Keto Supplements: Increase Your Ketone Levels and Boost Weight Loss
As you know, there are many effective methods that help with weight loss. The ketogenic diet is one of them. Popularly known as the Keto diet, this diet focuses on high-fat foods and includes few to no carbohydrates at all.
Getting used to extreme carbohydrate restriction, however, can cause uncomfortable side effects. That is because the body takes time to get used to making ketones and using this new source of energy. The body tends to burn carbohydrates for energy, but when you eat few to no carbs on the keto diet, the body gets its energy from other sources. So, the body burns fat and turns it into ketone, which is then used for energy. This process is called ketosis.
When starting with the keto diet, you may experience headaches, fatigue, trouble sleeping, problems with concentration, nausea, constipation, dizziness, stomach cramps or aches. The keto diet is also associated with certain nutritional deficiencies as it removes the most readily available sources of electrolytes and nutrients from the diet. Magnesium, potassium and calcium are generally the most depleted nutrients found in individuals on the ketogenic diet. Keto supplements can help ensure healthy nutrient levels as well as reduce the symptoms associated with this diet.
Nowadays, you can find a wide range of keto supplements Australia wide, but how do you know what supplements you take on keto? The supplements listed below can be particularly valuable when you’re following this diet.
MCT Oil
Medium-chain triglyceride or MCT oils is a quality fat made from coconuts. When it comes to keto supplements, MCT oil is one of the best options to get even deeper into ketosis.
Your body doesn’t have to work much to turn MCT oil into ketone energy for your cells. On the keto diet, it’s important to maintain ketone levels to stay in a fat-burning state and reap all those ketosis benefits, such as fewer cravings and amplified brainpower. Also, if you are looking for a better result at the gym, MCT oil can help you with that too. Look for a reliable keto supplements Australia retailer that offers MCT oils that are 100% pure caprylic acid. Not all MCT oils are the same and some products may contain additives that won’t give you the same ketone boots, or they mostly consist of coconut oil, which your body doesn’t even treat like an MCT.
Electrolytes
On a high-carb diet, the body stores sugar in the form of glycogen, which is your energy reserve. When you go a few hours without eating, you start to burn your glycogen stores for fuel. When you are on a keto diet, things are different. Because you aren’t regularly eating carbs or sugar, you get really low on glycogen stores. With low energy levels, your body starts to burn fat for energy instead.
The body needs a lot of water to store glycogen, which is why you lose several kilos of water weight in the first few days in the keto diet. You’ll be emptying your glycogen stores and getting rid of the water that goes with them. As you lose water, your kidneys excrete electrolytes to maintain your system in balance. You’ll continue to excrete electrolytes for as long as you follow the diet, which can lead to potassium, sodium and magnesium deficiencies, as well as muscle cramps and headaches. To prevent these side effects of the keto diet, take an electrolyte supplement. While you should get your nutrition from whole foods, electrolyte supplements can also help you hit the daily recommended amounts.
Folate Supplements
One of the B vitamins, folate is an essential building block of your brain and for DNA synthesis. Low folate levels can result in cognitive dysfunction, depression and fatigue, as well as a higher risk of dementia, stroke and heart disease. While leafy greens and complex carbs are great sources of folate, it can be tough to eat enough of them when you are on a low-carb diet, such as keto.
Vitamin B6 works together with folate as a cofactor. The two consume each other, so you should have plenty of both. Beef, pork and eggs are all high in vitamin B6, so as long as you eat meat on keto, you may be fine. So, to keep your brain function and DNA synthesis functioning correctly, take methyl folate daily paired with vitamin B6 if you’re not eating. When buying a folate supplement opt for methyl folate instead of folic acid. If you are like many, you probably have an MTHFR gene mutation, which means you won’t use folic acid properly.
When to Take Supplements on Keto?
Keto diet supplements are an integral part of a well-formulated ketogenic diet, so they should be taken from the beginning. Getting the keto supplements you need is fairly easy no matter where you go. Many health supplement stores, online and locally, are well stocked for keto customers.