Keto gums as dietary supplements
- 13.08.2025
- English Articles
- Marc Assmann
- Janina Dapprich
- Isabel Albrecht
- Tobias Fischer
Peer review process / Manuscript (overview) submitted: 04 Nov 2024; revision accepted: 12 Feb 2025
Market analysis and potential in the context of the ketogenic diet
Introduction
The ketogenic diet is defined as a diet with a carbohydrate intake of ≤ 50 g per day, a moderate to slightly increased protein intake and a high fat intake [1–3]. This diet deviates significantly from the general dietary recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE). These recommendations state that carbohydrates should be the most important macronutrient in terms of quantity and that fat intake should be moderate [4–6].
In traditional media, on social media, and in advertising, lowcarb diets are often presented as ketogenic diets. Strictly speaking, ketogenic diets (• box) are low-carb, or even very low-carb, but not every low-carb diet is automatically ketogenic [3]. The goal of the ketogenic diet is to put the body into a state of physiological ketosis, in which the body uses ketone bodies as an energy source instead of glucose. This diet has been found to have promising results in certain clinical trials, particularly in the treatment of pharmacoresistant epilepsy and some rare congenital metabolic disorders such as glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) deficiency and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) deficiency [6]. ...
Abstract
The ketogenic diet is not only used in the therapeutic sector, but also in the context of trends in areas such as weight loss and competitive sports. A common challenge of the ketogenic diet is its practical implementation, which is why some countries prescribe exogenous ketone bodies to support the diet. Relatively new products such as keto gummy bears (keto gums) promise to make the ketogenic diet easier and also advertise benefits such as weight loss, boosting the immune system, promoting general health and detoxifying the body. Certain health claims are legally permissible, namely certain claims based on the addition of vitamins and minerals. However, many of the benefits these products claim to offer are neither scientifically proven nor permissible by law. In particular, there is no scientific basis for the supposed positive effects of keto gums as part of a ketogenic diet. This study analyzed the gummy sweets that claim to have a ketosis-promoting effect (keto gums) currently available on the German market. Their ingredients and advertising claims were assessed in terms of their potential effectiveness and usefulness in the context of ketogenic diets. Based on the currently available research, the products assessed here cannot be recommended as a useful supplement to the ketogenic diet.
