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If you have been trying to lose weight with little effort, raspberry ketones could assist your efforts. This supplement is said to break down fat cells, helping to burn body fat more rapidly. It’s also believed to increase levels of adiponectin, which is a hormone that regulates metabolism.
What are Raspberry Ketones?
This natural substance is what gives raspberries their beautiful aroma, however, it’s also found in cranberries, kiwis, and blackberries. Only recently did these ketones start being used in order to benefit weight-loss.
When it comes to supplements, raspberry ketones are typically synthetically produced, based on how expensive it is to extract ketones from real raspberries. You would need around 90 pounds of raspberries just to get enough for a single dose.
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How Do Raspberry Ketones Work?
Based on raspberry ketones structure, researchers began to take an interest. After further examination, it was found that it looked similar to two other molecules, capsaicin (which is found in chili pepper) and synephrine (which is a stimulant). These two molecules are known for their metabolism-boosting properties, so it was believed that raspberry ketones may do the same.
While studying fat cells from rats, researchers found that when adding raspberry ketones, they observed positive effects. The first observation was that raspberry ketones increased the breakdown of fat. This was due to the way it made cells more sensitive to norepinephrine, a fat-burning hormone.
Secondly, it was found that the fat cells released more adiponectin, a hormone that is released by fat cells and supports a more balanced metabolism and stabilizes blood sugar levels. Individuals who are thinner, tend to have high levels of adiponectin, in comparison to those who are overweight. As overweight individuals lose weight, this hormone actually begins to increase.
This is important because low levels of this hormone increase one’s risk of fatty liver disease, type II diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. In order to reduce your risk, exercise is important in combination with supplementation. After training hard for a week, you can potentially increase adiponectin levels by 260 percent.
What Does the Research Say?
While focusing on research, there’s currently a lack of human studies. With that being said, there have been many successful studies which focus on mice and rats. In one 2005 study, mice who were given a high-fat diet were also given raspberry ketones. Mice were split into groups based on who much raspberry ketones they were given.
All mice followed the same diet, however, doses of raspberry ketones differed. Diets were about 40 percent fat and then mice were either given 0.5, 1, or 2 percent of total calories in raspberry ketones. It was found that the 1 percent and 2 percent groups experienced a reduction in body weight and fat in the liver after ten week.
They then introduced norepinephrine, the chemical that contributes to fat loss. It was found that when given norepinephrine and raspberry ketones, more fat left cells than when given norepinephrine on its own. They reported that taking raspberry ketones increased the fat burning ability of norepinephrine.
A second study published in 2010 found that raspberry ketones inhibited weight gain and improved fat burning in mice. Once again, mice were fed a high-fat diet, yet showed clear signs that they were able to burn fat. Researchers said that levels of adiponectin increased, which is a hormone found in fat cells. Adiponectin does a variety of things, including the ability to improve insulin sensitivity.
Potential Side Effects
When taking any new supplement, it’s important to understand the potential side effects. At this time, there’s been a lack of human research regarding overall effectiveness and safety. The key concern regarding raspberry ketones is that it’s chemically related to a stimulant known as synephrine.
Therefore, it’s possible that users may experience side effects such as jitteriness, increased blood pressure, and a more rapid heartbeat. In one report, a user experienced heart palpitations and felt shaky. Based on the lack of evidence, pregnant or breast eeding women should refrain from taking this supplement.
Some have said that raspberry ketones could be inappropriate for those who have cancers which make them sensitive to estrogen. Meaning, if you currently have breast, uterine, endometrium, or any other cancer that’s impacted by estrogen levels, please speak with a health care professional regarding your personal health and possible supplementation.
There are currently no known drug interactions, but if you are on any medication, speak with your doctor before taking your first dose.
Recommended Dosage
Taking raspberry ketones can help you lose weight, but how much do you require? Since there have not been any specific human studies regarding raspberry ketones and weight loss. Based on studies in mice, it appears that taking a concentration of 1 percent of total calorie intake may help with weight-loss.
If this is the case, the correct dosage would vary. If someone regularly consumed 2000 calories daily, they would need a smaller dose than someone who ate 2300 calories a day. Other sources have said that 100 to 200 mg is an adequate dose. Regardless, whatever the label says on the supplement you purchase, that’s the dose you should follow.
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