Supplements

There are some nutrients that can be difficult to get entirely from diet alone. When this is the case and a certain vitamin, mineral, or other substance can benefit overall health, supplementation can help to make up for the lack of it in your diet. Because of a lack of uniformity in terms of quality in the supplement industry, we strongly recommend choosing known, reputable brands when purchasing supplements. Additionally, remain skeptical of beneficial claims of supplements as often supplements have weak evidence (at best) in support of what they claim to do. Below is a brief overview of a few common supplements, what they are used for, and where you can get them.

For convenience, we can recommend a “one-stop-shop” that has all of these supplements and more (including keto friendly snacks) that you can purchase to have them directly delivered to your door. This can be found at:

www.kaerwell.com/go/surgiwell

Just click on the link above and create a new account for free with your e-mail.

Prior to beginning any supplement, we recommend discussion with your doctor and/or pharmacist to check that the supplement is safe for you and does not interact with any medications you may be taking.

Commercial MCT’s – Medium chain triglycerides (MCT’s) are fatty acid compounds which contain a medium length carbon chain (6-12 carbon atoms, versus long chain saturated fats with more carbon atoms linked together). MCT’s are safe to consume and provide a quickly metabolized source of energy, without raising blood sugar levels. Some benefits of MCT’s may include decreasing body fat and overall weight, increased metabolism, lowering bad cholesterol, increasing lean muscle mass, and they are utilized in some malabsorption diseases and epilepsy. One common source of MCT’s is coconut oil, and commercially available products can be used in food preparation, found in sports drinks, and in pill form. MCT oils are excellent for cooking and make a great tasting keto snack when drizzled over avocado and crushed macadamia nuts.

MCT oils available for purchase:

Exogenous Ketones – Exogenous ketones (usually in the form of Beta-hydroxybutyrate, which coincidentally is not exactly a ketone) can help in ways similar to MCT oils, as described above. Additionally, improved and clearer mental function, decreased symptoms of “keto flu”, and appetite control are potential benefits. Some exogenous ketones can potentially negatively effect certain medical conditions such as kidney disease and diabetes, so you should speak with your physician prior to using exogenous ketones.

Exogenous ketones available for purchase:

Fish Oil – benefits of fish oil may be wide ranging and include decreased inflammation, antioxidant properties, brain function, heart health, lowering triglycerides, and even joint health. Many other beneficial claims of fish oil have been made, often with little available evidence. Fish oil supplements can interact with some medications (such as blood pressure medications, anticoagulants, and oral contraceptives) and again, should be discussed with your physician prior to beginning use.

Fish oil supplements available for purchase:

Ca/Vit D – The national osteoporosis foundation (NOF) (https://www.nof.org/patients/treatment/calciumvitamin-d/) recommends the following supplementation of calcium and vitamin D:

Women age 50 and younger and men 70 and younger: 1000 mg Ca per day

Women over 50 and men over 70: 1200 mg Ca per day

Women and men under 50: 400-800 International Units (IU) vit D daily

Women and men over 50: 1000 IU vit D daily (and in some cases up to 4000 IU daily)

Ca and vitamin D can be detrimental when taken in quantities too large for the individual, and while guidelines exist from the NOF, dosages should be determined in conjunction with your physician.

Ca/Vit D supplements available for purchase:

Because calcium and vitamin D supplementation often must be titrated to the individual, and because supplements vary in the amounts of vitamin D and calcium which they contain, we recommend first determining the amount of calcium and vitamin D you require daily in conjunction with your physician, then determining how much of both you receive from your diet, and finally finding a supplement (or supplements) that contain the proper amount of calcium and vitamin D to supplement your daily intake.

Protein – Protein supplementation is often not necessary with a ketogenic diet and in fact can be detrimental to a ketogenic diet in the sense that it can make it more difficult to stay in ketosis by increasing protein levels and disrupting the optimal 70/20/10 macronutrient profile, as discussed in Chapter 2 of Intelligent Carb. Protein intake is often more than adequate from food intake alone on a typical ketogenic diet. Protein intake should also be limited in those with decreased kidney function. Protein supplementation can, on the other hand, be beneficial in helping to build and/or maintain lean muscle mass.

Protein supplements available for purchase:

Amino Acids – Amino acid supplements can help to build muscle, rehydrate, help with muscle recovery post-workout, and can reduce muscle soreness following a workout. As with protein supplementation, excessive amino acid supplementation can cause the production of glucose by a process called gluconeogenesis (as discussed in Chapter 1 of Intelligent Carb). When taken in moderation and in conjunction with exercise, however, amino acid supplementation is usually compatible with a ketogenic diet.

Amino acid supplements available for purchase: