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Raspberry Ketones for Weight Loss? | Benefits & Side Effects

Raspberry Ketones for Weight Loss? | Benefits & Side Effects
Myprotein
Writer and expert10 years ago
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In recent years, raspberry ketones have been getting a lot of attention from people all over the world – especially those looking to lose weight. While many people have reported positive effects when supplementing with raspberry ketones, others are still not sure how they really work and if they are actually relevant to fat loss.

Let's delve a little bit deeper into raspberry ketones and understand how they can be a valuable asset to your weight loss efforts.

What are Raspberry Ketones?

Raspberry Ketones are phenolic compounds responsible for the delicious aroma that you get from raspberries. From this alone you wouldn’t be able to guess that there is anything exciting about them. But if you consider that raspberry ketones structure is similar to the well-known stimulants synephrine and capsaicin, the picture starts to become more interesting.

How Do Raspberry Ketones Work?

Synephrine and capsaicin act upon alpha and beta adrenergic receptors, which are key to your ability to metabolise fat. These two stimulants boost your metabolism which, in turn, increases energy expenditure and fat burning. Popular thermogenic formulas usually contain these ingredients. The good news is that raspberry ketones have similar effects to the stimulants above (*1), (*2).

Additionally, studies show that raspberry ketones increase adiponectin levels, a hormone involved in regulating glucose levels as well as fatty acid breakdown. Obese people are known to have low levels of adiponectin, making them burn less fat than lean individuals (*3).

Adiponetin regulates your glucose bloodstream levels as well as increases the amount of fat that is broken down for fuel. There's also another mechanism by which raspberry ketones support weight loss. Clinical trials have shown raspberry ketones to inhibit the action of pancreatic lipase, an enzyme involved in the digestion of dietary fats.

All dietary fats that aren't digested will be eliminated through faeces, meaning they won't eventually end up being stored as body fat. Reducing the activity of pancreatic lipase is an effective way of preventing your body from absorbing all the fat that you consume, especially if you're on a high-fat diet.

raspberry-ketone-weight-loss

Raspberry Ketones Dosage

To benefit from all of the slimming potential of raspberry ketones you would have to consume around 200 mg per day, which is equivalent to eating about 100 pounds of raspberries. As this is something completely unthinkable, raspberry ketones supplements are a convenient way of increasing your daily intake of raspberries and kick your metabolism into high gear.

Do Raspberry Ketones Have Any Side Effects?

Studies have found no signs of toxicity of raspberry ketones, even when high doses were being administered. In rats, the consumption of up to 100 mg/kg of body weight produced no negative side effects.

However, due to raspberry ketones' stimulant activity, as a precautionary measure people suffering from any heart condition, high blood pressure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma should avoid taking raspberry ketones as they may aggravate these conditions.

The safety of raspberry ketones supplementation by pregnant women is still not convincingly documented (*4). For this reason, pregnant and lactating women should avoid it.

Conclusion

As we have seen, raspberry ketones are a very promising weight loss supplement. As more studies are conducted, raspberry ketones can rapidly become a best-seller supplement in the weight loss category.

Consuming raspberry ketones can help you spend more calories in your daily activities, reduce appetite, reduce fat absorption and increase fat burning. Couple them with a good diet plan and you can achieve compelling results.

References:

(*1) - Planta Med. 2010 Oct;76(15):1654-8 (*2) - Life Sci. 2005 May 27;77(2):194-204 (*3) - Obes Rev. 2005 Feb;6(1):13-21 (*4) - Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2009 Nov;15(4):204-8

Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet.

Myprotein
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