The World’s Most Powerful Science Backed Ingredient.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes have reached epidemic proportions, posing a significant health burden globally. As the prevalence continues to rise, there is a pressing need for effective strategies to manage these conditions. One promising approach involves the use of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB), a naturally occurring molecule produced by the body during periods of low glucose availability. This paper aims to explore the potential benefits of BHB in weight loss and the management of type 2 diabetes.

HERE ARE THE FACTS:

Obesity and overweightness have grown at alarming rates globally over the past few decades. The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided some key statistics:

• Global Overweight and Obesity: In 2021, more than 2 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these, over 1 billion were obese.
• Increase Over Time: The prevalence of obesity nearly tripled between 1975 and 2021.
• Childhood Obesity: In 2021 39 million children were overweight or obese. Once considered a high-income country problem, overweight and obesity are now on the rise in low and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings.
• Adolescent Overweight and Obesity: In 2021, over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight or obese.
• Consequences: Obesity is a major risk factor for several chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.

A study published in The Lancet in 2016 analyzed data from nearly 4 million individuals worldwide, finding that for those overweight, every 5 units of BMI above 25 kg/m² was associated with about a 30% higher overall mortality rate.

AS TO TYPE 2 DIABETES:

• Global Prevalence: According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), in 2019, approximately 463 million adults (20-79 years) were living with diabetes; by 2045 this number is expected to rise to 700 million. The majority of these cases are of type 2 diabetes.
• Growth in Prevalence: The global prevalence of diabetes has nearly doubled since 1980, rising from 4.7% to 8.5% in the adult population, largely due to increases in type 2 diabetes.
• Geographical Differences: In 2019, the Western Pacific had the highest number of people with diabetes (approximately 163 million), followed by the Southeast Asia region (approximately 88 million). However, the prevalence rate was highest in the Middle East and North Africa, where more than 12% of the adult population had diabetes.
• Age Differences: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes increases with age, with the most significant number of people with diabetes being between the ages of 40 and 59.
• Impact: Diabetes was the ninth leading cause of death in 2019, causing an estimated 4.2 million deaths globally. People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing several serious health problems, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and certain types of cancer.

WHY IS LOSING WEIGHT SO CRITICAL TO ONE’S HEALTH?

• Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases: High body fat, particularly when it’s concentrated around the abdomen, is associated with an increased risk of various chronic diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and liver disease.
• Improved Metabolic Health: Excess body fat can lead to insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Losing fat can improve insulin sensitivity and overall metabolic function, which can help regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
• Better Cardiovascular Health: High body fat, especially visceral fat around the organs, is linked to increased blood pressure and higher levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, both of which can contribute to heart disease. Reducing fat mass can improve these indicators of cardiovascular health.
• Improved Mobility and Physical Function: Excess weight can put strain on the body, leading to joint pain and reduced mobility. Losing fat can alleviate these issues and improve overall physical function and quality of life.
• Enhanced Mental Health: Body weight can impact mental health as well. Studies have linked obesity to a higher risk of depression and lower self-esteem. Weight loss, when done in a healthy manner, can potentially improve mental wellbeing.
• Better Sleep: Excess weight, particularly around the neck, can contribute to sleep disorders like sleep apnea. Losing fat can lead to better sleep quality and reduce the risk of these disorders.

IN PARTICULAR, WHY IS LOSING WEIGHT SO IMPORTANT TO THOSE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES?

• Improved Insulin Sensitivity: Excess body weight, particularly fat stored around the abdomen, can lead to insulin resistance. Losing weight can improve insulin sensitivity, enabling the body to use insulin more effectively to lower blood sugar levels.
• Better Blood Sugar Control: Weight loss can help regulate blood sugar levels, making it easier for people with type 2 diabetes to manage their condition. Improved blood sugar control can reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications, such as nerve damage, kidney disease, and vision problems.
• Reduced Need for Medications: When blood sugar levels are better controlled through weight loss and lifestyle changes, people with type 2 diabetes may require fewer medications or lower doses of their current medications, under the guidance of their healthcare provider.

There is no doubt that weight loss improves general health and especially for those suffering from type 2 diabetes.

THE MECHANICS OF ACHIEVING WEIGHT LOSS

Weight loss doesn’t happen unless you are successful at creating a calorie deficit. But creating a calorie deficit puts strain on the body to find fuel to keep it running outside of the fuel you consume. There are two choices, use fat mass for fuel or use muscle mass for fuel, both will cause weight loss, but only diets that preserve muscle and burn fat will be successful in the long term and reduce the effects of recidivism, the regaining of weight after the conclusion of a calorie restricted diet.

Science has proven a ketogenic or low carb diet outperforms a high carbohydrate diet in loosing fat mass versus muscle mass. This is because when the body does not have glucose to burn, nor the ability to convert muscle into glucose via a process called gluconeogenesis, it enters a state of ketosis when the body mobilizes its fat stores to provide triglycerides to the liver that converts the triglycerides into a high energy molecule called a ketone that can then fuel the body. It’s during this type of calorie restriction that the body loses fat, not muscle.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF A CALORIE RESTRICTIVE DIET TO LOSE WEIGHT?

