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Lipozem isn’t a single, well-defined product. Instead, it’s a name used for various questionable weight loss supplements, many of which lack transparency. The most widely known version of Lipozem contains three types of BHB (beta-hydroxybutyrate) salts. BHB supplements often claim to support fat loss or aid in keto diets, but do they actually help with weight loss? Let’s take a closer look.
What is BHB?
BHB, short for beta-hydroxybutyrate (sometimes called 3HB), is a ketone that your body naturally produces during ketosis—a metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. Typically, your body relies on carbs as its primary fuel source because they’re quick and easy to break down. However, when carbohydrate intake is low, such as during a keto diet, your body starts breaking down stored fat to produce energy. This process generates ketone bodies as alternative energy sources.
There are three types of ketone bodies: beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), acetoacetic acid, and acetone. Among these, BHB is the most abundant and efficient at providing energy. The other two play minimal roles in energy production. When BHB levels rise, your body enters ketosis, a fat-burning state where ketones become the primary energy source. For anyone aiming to burn body fat, reaching ketosis is often considered an ideal metabolic state.
BHB Myths
Can BHB Help You Enter Ketosis?
Many BHB supplement manufacturers claim their products can help your body enter ketosis. But is that true? Not quite. Ketosis occurs when your body shifts from burning carbohydrates to burning fat for energy, typically due to a low-carb diet—not because you’re taking BHB supplements. While BHB supplements may increase ketone levels in your blood temporarily, they don’t trigger the metabolic state of ketosis. Without reducing carbohydrate intake, your body won’t naturally switch to burning fat, no matter how much BHB you consume.
Can BHB Help With Weight Loss?
What about weight loss? Can BHB supplements assist if you’re already dieting or fasting? Unfortunately, research doesn’t support this idea.
One study compared two groups: individuals on the keto diet and those on the keto diet plus BHB supplements. Both groups lost weight, but the BHB didn’t provide any extra benefit. Similarly, a study involving obese patients on a very low-calorie diet found no significant improvement in weight loss when BHB was added.
Even without dieting, BHB showed little promise. In one 12-week study, participants who took BHB without changing their diets saw a small reduction in visceral fat (the fat around internal organs) but experienced no actual weight loss. The conclusion is clear: BHB supplements do not meaningfully impact weight loss, whether you’re following a strict diet or not.
Can BHB Make You Feel Full?
Another common claim is that BHB can suppress appetite and make you feel fuller. However, scientific evidence doesn’t support this.
In one study, participants who consumed BHB after fasting for 24 hours reported no noticeable increase in fullness compared to those who drank sugar water. The feeling of fullness often associated with a keto diet actually comes from its high-fat content, which triggers specific hormones in the digestive system—not from BHB.
Can BHB Boost Metabolism?
It’s also widely believed that BHB can improve metabolism or enhance insulin sensitivity. But studies don’t back this up.
Research shows that while BHB may slightly lower blood sugar levels, it doesn’t improve insulin sensitivity or metabolic health in individuals with obesity or prediabetes. The metabolic benefits of a keto diet, like improved insulin response and reduced blood sugar levels, stem from the reduction in carbohydrate intake—not from the presence of BHB in your bloodstream.
Can BHB Improve Exercise Performance?
Some enthusiasts claim BHB supplements can enhance athletic performance and help burn more fat during exercise. While BHB is a potential energy source, studies suggest it doesn’t live up to the hype.
For example, one study on young men found no improvement in cycling performance or perceived exertion when they took BHB salts before exercise compared to a placebo. Similarly, trained athletes and endurance runners showed no benefits in performance or fat-burning when using BHB supplements, even at higher doses.
The Truth About BHB Supplements
While BHB supplements can temporarily raise ketone levels in the blood, this doesn’t translate into increased fat-burning, faster weight loss, or improved metabolism. The liver naturally produces sufficient BHB during ketosis, and adding more through supplements doesn’t enhance the process.
If your goal is weight loss or improved metabolic health, the benefits come from following a low-carb or ketogenic diet—not from taking BHB supplements.
How to Effectively Achieve Ketosis for Fat Loss
If you’re aiming to lose weight by burning fat, achieving ketosis can make a big difference. However, relying on BHB supplements isn’t the most effective strategy. Instead, here are proven methods to help you reach and maintain ketosis naturally.
Follow the Keto Diet
The most reliable way to get into ketosis is by following a ketogenic diet. This involves drastically cutting down your carbohydrate intake, typically to 20–50 grams per day. For many, staying under 30 grams daily is a good starting point. To put that into perspective, 30 grams of carbs is roughly the amount found in two small apples.
To fuel your body, focus on consuming healthy fats. Foods like avocados, nuts, olive oil, and fatty cuts of meat are excellent choices. These fats provide the energy your body needs when carbs are off the table, helping you transition into ketosis.
Try Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is another powerful tool for inducing ketosis. By eating only within specific time windows, you reduce insulin levels and increase glucagon production. This hormonal shift helps your body burn through stored glycogen more quickly. Once your glycogen stores are depleted, your body starts producing ketones to use fat as its primary energy source.
