This fruity compound is relieving greater attention in recent years. However, is there actual legitimacy to the belief that raspberry ketones are best for weight loss?

This is the first of several articles that explore the science and real time results of various supplement ingredients hyped for promoting fat loss. 

What Is It?

Raspberry Ketone (technically known as 4-(4-Hydroxyphenyl) butan-2-one) is a chemical compound first discovered in the red raspberry (Rubus idaeus) in 1901. Despite its name, raspberry ketones are also found in cranberries, kiwis, lingonberries, apples and grapes as well as certain vegetables. Its strong aromatic properties make it an ideal ingredient for enhancing the flavor and scent of various foods, perfumes, and other cosmetics. Despite high demands, raspberry ketone exists in low quantities within natural resources and has to be synthesized to fulfill production needs. Since the mid-20^th century, all products that use raspberry ketones primarily rely on synthetic variations of the compound. 

How (It’s Supposed) To Work

Preliminary evidence suggests that ketone supplementation can increase norepinephrine in the body, which in turn regulates lipolysis (the degradation of fat).

Fat, known at triglycerides, is divided in to fatty acids and glycerol via lipolysis. The fatty acids eventually are converted into ATP, the primary energy source for cells, through beta oxidation. It is believed that raspberry ketones can also promote fat loss by raising the secretion of adiponectin, a protein hormone that regulates beta oxidation. More adiponectin can lead to great usage of fat as energy.   

Science Says……

The hype behind raspberry ketones comes from research done on rodent and rodent cells, which does support its capacity for promoting lipolysis and elevating adiponectin. The concern is that there have only been two studies that explored the compound’s ability to increase fat-burning potential in humans. The results of these studies (Read Here, Read Here) noted that raspberry ketones augmented the rate of fat loss during an 8-week period and improved resting metabolic rate 4-hours post-ingestion, respectively.

That’s the good news.  Now for some bad news:

In both experiments, raspberry ketone was just one of many fat-burners (including ginger, capsaicin, green tea extract, L-Carnitine, and yerba mate) in a supplement cocktail. It is likely that the reported fat loss was due to the combination of these ingredients and not raspberry ketone.

To make matters worse, there are no human studies that have solely examined raspberry ketone’s fat-burning prowess.  

Anything Else?

The good people at Examine.com calculated the suggested dosage/ body mass ratio of ketone consumption for humans (based on the rodent experiments) and determined that it is 80-340mg/kg. More so, a 150 lbs. person must consume upwards of 3700mg of raspberry ketones per day to see any changes; upwards of 5000mg for a 200 lbs. individual.

Another human study (Read Here) on the aromatic compound suggests that applying it to the scalp may promote hair growth and improve skin elasticity. Definitely wanna keep an eye on this.

Our Recommendation: 

While a fat burner that is easy on the senses sounds appealing, more research is needed before raspberry ketone can be viewed as a useful option. If a supplement’s primary ingredient is this, avoid at all costs.

 

Dosage and Supplements 

Daily: 1000-6000mg

Is the primary ingredient in this supplement: 

• BPI Nite-Burn, 30 Servings