tasting, high prices; and purported health benefits such as weight loss and increased strength and fitness.
Tim Podlugar, a researcher at the Faculty of Sports at the University of Birmingham in Britain, spoke – in an article on the “Conversation” website – about “the growing calls to ban ketone supplements,” and asked whether the advocates of banning them were right or not?
Ketone supplements have been a haven for those wishing to take advantage of the weight loss feature of the keto diet, without having to adhere to a strict diet, as well as for athletes who take them to reduce muscle soreness after intense workouts.
Our bodies get the required energy from breaking down carbohydrates and fats (Getty Images)
What are ketones?
“Whether we’re physically active, exercising, or resting, our bodies get their energy from breaking down carbohydrates and fats,” says Podlugar.
Although most of our tissues depend on fat as fuel, a healthy diet should provide between 45 and 60% of total energy from carbohydrates, because our brains cannot use fat directly as fuel, they depend on a continuous supply of glucose (a type of carbohydrate) from the body’s bloodstream. the blood.
An adult of normal weight needs 200 grams of glucose per day, of which the brain accounts for two-thirds (about 130 grams) to cover its energy needs.
The brain competes with the rest of the body for glucose when its levels drop significantly, and begins to strictly control its portion, especially when feeling hungry.
The body resorts to consuming the protein in the muscles to use it to produce glucose in order to maintain a safe level of activity. However, it is not enough to provide the daily fuel the brain needs, so the liver begins to “convert fat into bodies called (ketones) that provide an alternative source of fuel for the brain.”
Hence the popular keto diet, which aims to reduce carbohydrate intake to less than 50% per day to force the body to produce more ketones needed for brain fuel by burning fat. This may help to lose weight, but it impairs athletic performance at the same time, as many studies have shown that “carbohydrates are necessary to maintain the level of high-intensity exercise.
The keto diet depends on reducing carbohydrate intake to force the body to produce ketones (Getty Images)
Ketones supplements are not the best
After it became clear that ketones could be a source of energy, just like carbohydrates and fats, scientists became interested in producing supplements that would increase the concentration of ketones in the blood, without the need to reduce carbohydrate intake. It is the method that they bet on allowing athletes to benefit not only from carbohydrates and fats, but also from ketones that can save the consumption of precious carbohydrates stored in very limited quantities, according to Podlugar, who explained that many attempts have already been made to develop ketone supplements, “but most of them caused Digestive problems occur, and the availability of ketones in the body has not increased sufficiently.”
Podlugar cited a 2017 Australian study of professional cyclists who took a ketone supplement, “and the results showed poor performance, accompanied by severe gut discomfort, with a limited increase in ketones.”
A new study conducted by researchers at McMaster University in Canada, published about 3 months ago, showed; The ketone supplement decreased 20-minute performance by 2.4% compared to a placebo.
Podlugar explained this decline in exercise performance by saying, “Ketone supplements make the blood more acidic, something that has long been known to impair performance.”
Ketones supplements have formed a haven for those wishing to take advantage of the weight loss advantage of the keto diet (Associated Press)
Ketone supplementation impairs performance
Podlugar pointed out that consuming ketone drinks before or during exercise does not provide any benefits for performance efficiency, but rather it can weaken it, and confirmed that there is no benefit for ketone drinks.
But he explained that a research university in Belgium provided some evidence that “taking ketone supplements when recovering from exercise can help reduce symptoms of overtraining,” and he reaffirmed that “there is no evidence to suggest that ketone supplements will provide benefits to athletes during normal training.”
Possible side effects
In May 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration said that circulating ketone supplements “can cause severe reactions.” Experts have called for more federal oversight of the supplement industry, given the following potential side effects:
Upset stomach: Ketone supplements may cause an increase in the levels of ketones in the blood. This leads to upset stomach and increased bowel movements, and then loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting.
lack of blood sugar: As ketones can contribute to very low blood sugar levels; which may cause a feeling of exhaustion and lethargy; This may be dangerous for diabetics.
Hypertension: Ketone salts usually contain sodium, which can be dangerous for those with high blood pressure.
Drought: High levels of ketones in the body can cause some people to feel thirstier than usual and increase the possibility of dehydration.
Benefits and harms
“The danger begins when trying to use ketone supplements as a quick and easy solution, and relying entirely on them to achieve and maintain results,” says Yasmine Sheikh, a physician and author with a PhD in Ayurvedic medicine. Although ketone supplements can help with weight loss, they “still require lifestyle changes, including eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise.”
Therefore, Dr. Yasmin Sheikh believes that it is best to speak with a doctor to assess if it is safe to take these supplements. “Instead of spending money on ketone supplements, it is safer and more efficient to spend money on buying healthy, whole foods to include in our diet,” she advises.
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