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10 Supplements You Don’t Need On KETO!

I would like to discuss the common concern surrounding the expenses associated with ketogenic and carnivore diets. There is a perception among many individuals that these diets are costly, mainly because of a long list of believed essential supplements. Based on my experience and research of the ketogenic diet I have to inform you that this is not accurate. There are several supplements that are often advertised as necessary, but the 10 supplements you don’t need on keto actually not essential for a successful keto or carnivore diet.

Throughout our lives, we’ve been taught to believe in the necessity of various supplements for optimal health. However, I can assure you that most supplements don’t make the cut when we analyze their actual benefits.

Eating whole, nutrient-dense foods offers a complete range of vitamins and minerals that your body understands and utilizes far better than any pill could ever provide. Let’s save our wallets and health from redundant supplements and focus on what truly benefits our well-being.

An Examination of the Reasons Behind the Popularity of Ketogenic and Carnivore diets.

The ketogenic and carnivore diets have become popular for their potential weight loss benefits, improved mental focus, and increased energy levels. These diets limit carbohydrate intake, leading the body to enter a state of ketosis, where it burns fat instead of carbohydrates for fuel. This can result in quick weight loss and decreased cravings for sugary foods.

The ketogenic diet emphasizes moderate protein and high amounts of healthy fats, such as avocados and olive oil, while the carnivore diet primarily includes animal products with minimal plant-based foods. Both diets prioritize consuming nutrient-dense, high-quality foods.

There have been reports of potential benefits associated with the keto carnivore diet, including improved digestion, reduced inflammation, and enhanced mental focus. Some individuals have claimed to experience significant improvements in their overall health and well-being by following a strict meat-based diet.

The popularity of these diets is due to their potential for weight loss and health improvement, as well as their structured approach to food based on dietary guidelines.

Importance of Understanding Which Supplements are Necessary and Which are Not

Knowing which supplements are necessary for your health is crucial. The market is filled with countless options, making it easy for people become overwhelmed and make unnecessary purchases. Identifying essential supplements for your individual needs can prevent wasting money, avoiding potential side effects, and ensuring your body gets the specific nutrients it needs.

This knowledge also enables you make informed decisions about your health and wellness, leading better overall well-being and vitality. Understanding the importance of distinguishing between necessary and unnecessary supplements is key for making smart and beneficial choices for your health.

Key Takeaways

A well-formulated ketogenic or carnivore diet provides all essential nutrients without the need for additional supplementation.
Regular consumption of bone broth, oily fish, and organ meats like liver can deliver vitamins and minerals in a more bioavailable form than pills and easier for the human body to digest.
Evaluating the scientific evidence and making informed decisions can lead to significant savings and health improvements.
Upon closer inspection, an all-meat diet provides a greater variety and density of nutrients compared to a Standard American diet based on processed and plant foods.
Among the food options for individuals following a keto/carnivore diet, fatty fish may be the most suitable choice for increasing your magnesium intake.
The best keto carnivore foods are fatty cuts of ruminant meats like steak, lamb, bison, and venison. Source: doctorkiltz.com
Category 1 Liver contains a significant amount of vitamins and nutrients that are not found in other animal or plant foods. Source: carnivoreaurelius.com

Debunking Common Dietary Supplement Misconceptions

Unnecessary Calcium Intake:

Despite past advice, you don’t need extra calcium supplements. Foods like leafy greens, homemade bone broth, and diverse cuts of meat in a ketogenic diet provide sufficient calcium.

Probiotics – Not a Daily Requirement:

Probiotics aren’t crucial for daily consumption. They may be beneficial for a short period post-antibiotics, but otherwise, it’s not financially prudent to use them as part of your routine.

Vitamin C Supplementation Unrequired:

As carbohydrate intake decreases, your requirement for vitamin C lessens. With a diet of whole, real foods on keto or carnivore diets, there’s no evidence of scurvy, debunking the need for additional vitamin C supplements.

Misconceptions About MCT Oil:

Despite popular belief, MCT oil isn’t a necessity for ketogenic or carnivore diets. Its high cost doesn’t match its utility. Once current supplies are used, reconsider the need for repurchasing.

Redundancy of Fiber Supplements: Removing flours like wheat and almond can naturally improve gut health. Thus, fiber supplements are not needed for optimal digestive function.
Fish Oil Supplementation: If your diet includes oily fish or cod liver oil, which is nutrient-rich rather than a supplement, additional omega-3 capsules are redundant and not cost-effective.
Green Powders – No Greens Required: Green powders and juices offer no added value to those on keto or carnivore diets. Tens of thousands of case reports support their lack of necessity.
Collagen and Amino Acids Overrated: Adequate amounts of collagen are consumed through a meat-heavy diet. There’s no financial justification for collagen powders or branched chain amino acid supplements when your diet is already rich in these.
Multivitamins – The True Whole Food Multivitamin: A diet abundant in animal products and some liver renders multivitamins obsolete. Unlike processed supplements, liver provides a naturally bioavailable source of vitamins and minerals.

