With the rise of obesity worldwide, paired with our society’s preoccupation with looking perfect, the pressure we put on ourselves is probably getting ridiculous. The facts are that the majority of the population struggles with weight loss for one reason or another. It means that people want to lose weight and they want to do it fast. They will try anything….a diet, working out, a particular eating plan, weight loss surgery, diet pills, you name it – we’ve invented it and tried it.  But, we always want something more, right? Something new that works even better, something faster that can give us results right now, something exclusive that hasn’t been spread all around. But weight loss by itself is not a given – even if you just start eating less one day. You’re going to have to work hard to get there and you are going to need to sweat your extra pounds away.  In order to be even more efficient people now swear by dietary supplements such as shakes, pills, and powders. But the problem is – how do you choose which one is the best? Which one of them will help your diet plan?  We know that there’s a fair amount of supplements on the market, but one of the newest ones is a supplement known as raspberry ketones. First time hearing about it? Yes, we know. Let’s talk about it. Let’s see what are raspberry ketones and how (and if) they can help you with your diet?  what are raspberry ketones

What Do Raspberry Ketones Have To do With Raspberries? 

So, first things first. Although the name is one of the most misleading names we’ve ever heard the raspberry ketone supplement is not actually made out of fresh raspberries. Why?  Well, when was the last time you decided to treat yourself to some fresh raspberries? Last year? See how we used the word „treat“? Because raspberries are a treat, and fresh they’re hella expensive. Not to mention that you’d need about 90 pounds of raspberries to get just one small dose of the raspberry ketone supplement.  So, to be clear, raspberry ketones are not a natural supplement, the extract that is used to make them is synthetically manufactured. Back to the misleading name, as the “raspberry” is not the only misleading part – the ketones part is kind of misleading as well. “Ketones” sounds like something you’d associate with the low carb Keto diet, which is famous for working for those times when you want really drastic results – but again, don’t be fooled.  Raspberry Ketones have nothing to do with the keto diet and ketosis, or with anything low carb for that matter. Can raspberry ketones help you with your diet then? Let’s see. 

What Are Raspberry Ketones?

Raspberry ketones are natural substances that actually give coloration and aroma to berries like blackberries, cranberries and, of course, raspberries.  Since this is a strong and powerful substance, people had made a synthetical replica and used it in the food and cosmetic industry for a long time, so much, in fact, that you might have tried them without knowing it here or there. Have you ever eaten a scoop of red ice cream? There you go, you know what we are talking about.  what are raspberry ketones

Raspberry Ketones And Dieting?

Now here, we have to start by stressing that when it comes to potential weight loss from raspberry ketones, there are only a handful of studies done on humans. Most of the studies have been done on rodents, so we are not claiming that raspberry ketones will help with weight loss for certain, but there are strong indications that they can.  How?  The studies done on rodents that were fed a high-fat diet have shown that they help with suppressing appetite and this leads to weight loss. There is one raspberry ketone study done on humans published in the International Society of Sports Nutrition.  Around 70 obese, but relatively healthy women participated in the 8-week weight loss program. 45 of them were given different kinds of weight loss supplements like caffeine, garlic, and ginger but the study was primarily focused on the raspberry ketone – and the rest of the group was given raspberry ketone supplements. Other than taking supplements the women also counted their daily calories and macro intake and were physically active.  The program consisted of daily supplementation, a calorie-restricted diet and exercise training. Forty-five women completed the study after eight weeks, and significant differences were observed across various criteria, such as body weight, fat mass, lean mass, and energy levels. The placebo group did benefit from the diet and exercise portion of the program as well, but the weight loss percentages were lower than the group who took the multi-ingredient supplement. This is one of the few studies on the raspberry ketone conducted on humans, and it shows us that although we definitely need more data before concluding anything, raspberry ketones are potentially a potent weight loss supplement.  Other early research suggests that if you take raspberry ketones with vitamin C you might decrease your current weight and body fat – given that you’re a relatively healthy person. Raspberry ketones can be combined with other dietary supplements like caffeine, with similar results.  What this shows is that if you use raspberry ketones as a supplement you can get most of it if you add another supplement to the equation.   what are raspberry ketones

Other Possible Uses For Raspberry Ketones

Just like we mentioned above, there isn’t quite enough evidence to prove our thesis, but some experts on this matter claim that other than with dieting, raspberry ketones can help you with some other problems. Hair loss and male baldness are one of the issues that raspberry ketones might come in handy. They claim that massaging your scalp with a raspberry ketone solution can be very beneficial for your hair and will help you if you suffer from hair loss and black hair dry scalp.

What Are The Side Effects Of Raspberry Ketones? 

Raspberry ketones might be safe in the form of an oral supplement, or as an ingredient in a multi-ingredient product – in the short-term at least. Again, there isn’t enough reliable information to know if raspberry ketones are absolutely safe long term. Another matter is that the supplement is, as we mentioned chemically produced, so some people are worried about its relation to the stimulant called synephrine. This means that if you use raspberry ketones in a bigger dose than recommended you might suffer jitteriness, increased blood pressure, a rapid heartbeat or shaking. 

Raspberry Ketones While Breast-Feeding 

There isn’t enough information on this subject. There are no studies that raspberry ketones can be harmful to you or the fetus while breastfeeding, but still, just to be on the safe side, avoid taking in it any form while pregnant and breastfeeding. 

Diabetes

The raspberry ketone might lower blood sugar levels. In theory, the raspberry ketone might make blood sugar drop too low in people already taking medications for diabetes.

Keto Diet Pills Do they work

Raspberry Ketones As A Dietary Supplement

If you want to give raspberry ketones a chance, here’s what we recommend: what are raspberry ketones

Puritan’s Pride Raspberry Ketone Capsules

These capsules can suppress your appetite and help you lose the extra weight in the most stubborn parts of the body. Besides the weight management, they are known to reduce hair loss – at least as much as we discussed earlier. For best results, take 3 capsules daily, 30 minutes before eating. They start to work 15 – 30 minutes after consumption.

Possible Side Effects

There’s no evidence to suggest that taking the raspberry ketone supplement can be harmful to your health if you’re a healthy individual and don’t suffer from any chronic diseases. However, just to be on the safe side, don’t ever go over the daily recommended dose.   what are raspberry ketones

Will Raspberry Ketones Help Your Diet?

If we look at the facts we’ll see that although raspberry ketones might work for you, there isn’t enough evidence to support the claim they play a big role in weight loss. However, unlike other supplements that might even harm you, rather than help you, raspberry ketones aren’t dangerous for you. Still, if your main goal is to lose weight, and you want to do it fast, you might want to choose a supplement that has more research behind it, one that is proven to do the job.  Of course, you can always have fresh raspberries as a treat on any rational diet you choose to follow.