Add High-Intensity Exercise
If you want to speed up the process, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be incredibly effective. HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by rest periods. This workout style rapidly depletes glycogen reserves, forcing your body to switch to fat for fuel and boosting ketone production.
Beyond helping with ketosis, HIIT offers additional benefits like improved cardiovascular health, lean muscle growth, and more efficient calorie burning.
Use the Right Supplements
When it comes to supplements, skip the pricey BHB pills and opt for something more effective. Coconut oil or MCT oil is a great choice—they’re fats that your body quickly converts into ketones, naturally boosting your BHB levels. Coffee or caffeine can also support your efforts by enhancing your workouts, making them more effective at inducing ketosis.
Remember, supplements are just that—supplemental. They can give you a small boost, but they won’t trigger ketosis on their own. To see real results, focus on making sustainable changes to your diet, exercise routine, and overall lifestyle.
Overall rating
Rating Lipozem by effectiveness for weight loss, I’m giving it a D. It’s unlikely to cause any noticeable weight loss or improve ketosis.
Rating it by cost, I’m giving it a D. If you really wanted to increase ketone levels, you could just take coconut oil for far cheaper.
Rating it for safety, I’m giving it a C. Although BHB itself is relatively safe to take, there are too many different manufacturers using the name Lipozem with so many different ingredients.
Overall rating, I’m giving an F. I would recommend you stay away from it.
Top alternatives to Lipozem
- Coconut oil – 1 to 4 tbsp / day
- MCT oil (C8) – 1 to 4 tbsp / day
Learn more about
- Coconut Oil and MCTs For Weight Loss
- Ketogenic diet: an overview
- Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss
- Best exercises to lose belly fat
- Other foods for weight loss
- Supplement reviews
Citations
Buga A, Kackley ML, Crabtree CD, et al. The Effects of a 6-Week Controlled, Hypocaloric Ketogenic Diet, With and Without Exogenous Ketone Salts, on Body Composition Responses. Front Nutr. 2021;8:618520. Published 2021 Mar 24. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.618520
Evans M, Patchett E, Nally R, Kearns R, Larney M, Egan B. Effect of acute ingestion of β-hydroxybutyrate salts on the response to graded exercise in trained cyclists. Eur J Sport Sci. 2018;18(3):376-386. doi:10.1080/17461391.2017.1421711
Falkenhain K, Daraei A, Forbes SC, Little JP. Effects of Exogenous Ketone Supplementation on Blood Glucose: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Adv Nutr. 2022;13(5):1697-1714. doi:10.1093/advances/nmac036
Katsuya S, Kawata Y, Goto T, Tsubota J. Daily Intake of D-β-Hydroxybutyric Acid (D-BHB) Reduces Body Fat in Japanese Adult Participants: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study [published correction appears in J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2023;69(5):394. doi: 10.3177/jnsv.69.394]. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2023;69(2):121-128. doi:10.3177/jnsv.69.121
Pawan GL, Semple SJ. Effect of 3-hydroxybutyrate in obese subjects on very-low-energy diets and during therapeutic starvation. Lancet. 1983;1(8314-5):15-17. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(83)91560-x
Prins PJ, Koutnik AP, D’Agostino DP, et al. Effects of an Exogenous Ketone Supplement on Five-Kilometer Running Performance. J Hum Kinet. 2020;72:115-127. Published 2020 Mar 31. doi:10.2478/hukin-2019-0114
Stubbs BJ, Cox PJ, Evans RD, Cyranka M, Clarke K, de Wet H. A Ketone Ester Drink Lowers Human Ghrelin and Appetite. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2018 Feb;26(2):269-273. doi: 10.1002/oby.22051. Epub 2017 Nov 6. PMID: 29105987; PMCID: PMC5813183.
Waldman HS, Basham SA, Price FG, et al. Exogenous ketone salts do not improve cognitive responses after a high-intensity exercise protocol in healthy college-aged males. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2018;43(7):711-717. doi:10.1139/apnm-2017-0724
Yu Q, Falkenhain K, Little JP, et al. Effects of ketone supplements on blood β-hydroxybutyrate, glucose and insulin: A systematic review and three-level meta-analysis. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2023;52:101774. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2023.101774
See also
- Doctor Reviews: BiomaBioma and other generic probiotics may support general gut health but lack specific, research-backed benefits for weight loss.
- Doctor Reviews: LipozemLipozem and similar keto BHB supplements have shown little to no effectiveness in supporting keto, weight loss, or athletic performance.
- Doctor Reviews: Youthful BrainYouthful Brain is unlikely to improve cognitive performance in healthy individuals, as research shows limited benefits for their ingredients.
- Doctor Reviews: Lemme CurbLemme Curb is basically just a high-dose chromium supplement, which hasn’t been proven to help with weight loss or cravings in healthy people.
- Doctor Reviews: Nello SupercalmNello Supercalm is a drink mix with ingredients that may help manage stress and anxiety, though it might not work for everyone.