Filling a notebook with your carb intake on a daily basis is not the only way to achieve success on a ketonic diet. In fact, getting into ketosis can really be very tricky and a downright difficult process. A Ketogenic Diet forces your body to burn stored fats as energy. By eating food with low amount of carbs and a high amount of fat, your body will eventually get into a state of ketosis which can help you lose weight and can also improve brain function.
With the growing popularity of the Ketogenic Diet, there is also a boom in Ketogenic Supplements. But how do you know which one is for you? How much will it cost? Are there any side effects in taking keto supplements?
Knowing what the best keto supplement is also means knowing what kind of keto dieter you are. There are three main types of Keto Diets: Standard, Targeted, Cyclical, and High-Protein. The main difference lies in the amount of carbs you target to take on a daily basis.
Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD) is the most common type of keto diet and it is most recommended to those who are less active and want to lose weight. This means that you are taking about 20-50 grams of carbs daily. However, SKD allows the intake of an average amount of protein but relies on a heavy fat intake. So to put it mathematically, that would be 5% carbs, 20% protein, and 75% fat.
Cyclical Ketogenic Diet (CKD) refers to a varied carb intake within a week or a cycle. For example, you go on a 5-day low carb keto diet and then eat a normal amount of high carb for two days. The days vary depending on your activity levels and what you are trying to achieve. This approach is used frequently by bodybuilders and is not recommended for beginners.
Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD) is for people that are engaged in high intensity activities and take carbs 30minutes to an hour before a workout. It's like consuming about 25-50 grams of carbs before an activity to reduce the loss of energy during a workout or sport. This allows you to add carbs in your diet specifically to be burn during an intense activity session.
High-Protein Ketogenic Diet is just as calculated as SKD. However, the ratio varies. You still stick to a 5% carb intake (usually consuming about 20-50 grams per day) with a higher 35% protein intake and a 60% fat intake.
SKD and TKD are highly recommended for averagely active individuals and they have proven to be highly effective in reducing weight. These two types of keto diets have been proven to be safe as well and are well-researched. Although CKD and High-Protein Keto diets can be effective, they are mostly used by bodybuilders and professional athletes.
Our Reviews of The Best Keto Supplements in 2018
Product | Efficacy Rating | Ingredients | Benefits | Flavors | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 9/10 | High Quality Beta Hydroxybutric (BHB), Stevia, MCT Oil (Unflavored), Calcium, Magnesium, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors | Great Flavors, Highly blendable, Proven to raise ketone levels from 0.8-1.4 mmol, Effective supression of appetite, Energy booster, Recommended by doctors | Unflavored or MCT Oil Powder, Chocolate Sea Salt, Peaches and Cream | $$ |
 | 8.8/10 | MCT Powder, Malic Acid, Beta-Hydroxybutric Acid (BHB), Stevia, Caffeine, Natural Flavor | Energy booster, Increased Mental Alertness, Rapid Ketosis, Reduced Inflammation, Faster Weightloss | Swiss Cacao, Maui Punch, Chocolate Swirl, Orange Dream, Kreme | $$$ |
 | 8.5/10 | Beta-hydroxybutric Acid (BHB), Citric Acid/ Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium, Sodium | Energy Booster, Appetite Supressor, Improved Mental Energy, Raises Blood Ketone Levels, Aids in Keto and Paleo Diets | Flavorless | $$$ |
 | 9.3/10 | 42 Proprietary Fruit and Veggie Blend, Lactobacilus Acidophilus, Apple Pectin, Garlic and Flaxseed Powder, Gingko Biloba, Bilberry extracts | Antioxidant, Increased Glucose metabolism, Probiotic Digestion, Energy Booster, Liver Fat Reduction, Muscle and Bone Mass Loss Prevention | Flavorless | $ |
 | 9/10 | Vegetarian Capsules, Oxo-Dehydroepiandrosterone Acetate | Natural Non-GMO Veggie Capsules, Faster Metabolism, Activates Ketosis effectively | Flavorless | $$ |
 | 8.8/10 | Green Tea, L-Theanine, Chromium, Caffeine | Reduces Food Cravings, Best for Regulating Blood Sugar, Regulates Blood Pressure, Faster Metabolism, Regulates Cholesterol and Fat | No flavor Choices | $ |
 | 8.4/10 | MCT Oil from Coconut Oil, Oxaloacetic Acid, Caprylic Acid, Brain Octane Oil | Faster Metabolism, Improved Cognitive Processing, Prevent Body Muscle Loss, Improved Mental Alertness | Flavorless, Odorless | $$$ |
Overview of Our Favourite Ketone Supplements
Perfect Keto
Although Perfect Keto is a relatively newcomer to the exogenous ketones market, it is definitely a top notch contender. Keto dieters out there who are really serious about dropping their carb intake highly recommended and even loved this product—we do too. It is one of the most affordable exogenous ketone drink supplements out there and it blends well with your morning cup of coffee, milk or chocolate.
