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Why use Keto Supplements?
- The keto diet is useful for weight loss, hormone balance, better brain functioning, and others in the body. When on a keto diet, your body will respond a little different and have more needs.
- Electrolytes, specific vitamins, mitochondrial enhancers, and ketone supplements help you better when you are in ketosis.
Here is a list of the best keto supplements to take when on a ketogenic diet and some that you can skip.
The Best Keto Supplements
When you are in any keto diet (Cyclical Keto or Targeted Keto), these are the best supplements to use;
MCT Oil Keto
When you get deeper into ketosis, the coconut-derived MCT oil is beneficial. It gives you a significant physical boost before work out and also helps your mind to concentrate when you want to focus.
All MCT oils do give the same results. An MCT oil is pure caprylic acid (C8) like Brain Octane converts into ketones immediately. You will get more energy and mental clarity in a short span.
Medium and standard chain triglyceride (MCT) oils have weaker ingredients like capric and lauric acids, which provide a fraction of ketones that C8 MCTs do. Brain octane oil increases ketone levels as compared to generic MCT oil and coconut oil.
Learn more about weight loss, MCT oil, and keto here.
Electrolytes: Sodium, Magnesium, And Potassium
When you are on a high-carb diet, the body converts the excess sugars into glycogen for storage. When you run a few hours without eating, the glycogen reserves are broken down. When on the keto diet, your body has little glycogen reserves since sugar and carb intake is low. The body burns extra fats when you need more energy.
A lot of water is needed for glycogen storage. That is the reason for the water loss when on the first days of the keto diet. The glycogen storage is being broken down, and more water is released. During the process, kidneys excrete electrolytes (sodium and Potassium) to maintain a balance.
When in ketosis, you will continue with water loss, which causes electrolyte deficiencies, muscle cramps, and headaches. To prevent these side effects, you need to take plenty of electrolytes while in ketosis.
The intake should be as follows;
Magnesium: 400 mg/day
Best form: magnesium glycinate or magnesium citrate
Potassium: 4000 mg/day, can be taken throughout the day. Excessive intake may cause digestive distress.
Best form: dissolve potassium chloride powder in water
Sodium: 2000-4000 mg/day, in water or on food
Best form: pink Himalayan salt or Sea salt
Read our article on Sodium with Keto
Folate for Keto
Folate is a vital building block for your brain and DNA synthesis. Low folate levels result in cognitive dysfunction and fatigue. There are also high risks of dementia, stroke, and heart diseases.
Vegetables are the best sources of folate. When on the keto diet, getting enough folate is a challenge.
Vitamin B6 is a cofactor for folate. The two deplete each other, and you need both. Taking pork, eggs, and beef when on the keto diet will supply you with vitamin B6. You can get folate from methyl folate supplement. If you have MTHFR gene mutation, which is very common, you cannot use folic acid.
The supplement can be used as follows;
Folate: 800 mcg/day
Best form: Methyl folate
Ketoprime Supplement
KetoPrime contains oxaloacetate, which powers up mitochondria by restricting calories. High performance by mitochondria results in more energy.
If you are doing intermittent fasting, KetoPrime is an excellent choice on keto diet. The oxaloacetate in ketoPrime refills the small amounts of glycogen, which keeps crashing when fasting on in the gym.
Check out why keto is more effective for Intermittent fasting
Keto Supplements You Can Skip
Some supplements are not useful to the body. Your body will be better without these two keto supplements;
Ketone Salts (Exogenous Ketones)
Ketone salts such as sodium beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) boost your blood ketone in a short time. It may seem like they put you in deep ketosis, but their presence in your blood does not mean you are using them. Ketone salts are racemic mixture-they are 50-50 mix of molecules (the D form and L form), which are mirror images of each other. Only D form is absorbed while L form shows in blood as ketone, which is not used.
As Dr. Richard Veech says, “the only ketone that’s is effective is the D-from. The L-form is metabolized in beta-oxidation, which makes it harmful.” It is cheaper to use racemic salt but may cause harm to users. Take the Brain Octane Oil, which the body breaks down to ketones it can handle.
Emulsified MCT Oil
Most MCT oils containing lauric acid will probably not increase your ketones by a meaningful amount.
Emulsified MCT oil is weaker than standard MCT oil. It has an emulsifier, which makes it mix easily with liquids and reduces the percentage of MCT by half. You will pay high for a less effective product. Brain Octane oil and MCT oil are better choices.
Conclusion
A keto diet is the best way to enhance your performance. If you are new to keto, check out the beginner’s guide to the ketogenic diet.
Keto supplements boost the body and brain performances.