By focusing your budget on high-quality, whole foods rather than unnecessary supplements, the perceived high cost of ketogenic or carnivore diets becomes far more manageable. Remember, prioritizing real food intake is the key to both health and cost savings.

Unnecessary Calcium Supplementation

It’s essential to understand that on diets such as ketogenic and carnivore, adding extra calcium into your routine is unnecessary. You may have been prescribed calcium supplements in the past, which was standard in the 80s and 90s, but that guidance is outdated. You get sufficient calcium from eating leafy greens, homemade bone broth, and various meats, making extra supplementation redundant.

Highlighted points:

Leafy Greens: Rich in calcium to support strong bones.
Bone Broth: A homemade source that naturally includes minerals.
Meats: Provide necessary nutrients without the need for supplemental forms.

Importantly, the belief that added calcium makes bones stronger is now understood to be incorrect. Therefore, reassess your supplement regimen if it includes calcium, and focus on obtaining your nutrients from whole foods.

By combining eggs, bone marrow, and grass-fed muscle meat, you’ll obtain a higher amount of nutrients compared to the majority of people.

The information can be found on carnivoreaurelius.com.

By doing so, you’re not only ensuring a nutrient-rich diet but potentially saving money by eliminating the need for unnecessary supplements.

Diminished Necessity for Probiotics

When discussing dietary supplements in relation to keto and carnivore diets, you may often encounter myths around the need for additional intake of various nutrients. Delving into the specifics, there are several supplements that you can confidently skip.

Calcium: You can attain ample calcium through leafy greens and homemade bone broth included in these diets, rendering calcium supplements unnecessary.
Daily Probiotics: Unless you’re recovering from a specific event like antibiotic treatment, daily probiotics are an expense you can avoid.
Vitamin C: It’s been noted that people following low-carb diets, including keto and carnivore, don’t require extra vitamin C. They remain scurvy-free, indicating that a supplement isn’t essential.
MCT Oil: Despite popular belief, MCT oil isn’t a requisite for success on keto and carnivore diets. Its high cost doesn’t translate into necessary benefits.
Fiber Supplements: Cutting out flours from your diet often leads to improved gut health, suggesting that you can do without daily fiber supplements.
Fish Oil or Omega-3 Supplements: Including oily fish in your diet gives you sufficient omega-3s, making additional supplements redundant.
Green Powders/Juices: These provide no added value to people on keto or carnivore diets, as shown by numerous case studies.
Collagen and Amino Acid Powders: A diet rich in meat supplies all the collagen you require. Including parts like cartilage further boosts your intake.
Multivitamins: Omit multivitamins when consuming a well-rounded keto or carnivore diet, focusing instead on incorporating nutrient-dense foods like fatty meats and organ meats, such as liver.

By reallocating funds from these superfluous supplements to enhancing your food quality, keto and carnivore diets can be more economical than one might presume. Including more nourishing whole foods can deliver the essential nutrients your body needs without the crutch of supplements.

Decreased Dependence on Vitamin C

On a diet that significantly limits carbohydrates, such as the ketogenic or carnivore diets, your body’s requirements for vitamin C are not as high. The wide array of whole foods in these diets ensures you receive a sufficient amount of vitamin C. No documented cases of scurvy have been observed among people following these diets strictly, provided they consume a balanced range of whole, real foods. This demonstrates that supplemental vitamin C is generally not required to maintain its beneficial effects.

Vitamin C Necessity:

Decreased with low-carb intake: As carbohydrate consumption decreases, the amount of vitamin C required to maintain health also appears to lower.
Sufficiency in diet: People committed to ketogenic or carnivore diets have not experienced scurvy, indicating dietary sufficiency.
Whole foods provide enough: A diet rich in diverse, whole foods naturally provides the necessary vitamin C without supplementation.

The Misconception of Medium-Chain Triglyceride Oil Necessity

MCT oil, commonly embraced by those who follow a ketogenic or carnivore diet, is often touted as an essential dietary supplement. It’s important to realize that this oil, despite its popularity, is not required to successfully adhere to these low-carbohydrate diets.

Cost and Alternatives:
MCT oil comes with a significant price tag, yet it doesn’t contribute to the dietary goals more than what is achieved through whole, real foods. The body can perform optimally without it when on a ketogenic or carnivore regimen by relying on naturally occurring fats in foods.

Utilization in the Diet:

Coffee Addition: Adding MCT oil to morning coffee is a common practice, but it is not necessary for the success of the diet.
Cooking: Some individuals may cook with MCT oil, but regular fats like butter or other animal fats fulfill dietary fat needs.
Dietary Fats from Whole Foods: Foods such as fatty meats and other products naturally high in fats can efficiently replace MCT oil in the diet.

