You’ve probably heard of the ketogenic diet, a popular weight loss program that has helped millions shed pounds by restricting the intake of carbohydrates and forcing the body into a fat burning state called ketosis.
The diet is known for helping people lose weight relatively quickly, but it can be pretty hard to stick to – we Americans love our carbs.
In 2016, doctors at the University of South Florida created Kegenix, a dietary supplement, to help offset this challenge.
You may have already heard about it on comedian and actor Joe Rogan’s podcast. Kegenix was designed to help the body enter a state of ketosis at an accelerated rate – under 60 minutes – as compared to traditional dieting, which can take a few days. In theory, this would make it easier for the user to stick to their keto diet.
This seemingly magic diet drink sounds great, but does it really work? And how does Kegenix compare to other, similar products such as Kegenix vs. Keto Os? Read on for a total review of the Kegenix Prime diet system from fitnstyle.com.
Table of Contents
What is the Keto Diet?
Before we dive into our Kegenix review, it might help to get a little background knowledge on the ketogenic diet itself, and the science behind it.
How Does it Work?
Primarily, the diet works by forcing the body to change where it draws energy from; where it will usually pull energy from stored carbohydrates, a body on the keto diet will pull its energy from molecules called ketones which are stored in fat.
When this happens, you are said to be in a state of “ketosis,” and experience rapid weight loss results because your fat stores are being used up.
How Do You Enter Ketosis?
Well, your body will always use carbs for energy first if it can, so to encourage it to use fat instead, you have to dramatically reduce the number of carbs available. Thus, the keto diet is an ultra-low carb diet that focuses instead on eating lots of fats and proteins.
On the keto diet, you can eat as much cheese, bacon, and steak as you want and still lose weight!
Are There Any Downsides?
The only kicker is that you have to drastically limit your carb intake, and those can be hard to avoid. Aside from having to give up obvious staples like bread and potato products, you’ll also have to avoid foods you’d consider healthy – starchy fruits and vegetables like carrots and apples are a big no-no.
Another caveat is that the diet won’t work if you aren’t consistent; if there are carbs in your system, your body will always use them over fat. Cheating on the keto diet can result in massive weight gain.
That’s where supplements like Kegenix Prime come in – they’re supposed to help get you into ketosis quickly, which can be good if you’ve had a slip-up. Some claim they can also help with weight loss even without the complementary diet.
But does Kegenix really live up to the hype? We’ll start our investigation by analyzing its claims and ingredients.
What’s in Kegenix?
In order to fully understand the Kegenix diet supplement, we need to know what it is. Kegenix, which you can buy through specialty fitness retailers or on Amazon, comes as a powder that you mix into water and drink once a day.
In this powder, there are some fat burners as well as other dietary supplements.
Here is the complete list that has been published and the purported role that each ingredient plays; it is worth noting that some ingredients may have more than one function, intended or otherwise:
- Rebaudioside A is a zero calorie, a sugar-free sweetener made from the extract of the Stevia plant.
- Erythritol is a low-calorie sweetener that humans cannot break down, so does not add to blood sugar levels.
- L-Isoleucine is an amino acid that increases energy, regulates blood sugar, and helps make hemoglobin.
- L-Lysine is an amino acid that the body converts into L-Carnitine, thus speeding up fat burning.
- L-Leucine helps the body produce energy when glucose (sugar from carbs) levels are low.
- Beta-hydroxybutyric acid keeps energy levels high even when glucose levels are low.
- Medium chain triglycerides are good fats that complement ketone production and keep blood sugar stable.
The natural sweeteners are relatively standard, although some people report side effects from consuming erythritol – it has been shown to cause upset stomachs and headaches in some.
The added amino acids are an important plus as not all keto supplements have them, and they can be handy for maintaining muscle mass and staying full while you lose weight.
But the real star of the show is the Beta-hydroxybutyric acid (also called BHB), which is a ketone that the body naturally makes at the start of ketosis.
What Is BHB?
BHB is one of the three ketones that the liver produces in response to the stress of a low carb diet.
It’s a common supplement for people on the keto diet, but you don’t always know what you’re getting.
This is because the FDA requires all ingestible products come with a complete list of ingredients unless they are considered as part of the “proprietary blend” – basically the trade secret of product. BHB is listed as such – not necessarily a bad thing – but we don’t know how much, or what types, of BHB, are in Kegenix.
Purported Benefits of Kegenix
Kegenix Prime claims a long list of health benefits, but most center around or are directly related to ketosis and weight loss. Some of the main ones are:
- Rapid ketosis
- Weight loss
- Maintain muscle mass
- Increased energy levels
- Increased mental acuity
- No “2 pm” or post-meal crash
A lot of people report similar results of the keto diet, so it can be hard to tell if these are from taking Kegenix alone, or from the keto diet as well. It’s marketed as “the science that works”, but in reality, the science behind some of the claims is…tenuous at best.
The keto diet was originally developed as a treatment for seizures and has been shown to be effective for this purpose in rats – although none of the rats in a 2016 study of the keto diet lost any weight. While humans and rats have much different anatomy, more research needs to be done.
Possible Side Effects of Kegenix
One of the main side effects that people report when entering ketosis is the “keto flu”, or the flu-like symptoms that occur when the body first moves from using carbs as a primary energy source to using fat. Taking a supplement with exogenous ketones like BHB, including Kegenix, is supposed to help mediate these side effects.
However, some Kegenix reviews report side effects – separate from those of the keto flu – when taking the supplement. These include:
- Feelings of jitteriness and restlessness that can interfere with sleep
- Frequent urination
- Leg cramps, ranging in intensity from mild to severe
- Dizziness and disorientation
Now, not all users report having these symptoms and those that do report them at varying levels of severity. However, the Kegenix supplement is meant to be taken as a drink every day, and for people who do experience side effects, these might be a deal breaker.
In Conclusion: Is Kegenix the Best Choice?
Kegenix seems to work for some people, in that it helps them get into ketosis quickly, but the side effects likely outweigh the benefits for others.
Other than the side effects, users have reported all three flavors – Wild Berry, Orange Blast, and Fruit Medley – to be bitter and unpalatable. It is also little to no evidence that increasing levels of BHB or other exogenous ketones alone directly causes weight loss.
Considering all the factors – not to mention the cost – it’s hard to recommend Kegenix, or its cousin, Kenegix Prime, over other keto supplements.
If you’re looking for a proven weight loss supplement, you should try the Perfect Keto line of supplements.
They were developed by doctors based on how knowledge of BHB and other exogenous ketones work and are designed to complement a diet by providing all the nutrients you need to help ease the transition into ketosis while effectively helping you lose weight.
Perfect Keto has vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, electrolytes, protein, and fat burners to supplement your diet, protect your muscles from breaking down, and ward off the ill effects of the dreaded keto flu.
No matter what some may say, there is no magic drink or powder that will make you lose weight without any extra effort. Weight loss is a long and hard journey, but in addition to proper diet and exercise, Perfect Keto supplements can make it a lot easier. And unlike most other keto supplements, they taste great and won’t break the bank.
