If you have experienced keto diet failure(link article 7) or want to step-up your weight loss goals through ketosis, you will most likely be thinking of how to boost your ketone levels.
Generally, it takes the body weeks to enter into full-blown ketosis. However, there are now ways to increase your ketone levels quickly. Some of these ways may not require you to follow a strict keto diet and will land you into ketosis less than the usual time.
So, let’s dig into the five ways you can increase ketone production and get into ketosis quickly.
Coffee
Coffee is a go-to drink for many people around the world. It is one of the most consumed beverage, and its health benefits are numerous. One of the advantages of drinking coffee is that it can help your body boost ketone production.
There are few findings of coffee we want you to know. First, studies indicate that drinking coffee in the morning can increase ketone biomarkers by 88 to 116% for almost four hours after the intake. Coffee consumption can breakdown fats in the body and increase free fatty acid (FFA) in the blood for conversion into ketones.
Research shows that coffee intake can increase plasma ketones, producing 5 to 6% of the energy the brain needs to function.
Yet, it is worth knowing that all of these advantage coffee provides is because of its richness in caffeine. In other words, caffeine is mainly responsible for coffee and its prowess in ketone production. So, consuming decaffeinated coffee will not get you into ketosis.
Are we saying that you step up your coffee consumption to improve ketone production? Yes, but that’s not the catch. The real deal is keto coffee.
What is keto coffee, and how does it work?
Generally, keto coffee hinges on the principle that a high-fat, low-carb diet can quickly get you into ketosis. So, healthy fats- MCT oils are added to plain coffee, which is a low-carb drink. This duo combines into a healthy low-carb, high-fat diet that will get increase ketone production by the liver, and ultimately boost ketone levels.
Keep in mind that you should stick to black coffee with either low-fat milk or unsweetened nut milk for optimum performance of your keto coffee. If you are on a strict keto diet and hoping to shed some pounds, we know you can be very selective about what to consume.
However, you need not worry about keto coffee, especially when the fats you combine is healthy. It will not affect your weight loss plans but will provide other benefits too. A few includes:
Studies indicate that caffeine can reduce the feeling of hunger, allowing drinkers to stay satiated for more extended periods than their routine. This suppression of appetite is beneficial when you are on a keto diet, especially if you’re embarking on it for the first time.
First-timer keto dieters usually experience fatigue, decreased performance, sugar-craving, along with other symptoms of ketosis.
That is because their body is not acquainted with being low in carbs. Consequently, a reduction in your appetite will help ease this tiredness as well as cravings that can mar your keto goals.
Caffeine stimulates the body to use energy even when you’re resting via thermogenesis. In this process of energy-use, the body generates both heat and energy from digesting foods- keto diets, in this case.
In other words, coffee will help your body burn more calories, causing an increase in ketone production to account for such a calorie deficit.
In this section, you may notice we haven’t discussed the importance of the MCT oils in your coffee, and it is deliberate. First, most of the benefits of keto coffee are more because of caffeine and not necessarily the added MCT oil.
Don’t get us wrong, MCT oils also have their place.
Yet, we chose not to discuss MCT oils because there is a full section for it.
All in all, adding MCT oils to plain coffee with low-fat milk produces keto coffee. Keto coffee links to weight loss and several keto benefits. Yet, it is not standalone. You will have to do that with other ways to boost ketone levels we will discuss in this post.
No matter how much keto coffee you drink, it takes time to get into ketosis because of a few factors you can’t alter, for example, genes.
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Increase your MCT Oil intake
MCT oils are supplements added to coffee, salad dressing, and other keto-approved foods to increase fiber and fat content. MCT (Medium-length Chain Triglyceride) oil is easy to digest because of short length chain fats called triglycerides.
There are many reasons you should step-up your intake of MCT oil if you want to boost your ketone levels and lose weight.
For a start, MCT oil increases the production of two hunger suppression hormones, such as leptin and peptide YY. Both will make you feel full for long periods during your keto diet. In our discussion of the foods to eat to get into ketosis quickly(link article 1), we mentioned that coconut oil has an excellent ability to make you feel full.
However, MCT oils can be even better than coconut oil in hunger suppression.
One study analyzed the satiating properties of MCT oil and coconut oil. Its results indicate that people who consumed up to two teaspoons of MCT oil as part of their breakfast ate less food for lunch than those who took coconut oil.
So, increasing your intake of MCT oil will make you feel less hungry during your keto diet. It will also suppress cravings and appetite associated with ketosis.