Completion:
If you currently have MCT oil, it’s sensible to use up what you have but avoid repurchasing. Investing your resources in high-quality meats and other essential whole foods is more beneficial and cost-effective.

Dietary Guidance:
Rather than supplementing with MCT oil, focusing on nutrient-dense, fatty meats can provide a more balanced approach to meeting your dietary needs. This will not only save you money but also align with the philosophy of consuming unprocessed, naturally nutritious foods.

Unnecessary Dietary Fiber Additions

When you fully embrace a meat-centric ketogenic or carnivorous diet, concerns about regularity and digestive health often emerge, usually leading to the belief that fiber supplements are essential. However, the reality is quite different. Individuals who strictly limit their intake of carbohydrates, cutting out all flour products—be it wheat, cornmeal, or even almond flour—experience a remarkable return to optimal digestive function.

Key Points:

Fiber Supplements: Often seen as crucial for bowel regularity, extensive experience from a vast carnivore community has shown that they are superfluous, even for those who previously struggled with severe constipation and other gut issues.
Dietary Changes: A significant reduction in carbohydrate intake, particularly the elimination of all flours, facilitates a natural improvement in gut health.

As you adjust to this way of eating, it’s crucial to understand that the exclusion of these plant-based fiber sources does not equate to a decline in digestive wellness. On the contrary, your gut can return to a state of natural efficiency without the crutch of fiber supplements. This realization can lead to not only improved bodily function but also a decrease in unnecessary expenditures on dietary add-ons that your body simply does not require.

Unnecessary Fish Oil Supplementation

When adopting a ketogenic or carnivore diet, it is essential to scrutinize the supplements you might consider incorporating into your routine. An often-misguided choice is the addition of fish oil or omega-3 supplements to your diet. When following these diets appropriately, including oily fish ensures you are already consuming sufficient omega-3 fatty acids, rendering fish oil supplements superfluous.

Why You Don’t Need Fish Oil Supplements:

Natural Sources: Your diet includes sources such as cod liver and other oily fish.
Nutrient Duplication: These foods naturally contain the beneficial omega-3s that fish oil capsules aim to provide.
Economical Benefits: Avoiding unnecessary supplements like fish oil can significantly lower your dietary expenses.

Current Usage and Recommendation:

If you are taking fish oil capsules, use up your current supply.
Do not repurchase.

By focusing on a diet rich in naturally occurring nutrients, the need for supplemental fish oil is virtually eliminated. Prioritize your nutritional intake through wholesome food choices, and you can confidently pass on the additional cost and consumption of fish oil supplements.

Unnecessary Supplements & Green Plant-Based Powders

While following a ketogenic or carnivore diet, you’ve likely been led to believe that certain supplements are essential for maintaining health. However, upon a thorough examination, it becomes clear that several of these are redundant and could be eliminated from your routine, saving you money and streamlining your nutrition without compromising your health.

Money wasters:

Calcium Supplements: Contrary to past beliefs, calcium from supplements is not necessary for bone strength. You are receiving ample amounts from ketogenic-friendly foods such as leafy greens, bone broth, and various meats.
Probiotics: Previously thought to be beneficial, routine probiotic use is now understood to be unnecessary except in specific circumstances, such as following antibiotic treatment.
Vitamin C: It has been observed that lower carbohydrate intake reduces the need for vitamin C. Whole foods on these diets provide sufficient amounts without the risk of scurvy.
MCT Oil: Not mandatory for a successful ketogenic or carnivore diet. It’s an added expense with no essential benefits to your regimen.
Fiber Supplements: Eliminating flours from your diet often resolves digestive issues. Supplemental fiber is not required for optimal gut function.
Fish Oil Capsules: Including oily fish in your diet naturally provides omega-3 fatty acids, making fish oil capsules redundant.
Green Vegetable Powders: Tens of thousands on a ketogenic or carnivore diet get all necessary nutrients without these powders or juices.

Best Option

When adopting a comprehensive, real-food-based approach to these diets, you’ll find that you’re ingesting a richer variety of nutrients than any supplement could offer. By focusing your diet on fatty meats and incorporating nutrient-dense foods like liver, you naturally consume vitamins and minerals in forms your body can utilize effectively.

Rather than invest in supplements, allocate your resources towards high-quality, whole foods. By doing so, you enhance your diet’s affordability and efficacy, supporting your health without the clutter of unnecessary additional products.

Nutritional Building Blocks in a Low-Carb Regimen

When engaging in a low-carb or meat-centric dietary routine, you may be considering various dietary supplements. However, it’s important to realize that numerous supplements are not a necessity and can be acquired through whole, nutrient-dense foods.

