Raspberry Ketones: Fab or Fad?

Written by: Cassie Vanderwall, MS RD CD CPT

Fab or Fad? Are raspberry ketones a fabulous new way to achieve a healthier weight, or are they just another diet fad?

Adiponectin is created by fat cells and acts upon fat, muscle and within the brain to promote a variety of functions:Raspberry ketones were found to increase production of a hormone (adiponectin) that is used to regulate the body’s metabolism. It may play a significant role in type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, obesity and thus metabolic syndrome.

• Increases the body’s use of blood sugar (glucose) by increasing insulin sensitivity.
• Decreases the creation of new glucose in the liver (Gluconeogenesis).
• Increases the breakdown of body fat and uses this fat and triglycerides for energy (Beta-Oxidation).
• Protects the arteries from plaque formation by decreasing the expression of adhesive proteins.
• Increases metabolism through the up-regulation of uncoupling proteins.

Therefore, it makes sense that researchers have found:

• People with high levels of adiponectin are typically thinner than those who have lower levels.
• People with diabetes tend to have lower amounts of the hormone than those without diabetes.
• In mice, supplementation of leptin (another key hormone for weight management) and adiponectin completely reversed insulin resistance, but again this was a mouse study.

It is evident that there is an inverse relationship between the level of adiponectin and body fat; the less adiponectin, the more body fat.  It has also been shown that weight loss increases the body’s production of adiponectin. This evidence-based research is quite exciting and shows promise to adiponectin supplementation.

The questions remains, will supplementation of raspberry ketones help the body to reach therapeutic levels of adiponectin?

Unfortunately, it is not possible to reach these levels with food alone. According to Dr. Oz, a person would need to eat 90 pounds of raspberries to equal the current recommended dose of raspberry ketones. Now that’s a lot of berries!  But, do not get too discouraged because every bit helps! It has been shown that by eating more dark colored fruits, including raspberries, blackberries and cranberries individuals can increase their adiponectin levels.

Other nutrition-related tactics to up this fat-burning hormone include:

• Make protein a priority. Eating adequate lean protein from lean meat, chicken, fish, beans, peas, legumes and whole grains because hormones are made from protein.
• More Omega-3 please. Increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in your day by choosing fatty fish, walnuts or almonds, and flax or chia seeds. It is also important to watch your intake of omega-6 fatty acids from corn, soybean and safflower oils.
• Drink coffee! Coffee drinkers who drank 1-2 cups (6-12oz) of coffee per day had the highest levels of adiponectin among coffee and non-coffee drinkers.
• Move more. 40 plus minutes of aerobic, heart pumping exercises, like brisk walking, jogging, biking  climbing stairs, jumping rope, dancing, or swimming, per day, at least 4 times per week also will encourage the body to make more adiponectin.

All in all, the jury is still out on if raspberry ketones can truly increase adiponectin levels enough to promote body fat losses. But, we do not it is safe to try. In the mean time, don’t forget about the tried and true methods to increase adiponectin and achieve a healthier weight listed above.