• Hunger and Cravings: Cutting back on calories often means eating less than you’re used to, which can lead to feelings of physical hunger and cravings for high-calorie foods, making it difficult to stick to the diet.
• Lack of Satiety: Not all calories are created equal in terms of satiety. Diets that are low in protein and fiber, but high in refined carbohydrates, can leave you feeling unsatisfied, even if you’re consuming an adequate number of calories.
• Social and Cultural Factors: Social gatherings, holidays, and cultural norms often revolve around food, which can make it challenging to stick to a calorie-restricted diet. There can be pressure to eat in social situations, or you might not have control over the food that’s available.
• Sustainability: Long-term adherence to a calorie-restricted diet can be challenging. It requires consistent effort, planning, and willpower, and it’s not always compatible with a busy lifestyle. Many people find it hard to maintain this kind of diet over the long term.
• Psychological Factors: Emotions, stress, and habits can all impact our eating behaviors. Emotional eating, for example, is a common struggle for many people on calorie-restricted diets. Moreover, old habits can be hard to break, and new ones can be hard to form.

These challenges are both physiological and psychological and both challenges must be met to make any weight loss diet successful.

USING goBHB FOR LOSING FAT AND SPARING MUSCLE IN CALORIE RESTRICTIVE DIETS

One proven strategy is the supplementation of BetaHydroxybutyrate (BHB), a ketone body naturally produced during periods of low carbohydrate and calorie intake that essentially help the body mimic ketosis, the fat burning state, regardless of the calories restrictive diet selected.

BHB supplements are exogenous sources of the ketone body BHB. They can mimic the physiological state of ketosis, where the body burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. While naturally occurring during fasting or a ketogenic diet, BHB supplements can significantly elevate ketone body levels in the body regardless of dietary intake, potentially offering unique metabolic and psychological advantages.

BHB supplementation aids fat loss by promoting a metabolic shift from glucose to fat utilization, enhancing fat breakdown. It attacks the physiological diet challenges through appetite suppression by influencing hunger-related hormones, significant increase in energy levels, especially in the brain, spares muscle and lowers glucose and insulin levels.

Studies show a correlation between elevated BHB levels from supplements and weight loss in:

• Promoting Fat Metabolism: BHB supplements can provide the body with an external source of ketones, potentially signaling the body to continue using fat as its primary fuel source, even in the presence of dietary carbohydrates. One study in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology showed that daily intake of BHB caused the average waist circumference to decrease of 9cm amongst healthy adults over a 9 week period and this was achieved without dietary restriction or exercise intervention.
• Suppressing Lipogenesis: There is some evidence that BHB may in fact suppress the creation of new fat cells (a process known as lipogenesis), further promoting a state of fat burning in the body. One such study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health showed that a state of ketosis suppressed lipogenesis and increased weight loss amongst obese human patients.
• Suppressing Ghrelin and Lowering Appetite A study published in Obesity found that a cohort of healthy adults experienced decreased hunger, desire to eat and increased fullness after injesting exogenous ketones.

Psychologically BHB supplementation has been shown to improve mood and relieve normal stress and anxiety. These psychological benefits help people make better food choices, reduce emotional and social eating issues, and maintain their discipline in sustaining their diet.

SUMMARY OF BENEFITS OF goBHB ON WEIGHT LOSS AND TYPE 2 DIABETES SUPPORT

Here is the bottom line of why BHB Supplementation is so powerful in promoting weight loss and supporting Type 2 diabetes on any diet:

• Appetite Suppression: Some research suggests that BHB can help suppress appetite, potentially helping individuals maintain a calorie deficit, which is necessary for weight loss. This appetite suppression is due to BHB’s superior effect on hunger hormones, such as ghrelin.
• Metabolic Shift: BHB is a ketone body, and taking BHB supplements can mimic the state of ketosis, where the body uses fat, rather than glucose, for fuel. This metabolic shift can help promote fat loss, especially when combined with a low carbohydrate diet.
• Energy Levels: BHB provides a superior energy source for the brain and muscles. This can be especially beneficial during the early stages of any calorie restricted diet in preventing fatigue and support physical activity levels, thus maintaining high metabolic rates.
• Muscle Preservation: During normal calorie restricted weight loss, the body can lose muscle as well as fat, sometimes more muscle than fat. BHB supplementation helps preserve muscle mass during calorie restrictive weight loss, due to its protein sparing effects.
• Blood Sugar Control: BHB can help control blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity, which can be beneficial for weight management and overall metabolic health.
• Mood Enhancement: There is scientific evidence showing that BHB reduces normal stress and anxiety and promotes better mood. This psychological boost during a calorie restrictive diet goes a long way in helping to maintain the attitude and discipline to sustain the diet and reject behaviors that sabotage results.

CONCLUSION

By inducing a state of ketosis, even without a strictly low carb or ketogenic diet, BHB can help the body utilize stored fat for energy, promoting fat loss over muscle loss. This can be particularly beneficial for individuals on a calorie-restrictive diet, aiding in the preservation of lean muscle mass while promoting fat reduction. Moreover, the potential of BHB to reduce feelings of hunger and cravings can help individuals adhere to their calorie-restrictive diets more effectively, addressing one of the significant challenges of such diet protocols.

Beyond weight loss, BHB’s role in improving cognitive function, reducing inflammation, and potentially improving insulin sensitivity may offer additional health benefits, contributing to an overall improvement in metabolic health.

In conclusion, the use of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB) supplementation can serve as the perfect strategy to capture the benefits of a calorie-restrictive diet. Its potential to stimulate the body’s natural fat-burning processes, curb hunger pangs, and offer a high-powered energy source can enhance the weight loss journey, by reducing fat, sparing muscle, and improving mood. goBHB makes any calorie restrictive diet more efficient and sustainable.

REFERENCES

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