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Do Exogenous Ketones Aid In Weight Loss?
What You'll Find in this Article:
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What are Ketones?
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What is Body Composition (and Why Is It Important?)
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Clinical Study: Ketones for Weight Loss and Body Composition
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How to Use Ketones to Burn Fat and Transform Your Body
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4 Tips for Losing Weight and Preserving Lean Muscle Mass
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Conclusion: Exogenous Ketones Aid
Weight Loss and Body Composition
You’ve already heard of the ketogenic diet, but do you know what sets it apart from every other diet?
The answer is ketones, powerhouse molecules that are responsible for the majority of the effects of going keto.
And there are two ways to increase your body’s ketone levels: shift to a strict low-carb, high-fat diet...or take bioidentical ketone supplements.
According to recent research, supplements called exogenous ketones offer similar advantages to the keto diet, except you don’t have to change your entire approach to nutrition.
In this article, you’ll learn about a new study proving exogenous ketones like Real Ketones D-BHB can help you lose weight and get in shape, practical advice on how to use ketones for fat loss, and 4 helpful tips for burning fat and preserving lean muscle mass.
But first, let’s begin with easy-to-understand definitions of “ketones” and “body composition”--and why they matter for your health and wellness.
What are Ketones?
Ketones are special high-energy molecules your body makes when you don’t eat carbohydrates, but instead burn fat for fuel.
You can think of them as “brain food” that takes the place of the sugar (carbs) that your brain and body typically use for energy.
After about 24 hours of avoiding carbs and sugar, your liver begins producing the following ketones[*]:
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D-beta-hydroxybutyrate (D-BHB)
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Acetoacetate
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Acetone
Don’t worry; you don’t have to memorize the name of each ketone. Just keep in mind that normally, your body doesn’t produce significant amounts of ketones unless you avoid carbs or skip eating altogether[*].
However, it turns out that ketones are also incredibly healthy for your body and brain and in reality the “body’s preferred fuel.”.
For example, scientists have discovered that BHB have amazing benefits for raising your energy levels, improving your brain function, boosting your mood, controlling your appetite, and reducing inflammation, to name a few[*][*][*][*][*][*][*].
You can think of ketones as the “difference-maker” that sets the keto diet apart from every other diet on the planet.
And of the three natural ketones, D-beta-hydroxybutyrate (D-BHB for short) appears to be the most beneficial[*].
What are Exogenous Ketones?
“Exogenous” means “coming from outside.”
Exogenous ketones are bioidentical to natural ketones, but instead of being produced in your body, science has provided us with an efficient way to make them in supplement form.
And just as the popularity and credibility of the keto diet have grown, so has scientific interest in the numerous health benefits of exogenous ketones, especially D-BHB.
Research shows exogenous ketones offer a number of unique advantages to endogenous ketones (the ones your body produces):
Also, remember how we discussed the link between ketones and burning fat? In a moment, we’ll examine exciting new research showing that exogenous D-BHB can help you lose weight, shed fat, improve your lean-to-fat ratio, reduce your hip circumference, and lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol with minimal effort.
First, though, let’s take a quick look at the definition of body composition, and the reasons why it’s an essential factor in your health and fitness.
What Is Body Composition (and Why Is It Important)?
Your body composition is the amount of lean body mass versus body fat you have. And who doesn’t want more muscle and less fat?
And your body composition is actually more important than your body weight. Essentially, it affects your appearance as well as your overall health in significant ways.
In other words, regardless of your body weight, your body composition has a major effect on how you look and feel.
Someone with plenty of lean body mass and relatively low body fat will appear shapely, athletic, and healthy.
And studies show that your body composition profoundly influences your health in the following ways:
Therefore, even if you aren’t particularly concerned about your appearance, looking after your body composition can help you stay healthy for life.
And now that you know why your body composition matters, it’s time to jump into the latest study on exogenous ketones and how they affect your lean body mass and fat mass.
Clinical Study: Ketones for Weight Loss and Body Composition
In 2019, researchers at the Center for Applied Health Sciences in Ohio conducted a two-month-long clinical study to learn about the effects of ketones on weight loss and body composition.
First, they recruited 104 “overweight but physically active” volunteers, both men and women.
And next, the researchers randomized the volunteers into four groups: a placebo control group, plus three “active” groups who would each receive different types of exogenous ketones.
During the study, each active group took the same dose of a different formula of exogenous D-BHB ketones--one scoop in the morning and one scoop at night for 8 weeks.
The researchers put everyone in the study on a “Zone” style diet (40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fats). Additionally, on average, the participants ate about 300 calories per day less than they had before.
However, the subjects didn’t increase their physical activity levels, meaning any changes in body composition were due to their diet and the ketone supplements, not exercise.
The scientists weighed the participants twice: once before taking the supplements, then once again at the end of the 8 weeks.
And along with body weight, they also measured and tracked everyone’s body fat percentage, fat mass, lean body mass, and muscle mass, plus basic health indicators like heart rate and blood pressure.
D-BHB Weight Loss Study Results
Here’s what the researchers found at the end of the two months:
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The three active D-BHB groups got better results for weight loss, fat loss, and body composition compared to the placebo group.
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In particular, one D-BHB group (“Group B”) got dramatically better weight loss results than placebo, losing an average of 6.7 lb compared to 3.3 lb.
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Additionally, the same D-BHB group lost 2.5 times more fat than the control group (4.4 lb vs. 1.7 lb).
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All three active groups had lower insulin levels at the end of the study compared to the control, which suggests more fat-burning[*].
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However, D-BHB Group B had lower insulin levels even compared to the other two active groups.
And along with all of the positive findings, there were no serious adverse effects from taking ketone supplements. The study demonstrated that ketones are effective and safe for enhancing weight loss results.
All in all, the study was a huge success. It conclusively showed that ketone supplements can assist weight loss without
Keep reading for an overview of other vital takeaways from the study!
Essential D-BHB Study Takeaways
If you find it hard to absorb all the technical details of scientific research, don’t worry. Here’s the bottom line summary of the 2019 D-BHB weight loss study.
First of all, D-BHB supplements are highly effective for improving weight loss results, and this research is the first to show how precisely well they work for that purpose.
Not only do you not need to remove carbs from your diet, but you hardly need to reduce calories. Decreasing your daily calorie intake by 300 calories is not difficult, and the study participants had no trouble doing it for 8 weeks.
And second, the type of BHB you take matters for your results. While all the active groups got better results than the placebo groups, one particular group taking a proprietary Real Ketones D-BHB formula got markedly better results than the placebo group.
One reason for the remarkable study results is that Real Ketones only uses the physiological form of beta-hydroxybutyrate in their patented formula--the one your body produces naturally.
In contrast, competitors’ formulas typically contain DL-BHB, having equal parts of L-BHB and D-BHB. Overall, scientists don’t understand the effects of the “L” form of BHB as well at this time.
Because Real Ketones only uses the “D” form of BHB, you can rest assured that it functions the same as endogenous D-BHB ketones your body would make on the keto diet, delivering reliable and consistent results as shown in the weight loss study.
And finally, weight loss isn’t the same thing as fat loss. The top-performing D-BHB formulation doubled weight loss results, but it nearly tripled fat loss results.
Translation: compared to diet alone, exogenous ketone supplements offer incredible benefits for your body composition, and as a result, they can enhance both your appearance and your health.
A related study, also performed at the Center for Applied Health Sciences, found that Real Ketones D-BHB can lower both total cholesterol and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. As a result, exogenous ketones may be effective for decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease among all age groups, including young adults[*][*].
Fortunately, for the first time ever, the highly-effective Real Ketones D-BHB formula used in these studies are available for purchase in many different products offered by Real Ketones.
How to Use D-BHB to Burn Fat and Transform Your Body
Thanks to the 2019 study, here’s what we know about using D-BHB to lose weight and achieve better body composition (more lean muscle, less fat).
For starters, your diet does count when it comes to fat loss, but you don’t have to reduce carbs.
And you definitely don’t need to adopt a ketogenic diet. The keto diet is effective, but also difficult for most people to sustain.
Although the D-BHB study used the Zone diet (40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat), you probably don’t even need to track your macronutrients to lose weight with D-BHB.
Instead, you can get fantastic weight loss results just by combining a slight daily calorie reduction with twice-daily D-BHB supplementation.
And you can achieve the necessary calorie reduction any of the following ways:
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Avoiding snacks and junk food
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Eating healthier, more filling whole foods
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Portion control
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A calorie-counting app or food journal
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Intermittent fasting
But keep in mind you don’t have to count calories or skip meals--unless you want to.
In most cases, making small changes to your diet like snacking less or eating more whole foods and veggies should be sufficient to reduce your caloric intake similarly to the study participants.
Additionally, while exercise certainly helps, the Real Ketones D-BHB study shows that physical activity isn’t a requirement for healthy weight loss.
We’ll cover how to exercise for better body composition in the next section, but you can still achieve your goal without upping your physical activity levels--as long as you eat a sensible diet and take Real Ketones D-BHB supplements.
And lastly, remember that healthy weight loss takes time. Even though the Real Ketones D-BHB study showed that ketone supplements tripled the rate of fat loss, we’re still talking about an 8-week process.
So if you want to shed a considerable amount of fat, don’t look for overnight fixes. To get the results you desire, the key is to commit to healthy lifestyle changes and be patient.