What's great about Perfect Keto was developed by Dr. Anthony Gustin who made the formula for maximum efficiency to get into ketosis. As a bonus, Perfect Keto is also certified organic. Therefore ot does not use chemical flavourings but instead it uses stevia to add sweetness and added depth of flavor.
Perfect Keto is relatively cheaper than most exogenous ketone drink supplements. Each serving is great for suppressing the hunger and provides an extra amount of needed energy. The BHB or beta-Hydroxybutyric acid component works well in helping your body raise ketone levels—which in this case has been proven and tested to go up in an average of 0.8-1.4 mmol—giving your body that nice extra boost of energy. It really functions like endogenous ketones since it raises ketone levels to help your body enter ketosis quickly.
Perfect keto is also great for keto diet beginners since it helps in aiding your body to get familiar with burning body fat for energy. It also lessens keto flu symptoms and makes getting through the keto side-effects much easier.
Pruvit Keto-OS
Pruvit is the maker of Keto-OS which is another exogenous ketone drink. The main concept of Keto-OS is that drinking one packet in 16 ounces of water would immediately put your body into a state of ketosis where your body starts burning off the stored fats in your body. It may sound really too good to be true - but it really does what it’s supposed to do. It's like hacking your body into a state of ketosis.
Regarding the taste, it is rather 'funny' to some but you kind of expect that from a product that does not rely on added extra flavors to make a healthy drink. Drink it as it is; it still tastes better to me than juicing up some raw veggies.
The exogenous ketones in Keto-OS is highly effective in keeping your body energy levels boosted and it also increases mental alertness. When combined with standard ketogenic diet, Keto-OS gives your body better and lasting energy. It also effective in reducing inflammation.
For newbies to the keto diet, Keto-OS is recommended since it reduces the sluggish feeling most people undergo in the first few days starting a low carb diet. Low energy and slight dizziness are common side-effects of the "keto flu" - which is what happens when the body needs to adjust itself to a low-carb diet. It results in the body burning fat instead of carbs as the main source of energy. This is a dramatic change for your body and produces temporary flu-like side effects.
The energy boost in Keto-OS can be attributed to the caffeine - but there is also an option for a caffeine-free Keto-OS. Nonetheless, whether you drink with or without caffeine, you still get a powerful punch of energy and increased mental alertness letting you focus on other things even more. The downside biggest downside to Keto-OS is that it's a little expensive compared to other products on this list.
Keto Force
Keto Force literally helps force your body produce endogenous ketones with the help of sodium and potassium salt forms. Taking a maximum of 3 capfuls of Keto Force for every 24 hours is just enough to give you a daily boost of energy throughout the entire day. Your body reaches a state of ketosis much faster. It does have a change in intake for a keto diet. If you have just started a keto diet, it is recommended to take 3 capfuls of KetoForce to help achieve Ketosis faster but must be reduced to 1 capful once your body has already adjusted to your ketogenic diet.
It is a great companion to your keto diet because it really keeps the hunger at bay. It also reduces the symptoms of your keto diet and also helps in aiding you to keep up the energy boost to a maximum especially before your workout. The BHB component makes your keto diet easier especially in the beginning where you happen to feel like losing energy in the transition period of your keto diet. KetoForce is one of the most effective keto pre-workout supplements. It prevents your body from losing energy and helps keep your momentum up even after your workout.
On the downside, a 16-ounce bottle of KetoForce is quite pricey. Another issue is the taste; it tastes like dirt so you may want to add it to a cup of grapefruit, lime or lemon, or any citrus juice. Measurement using the cap is rather pedestrian and it can really get messy. But if you want to measure properly, one capful is equivalent to 10cc or 10mL.
Ketolabs Core Basics
No matter what type of diet you are on, whether it is Keto, Atkins, or Paleo, your body will well be sustained with Ketolabs' Core Basics. This multi-vitamin supplement is composed of naturally occurring ingredients that help keep the body at a great state of health. This supplement fills up any mineral deficiencies you may experience during your diet.
The main purpose of Core Basics is to fill-in the lacking vitamins and minerals that your may have during a low carb diet. Core Basic vitamins helps the body stay in shape without interfering with your body's diet. This is become some vitamins may contain sugars that can raise your insulin levels and kick you out of ketosis.
Core Basics prevents your body from losing muscle and bone mass that can occur from a keto diet. This is a great supplement for those who are into sports and working out and want to maintain their physique. Core Basics also contains probiotics which helps keep your gut bacteria healthy and ward off sickness.
The recommended dosage is to take in two tablets a day with at least an 8-hour difference—like once in the morning and once in the evening daily. This helps your body have a constant supply of vitamins and minerals. It may not directly aid you in entering ketosis but it does help help reduce the side effects of the keto flu.
That's why I think Core Basics is a must have to anyone worried about vitamin deficiencies from a Ketogenic diet.
