I’ll make this note fast because I’m sick… but I’ve been asked this question THREE times today, which is way more than the 2-3 times a week I usually get asked, so I want to give you a quick way to decide if exogenous ketones are right for you – or not.
Exogenous Ketones 🚫 My Take…
The first thing you should know is that there is A LOT OF MONEY in exogenous ketones. They are raking in the big bucks selling these to people with some pretty “interesting claims.”
Many of the products are part of an MLM (multi-level marketing/pyramid) style business, so most of the “claims” and recommendations you see are from people making money by talking you into trying them.
🔸An MLM structure pays out several levels of people, which means the prices are WAY marked up from the actual value of the product.
Keep that in mind first. 👆 Also keep in mind that I like money, and could use some extra money given how GREAT this year has been (ha! ugh), and I *still* don’t recommend them to you – and never have. (There might be a reason for that. 🤔)
The first question I usually ask people is WHY they are interested in taking ketones, or what caught their attention. There’s a reason I lead in with that question…
But to make this fast, here’s my typical response (copied from a private message earlier today):
“I don’t take ketones, or use anything with ketones in it. Your body makes ketones naturally and FREE when you eat very low carb. What made you decide to use it?”
Why I don’t take/use ketones:
I’m not a doctor or a nurse or a scientist or a nutritionist – but this feels like “common sense” to me…
Exogenous Ketones means “ketones you take” (vs ketones your body makes naturally). They are often called “ketone salts” because most of them are attached to a salt.
They are VERY high sodium.
Salt is great on a ketogenic low carb diet, as ketosis is a natural diuretic. But you can easily eat real salt, sip on inexpensive chicken broth for electrolytes & sodium, etc.
There’s NO need to pay out the nose for something like… salt. 👀
For sodium, all you really need to do is “salt to taste” (ie don’t eat low sodium) and don’t OVER-drink water, which will flush out your sodium & electrolytes. If you have headaches or leg cramps, you don’t need a lot of expensive supplements – you usually just need to back off the water a bit, and sip on chicken broth to replenish your sodium & electrolytes.
Again, I’m not a doctor and this is not health advice – it’s just common sense. I’ve been “eating keto” for more than 9 years and I have never taken a ketone or an electrolyte product. 😉
Ketones are FREE!
Your body makes it’s own ketones naturally and FREE simply by eating very low carb consistently. Unfortunately, the way ketones are “sold” is by suggesting you can eat your carbs AND stay in ketosis ~ “by taking this magic pill or potion.”
So anytime you have a “cheat day” or a cheat meal or totally binge out, just take ketones and you’ll stay in ketosis or be back in ketosis within an hour like nothing ever happened – and that’s totally healthy! (NO) 🚫
What’s that saying? “if it seems too good to be true…” 🧐
If you are not eating low carb consistently, or not in ketosis consistently, then you are mixing high fat (keto) with carbs and sugar.
And adding in “high sodium” sounds like a good idea… to anyone?! 🤯
High fat + high carb + high sugar +PLUS+ high sodium = 😳
That’s the part that seems like common sense to me. It sounds like a recipe for a heart attack. (eek!) That really concerns me, scares me actually. And I am not aware of ANY long term case studies on the side effects of this dangerous cocktail, used the way it’s suggested for weight loss or keto diets.
The way a ketogenic low carb diet works is all about the science of food combining. When you limit your carb intake super low, you force your body to run on fat for fuel or energy, instead of burn sugar (glucose) for energy. When your body starts burning fat, it creates BHB (ketones) – which you can detect on urine strips or measure with a ketone meter.
Again, ketones are free! 🙃
Why You Should Ask Yourself… WHY?
I mentioned earlier I usually lead in with that question, to see WHY someone is interested in taking or drinking ketones. The reason is because if you think about it for a second, you’ll usually get to the root of what you REALLY want or need – and it’s probably NOT an expensive pill or a potion.
If it’s because you aren’t eating low carb consistently, address THAT first.
If it’s because you ARE eating low carb consistently but can’t seem to get or stay in ketosis, address THAT – it’s likely a food or ingredient you’re eating that you simply need to eliminate.
GOAL: good health
RESULT: weight loss
I had that backwards ⬆️ when I first starting eating low carb almost 10 years ago. I think we all start out “wanting to lose weight” and find our way to a healthier more balanced lifestyle as part of the journey. Some of us take longer than others 🙋♀️ lol.
If you eat healthy and live healthy, your body will have no choice but to follow suit. If you stay consistent, so will your weight loss and health improvements. If you work through the problems that caused you problems, those problems will disappear…
My point is to think things through when it comes to supplements or “quick fixes” – first, YOUR WHY and second: does it REALLY make logical sense? Between those two filters, you can easily make smart choices, instead of impulse buys that target your emotional triggers. 💕
I am not feeling great, more on that later, but I’m not very focused – so if I left anything out or left you with any questions, please leave a comment and we’ll continue discussing. 🙂
Best,
Lynn Terry
aka @LowCarbTraveler
p.s. All those ketone and electrolyte (etc) supplements are expensive! I’d rather save my money for keto chocolate. 💯 Shop the ChocZero Deals You can use my TRAVELINGLOWCARB code at checkout to get a discount anytime you order! 🍫🍯💝
p.p.s. My only “supplement” exception is the collagen in my first morning coffee every day. I started using it when I developed gut health issues after a nasty virus almost 2 years ago, and continued using it for all the great benefits it provides. Especially the important ones: like pretty skin, nails & hair. 😉 I use Perfect Keto unflavored collagen powder. Add discount code LYNN20 at checkout for 20% off anything at Perfect Keto. ✅
xo
Discount Code: LOWCARBTRAVELER
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