Thus, making you eat fewer amounts of carbs than you would have and ultimately boost ketone production. Still, that’s not all the benefits you can get from MCT oils in a ketogenic diet.
Many studies link the consumption of MCT oils to improved fat burning.
Another reason consuming MCT oils is among many quick ways to boost ketone levels is its ability to provide instant energy for your body. MCT oils can act as a super fuel because the body absorbs it more rapidly than LCT that contains longer carbon and acid chains.
Specifically, MCT does not require breakdown before absorption. So, it travels to the liver for conversion into ketones to fuel your body’s needs. The produce ketones then pass through your blood-brain barrier to provide energy for your brain cells.
All in all, adding MCT oils to your diets is one of many fast ways to get into ketosis. However, there are a few drawbacks to it. First, findings show that MCT oils can trigger hunger hormones in some people. Also, a High intake of MCT oils can lead to fat buildup in the liver.
Still, if you stay within healthy intakes of good MCT oils like avocado, coconut, and olive oil, it is most likely that it will improve ketone production in your body and get you into ketosis quick.
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Exercise on Keto
Combining your keto diet with exercise is a fast way to boost your ketone levels and achieve your weight goals.
It is common to think that keto diets and exercising are not compatible. Well, we do not agree with that. Although tiredness and fatigue are common signs of ketosis, it is possible to exercise on a keto diet. Even more, you can build muscle on a keto diet.
So, how can the body cope with exercise when it is low in carbs? First, we know that over the years, fitness experts always recommend consuming high-carb foods before exercise to provide your body with sufficient energy.
However, recent research indicates that low-carb eating plans like ketogenic diets are healthier alternatives. That’s because too many carbs can cause insulin resistance and hinder burning the already stored fats in the body for energy. Hence, leading to fat regain high blood sugar and systematic inflation.
Well, how does exercise help ketosis?
Generally, exercise promotes calorie burns. Likewise, keto diets help you lose weight. It is no brainer to suggest that a combination will cause rapid effects on your weight. However, let’s see if there are studies that agree to that.
One small research assessed the effects of a four-week keto diet on fat and carbohydrates utilization during an incremental cycling test. Its result shows that keto diets lead to an increase in fat use and oxidation during submaximal intensity exercise.
Another analysis focuses on the effects of adaptation of a keto diet during three weeks of intensified training on metabolism and performance of world-class athletes.
Its result indicates that three weeks of training and mild energy deficit increases the peak aerobic capacity independent of keto diet support. Yet, the adaptation of keto increased the rate of whole-body fat oxidation during these exercise intensities.
Knowing that exercise can help you boost your ketone levels is one thing. The other thing is knowing how to exercise on a keto diet to increase your ketone production.
When we talk about exercise on a keto diet, we do not mean high-intensity bursts of activities like jumping rope, boxing, or sprinting. For those, your body needs its primary source of energy- carbs for efficient performance.
The best exercises on a keto diet are low-intensity activities like biking, jogging, rowing, or other less-enervating activities.
Meanwhile, in the first week of your keto diet, you need to go easy on your exercise to allow your body to adapt to its new energy source. In those weeks, you will most likely experience a decrease in performance, fatigue, and energy level. Yet, these signs will disappear when your body becomes keto-adapted.
If you do not intend to go easy at the beginning of your diet, there’s a trick you can use- the targeted approach. The targeted approach hinges upon the principle that it takes the body up to 30 minutes to convert consumed carbs into energy.
The targeted approach refers to consuming a huge chunk of your daily allowed carb intake thirty minutes to one hour before you begin your exercise. With that, you will have sufficient energy to engage in exercises with higher intensities.
Keep in mind that the targeted approach works standalone if your only goal is to reduce weight on a keto diet. Whereas, if you intend to build muscle on a keto as well, you should step up your protein and calorie intake. That’s because low-carb diets on exercise can impair muscle growth.
Overall, keto diets coupled with exercise will speed up fat burning, reduce insulin resistance, blood sugar levels, and depict your body of its stored glucose. That, in turn, increases ketone levels.
Yet, exercising on keto can impair muscle growth and reduce energy levels. So, we recommend that you stick to low-intensity exercises during your keto diet. It will help you maximize the benefits of keto diets and minimize the risk of extreme fatigue and impaired muscle growth.
Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting on a keto diet is a popular trend rocking the ketogenic world today. Its success rate and low-risk are quite alarming, and the reason for its rapid trend. Let’s dig into how intermittent fasting can boost your ketone levels.