4 Tips for Losing Weight and Preserving Lean Muscle Mass
#1: Set Realistic Goals
Losing weight is a physical process, but your mindset is one of the most critical factors in your success (or failure).
And for long-term success, you have to set reasonable, realistic goals.
For example, in the D-BHB weight loss study, the most successful group lost slightly over 0.8 lb per week, on average.
While that may not sound like much, it adds up over time: at a similar rate of weight loss, you could easily lose over 40 pounds per year.
In contrast, keep in mind that the faster you lose weight, the more likely you are to lose lean muscle mass instead of body fat, which is unhealthy and detrimental to your appearance.
Occasionally, people can lose up to 2 lb per week, but higher rates of weight loss lead to worse body composition, which sets you up for health problems in the future[*][*][*].
Therefore, as you set your weight loss goal, remember the difference between weight loss and fat loss. Plan on losing about a half pound per week, up to 2 lb at most, and don’t rush the process.
#2: Track Your Results
Along with setting clear and achievable goals, tracking your results is an essential part of healthy weight loss.
For one thing, measuring your weight loss helps keep you accountable. And it also ensures that you’ll obtain consistent progress.
Also, you can use alternative methods besides body weight to track your body composition, and to alert you if you’re losing lean muscle mass.
Along with recording your body weight regularly, try one or more of these suggestions to get inspired and stay on track:
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Taking regular progress photos
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Paying attention to how your clothes fit over time
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Noticing when people pay you unsolicited compliments on your appearance
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Measuring your waist or hips
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Checking your body fat percentage (many at-home scales offer this feature, or you can obtain a skinfold test from a local personal trainer, or opt for a high-end DEXA or water immersion body fat test once or twice per year)
But one mistake to avoid is measuring too frequently, which is not only a bad idea for psychological reasons, but can also make it harder to understand your results.
Instead of stepping on the scale daily, most people are better off weighing in about once a week.
Finally, make sure to record your results somehow--in a journal, on your smartphone, or in a spreadsheet. You can take credit for your wins and problem-solve if your fat loss slows down.
#3: Find the Exercise You Enjoy Best
As the D-BHB weight loss study showed, you don’t have to exercise to lose weight. So if you don’t currently have time, or would prefer to take baby steps, you can skip exercise and still lose unwanted fat.
However, studies suggest that regular exercise not only boosts your metabolism and increases fat-burning, but also enhances your immune function, mood, and mental health[*][*][*][*][*][*].
And the good news is that regardless of which type of exercise you choose, you’ll still experience a plethora of benefits--as long as you do it consistently[*].
That means you can try different forms of physical activity, then stick with the one(s) you prefer.
Here are some suggestions to get started:
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Brisk walking on a treadmill or outside
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Swimming
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Running or cycling
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Resistance exercise (weights, machines, or bodyweight)
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Interval training
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Tennis or other recreational activities
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Adult team or league sports
Also, any form of resistance exercise appears to have advantages for preserving lean muscle during fat loss[*]. Including weight training or another form of resistance exercise once or twice per week is a smart idea to maintain a healthy body composition.
But overall, don’t sweat the details. Remember: the best type of exercise is the one you enjoy and will perform regularly.
#4: Be More Active Every Day
Many “conveniences” of modern life--such as elevators, escalators, shopping carts, and drive-throughs--reduce your calorie burn and contribute to a less-active lifestyle.
And peer-reviewed research shows that simply moving more helps you achieve benefits similar to exercise for fat loss and health[*].
Check out these tips to be more active without scheduling exercise sessions:
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Always take the stairs
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Carry your own groceries and luggage
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Park at the far end of parking lots
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Take frequent walking breaks during your work day
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When you have the option, stand rather than sit
Also, don’t forget being more active works well along with regular exercise, too, if you have the time and inclination to do both.
Conclusion: Exogenous Ketones (Real Ketones D-BHB) Aid Weight Loss and Body Composition
Groundbreaking new research shows that proprietary D-beta-hydroxybutyrate (D-BHB) from Real Ketones can enhance weight loss and body composition when paired with a sensible diet.
Basically, you don’t need to go keto or count carbs to get many of the proven benefits of the ketogenic diet.
Instead, combining exogenous ketone supplements with a slight reduction in your daily calorie intake leads to similar health benefits.
And while exercise isn’t mandatory for weight loss, it’s still an excellent idea for your long-term health and wellness, and can only help your fat loss efforts.
Want to experience the effects of exogenous ketones for yourself?
Real Ketones is the only place to get the powerful D-BHB formula used in the 2019 weight loss study. Click here to sample D-BHB for yourself, or you can try it as part of the exclusive Keto Starter Kit.
Or, if you need expert assistance fine-tuning your diet and tackling other lifestyle changes, don’t miss Real 30: Everything You Need to Reach Your Weight Loss Goals.