NutriGold 7-Keto
NutriGold's 7-Keto Gold is a metabolism enhancer. It's primarily purpose is it aids weight loss by increasing the body's rate of metabolism allows the body to function better and utilize stored fats in your body. The 7-Keto Gold contains 7-keto-dehydroepiandrosterone acetate or simply known as 7-keto-DHEA. This is actually a chemical or a product of metabolism.
7-Keto Gold aids in activating three thermogenic enzymes that promote the use of stored body fat as a source of energy and heat production. In fact, these enzymes increase the metabolism of these fat stored more than burning the carbs taken in by the body.
The 7-Keto Gold has been shown to reverse the negative effects of muscle loss in a low-carb diet. So instead of losing muscle, it goes straight to burning stored fats and assists your body to build muscle tone after working out. 7-Keto Gold is a non-stimulant and does not show any cardiovascular or nervous system side effects.
Aside from being an effective weight loss agent, 7-Keto Gold helps the body enhance its immune system especially for the elderly. This means that as the body gets older and the immune system gets weaker it becomes more prone to infections and illnesses. 7-Keto Gold assists in preventing that from happening.
In a sense, although it designed to mainly help your body in its metabolic process, the 7-Keto Gold is highly effective in boosting your weight loss efforts. It is also relatively cheap since one bottle of capsules is equivalent to a 60-day or two months. That's why I recommend 7-Keto Gold for those who are looking to supplement their ketogenic diet to lose weight fast.
Raspberry Ketones Max
There has been many different opinions on the effectiveness of Raspberry Ketone supplements over the years. It has been said Raspberry Ketones may help in weight loss—but it is relative because it may not work on all people.
That is why we decided to do our homework and conducted our own research by trying the most popular products to see if they were as effective as other BHB supplements.
Rasberry Ketones helps in increasing your metabolism, regulating blood sugar and blood pressure. It also helps in aiding the body burn fat cells which release a chemical called adiponectin—a hormone that actively plays a role in increasing metabolism. Technically, people who are naturally thinner actually have higher adiponectin hormone levels and are less likely to be obese and less likely to have type 2 diabetes
Our results in research Rasberry Ketone supplements were somewhat surprising. We tested a number of different manufacturers and although most supplements didn't suppress appetites or block carbs, it did improve our metabolism. However one brand - Raspberry Ketone Max - specifically stood out. It was especially effective at this as we noticed a significant increase in fat burning. To see our full review on Raspberry Ketone Max you can find it right here.
BulletProof KetoPrime
Brain Octane Oil is a supplement that serves the body better in keeping you alert and your brain fueled with energy. Made to be easily taken and digested at any point of the day, KetoPrime are actually oils that you put on your drinks. You can take it any time of the day, especially when you feel like your body is fatigued and drained of energy.
The main component of the oils is a chemical called oxaloacetate (OAA) which helps remove a dangerous compound called glutamate that often causes dizziness, mental fatigue, and reduced cognitive energy. Other than that, it significantly improves metabolic processes at a cellular rate. In simpler terms, it helps your body digest those carbs and stored fats quickly because it aids your body in producing mitochondria—the powerhouse of your cells. Newer mitochondria produce fresher, cleaner and longer lasting energy.
In effect to your keto diet, Bulletproof's KetoPrime gives your body a quick source of energy. The improved metabolism helps break down the carbs you take in and move its way into using up the fat reserves in your body. It also contains MCT Oil that is said to effectively help in the production of ketones in the body. MCT Oil helps in the release of ketones to fuel the body and the brain with energy. MCT Oil also helps highly active persons in keeping up with their high-protein diet; MCT prevents the loss of muscle growth.
One bottle of KetoPrime contains 30 oils per bottle. It falls on the more expensive side of our list but it already provides you with an entire month's supply.
Entering a Keto Diet needs your dedication and your determination to stay healthy and to effectively lose weight. Here are some common questions answered when undergoing a Keto Diet.
Can I experience some side effects in a Keto Diet?
Yes, but these are only experienced in the beginning or the transition phase of a Keto Diet. You will often experience excessive thirst, fatigue, constipation, bad breath, and slow cognitive energy.
What should I look for in a good Keto Supplement?
A good keto supplement would have at least two of any of these:
- beta-hydroxybutyric Acid
- Fish oil
- Sodium & Potassium
- Magnesium
- Vitamin D
- Creatine
- ECA Stack
- Hydroxymethylbutrate (HMB)
- Chromium
- Carnitine
Do I really need a Keto Supplement?
Yes. Keto Supplements help suppress the side effects one feels in starting a keto diet. It also fills-in any of the missed out nutrients that you take in when keeping up a low carb diet. It also helps in sustaining your diet effectively.
There are tons of Keto supplements out there and looking for the best one can really be very tricky. Knowing your need would most likely be more effective than just winging it. You need to do your research as much as we have done ours in order to keep up a healthy and effective keto diet. Keto diet can go the wrong way if you are not careful and thus, with the aid of the right keto supplement, you can easily achieve your goal with less hassle but more yield.