To fully grasp how fasting can increase your ketone production, you need to learn how the body uses stored energy. When you eat, foods are digested and stored as energy. Yet, if there is little to no amount of food, the body turns to its previously stored energy in the form of glycogen or fat cells to fuel its operation.
Glycogen refers to glucose derived from carbs. In the case of a keto diet, your body will be low on glycogen and would have to turn to fats for fuel if food is not available. Thus, the whole point of fasting to increase ketone levels.
Intermittent fasting refers to an eating technique that cycles between calorie restriction and regular diet during a specific period. It is a good way to reduce inflammation, control blood sugar levels, and improve brain function.
There are different ways to do intermittent fasting. A few are the warrior diet, 5:2 approach, 16/8 method, and the alternative-day fasting.
The most common method is the 16/8 approach, and it requires you to eat during an eight-hour timeframe and fast for the next 16 hours.
Still, any of these intermittent fasting methods will work efficiently on a keto diet in providing the following benefits.
Coupling your keto diet with intermittent fasting will make your body reach ketosis quicker than your keto diet alone. This increase in the rate of achieving ketosis is mainly because your body will turn to fats for fuel- ketosis, in an attempt to maintain energy balance when you fast.
Another reason why intermittent fasting can pace your keto is its ability to decrease insulin level and glycogen stores. Thus, allowing your body to look unto fats for energy. Thus, producing more ketones.
studies indicate that intermittent fasting can improve metabolism through thermogenesis (heat production). In this heat production, the body starts to utilize stored fats to fuel its operation.
Unlike exercising on a keto, intermittent fasting on keto diets can preserve your muscle mass when you lose weight. Fasting also improves your energy levels, reduce hunger hormones, and promote satiety.
Sadly, intermittent fasting is not safe for everyone. Pregnant and breastfeeding women, diabetic patients, or persons with a history of disordered eating should avoid intermittent fasting.
Use Exogenous Ketones
Ketones classify into two broad groups based on the method of production. Endogenous ketones refer to ketones naturally formed in the body by the liver when it converts fat cells into ketones. On the other hand, Exogenous Ketones refer to ketones that come from synthetic sources outside the body, such as ketone supplements.
There are two types of exogenous ketone supplements-
Ketone Esters
Ketone Salts
Ketone salts are more common and are readily available on online stores like Amazon or kissmyketo. Its main composition is magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium. It comes mostly in powdered form, and some are mixed with liquids.
Ketone ester, conversely, comes mostly in liquid form, and its composition contains a compound called an ester. The primary use of ketone ester is for research, and it is not readily available for purchase.
Both types of exogenous ketones mentioned above function similarly in boosting ketone levels in the body. More so, they can do so very efficiently without requiring you to follow a strict keto diet.
The average serving for each keto salt supplement has between 8 – 12 grams of ketones. And that’s just enough to boost your ketone production by over 200%. In one study, participants took almost 12 grams of ketone salts, and their blood ketone levels increased well over 300%.
The use of exogenous ketone can provide you with all the benefits of the typical keto diet. It also reduces the time to reach ketosis. It reduces the symptoms of ketosis(link article 2), especially the body changes common to switching from to a keto diet.
Exogenous ketones, along with quickening ketosis, can also decrease appetite. Ultimately, a reduction in appetite may even further help you lose weight. This appetite suppression bases on its ability to lower the levels of ghrelin- the hunger hormone, for up to four hours after you consume the exogenous ketone. Keep in mind that ketone supplements work best to reduce appetite and start ketosis when you take them before eating.
Results of a research show that there were higher ketone levels in the blood for participants who did not eat before taking the ketone supplement than for those who did
So, the best time to take ketone supplements will be during a fast, maybe intermittent fat, or as soon as you wake up in the morning.
Overall, it is possible to get into ketosis without going on a keto diet. That’s because these supplements can get you into ketosis standalone, along with reducing your hunger hormones.
However, for the best result, you can slightly reduce your carb intake and take your supplements on a fast. Else, your body will have sufficient glucose and will produce and use less amount of fats.
You also have to be careful if you want to supplement your keto diet with exogenous ketones because they contain calories. Exogenous ketone salts contain less than 100 calories, but you’ll have to take several servings daily. So, ensure that you can account for the extra calories from the supplements.
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Final Words
Increasing ketone production in the body is no longer a hard thing to do. If you follow either of the five ways to boost your ketone levels we provided above, you surely will experience a surge in your body’s ketone production.
Yet, instead of picking one or two ways from the methods we provided, we recommend that you look for an approach to combine them all, if possible.