Calcium: Contrary to past advice, leafy greens and homemade bone broth provide ample amounts of calcium, negating the need for additional supplementation.

Probiotic Use: Regular use of probiotics may not be required except in specific conditions, such as post-antibiotic treatment, to restore gut flora balance.

Essential Vitamins and Fiber:
- Vitamin C demand decreases with a reduced carbohydrate diet. There’s no reported necessity for supplementary Vitamin C in a well-planned ketogenic or carnivore diet.
- Introducing more meat, and eliminating flour-based products, can lead to optimal gut function, thus making fiber supplements obsolete.

Fats and Oils:

Oily fish in your diet removes the necessity for fish oil capsules.
MCT oil, while popular in ketogenic circles, isn’t a pre-requisite for achieving dietary success.

Protein Sources and Varieties:

By consuming a variety of meats, including those with bones and cartilage, you’re already ingesting adequate collagen and amino acids.
Multivitamins:
- Whole, real foods from a ketogenic or carnivore diet fulfill your body’s vitamin and mineral requirements.
- The bioavailability of these nutrients is higher when they come from whole food sources, such as liver, rather than from pills or powders.

Reconsidering the Necessity of Multivitamins

With the rising popularity of ketogenic and carnivore lifestyles, many individuals are enticed by the idea of supplementing their diet with various products. However, as an experienced family physician, I am shedding light on several widely-used supplements which are, in actuality, redundant for followers of these diets.

Calcium supplements

Calcium supplements, like Citracal, have been deemed unnecessary for stronger bones, despite previous medical advice. Adequate calcium intake can be achieved by consuming leafy greens, homemade bone broth, and meat.

Probiotics

Secondly, the use of daily probiotics. Generally, a probiotic might be helpful for a short period—for instance, after a course of antibiotics—but for daily intake, they serve no purpose for most and merely drain your finances.

Vitamin C

A third redundant supplement is vitamin C. Reports from numerous individuals on these low-carbohydrate diets indicate that the need for vitamin C diminishes as the carbohydrate intake decreases. The complete absence of scurvy cases in these communities further confirms that supplementary vitamin C isn’t required.

MCT oil

Additionally, the inclusion of MCT oil is unexpected to many. Although initially considered important for keto success, MCT oil is not necessary and it is recommended that you allocate your resources elsewhere after you finish your current supply.

Fiber supplements

Fiber supplements also make this list. Individuals who have excluded grains from their diets rarely encounter digestive issues, indicating that a high-fiber supplement is not essential for maintaining gut health.

Omega-3 supplements

If your diet already includes oily fish and whole food sources like cod liver oil, fish oil or omega-3 supplements are not necessary. Complete your current supply and consider that as the end of your fish oil regimen.

The market for green powders and juices has grown, but if you’re on a ketogenic or carnivore diet, this is another product you can forego without hesitation.

Similarly, collagen powders and branched-chain amino acid supplements are rendered obsolete by a diet rich in various meats, which naturally contain ample amounts of collagen and essential amino acids.

Lastly, let us discuss multivitamins. When adhering to a whole food-based ketogenic or carnivore diet, your nutritional requirements are met through food. Multivitamins not only often contain nutrients in forms that are not easily absorbed by the body, but are also an additional and unnecessary expenditure.

To reinforce your diet, incorporating liver from various sources will supply an abundance of natural vitamins and minerals, effectively replacing your multivitamin. If the taste of liver is not to your liking, select desiccated or freeze-dried liver capsules instead, which can fit seamlessly into your nutrition plan.

By eliminating these superfluous supplements, you will not only optimize your health but also unlock substantial savings, making these diets more affordable and efficient. Remember, investing in quality food rather than unnecessary supplements is key to achieving better health outcomes.

Adding Liver to Your Nutrition Routine

When focusing on ketogenic or carnivore dietary habits, the emphasis is often on meat consumption, but there’s a powerhouse organ meat that shouldn’t be overlooked: liver. Regardless of the source—chicken, beef, pork, or even goose—liver lends a nutritional punch that rivals synthetic vitamins and minerals.

Here’s how you can introduce liver into your meals:

Pan-fried or Grilled: Incorporate slices of liver cooked to your preference as part of your meal rotation.
Liver Pâté or Mousse: For a different texture or for those who prefer a spread, pâté is both nutritious and palatable.
Desiccated Liver Supplements: If the taste of liver is challenging, opt for desiccated liver capsules. Every six capsules typically equal about two ounces of liver, covering your vitamin and mineral needs.

The nutritional value of liver cannot be understated—it serves as a natural multivitamin. It’s exceptionally rich in important nutrients like:

Vitamins: A, B12, and others essential for overall health.
Minerals: Iron, copper, and more, which support various bodily functions.

Remember, by integrating liver into your diet, you potentially reduce the need for additional supplementation, making your nutritional approach more efficient and cost-effective. Additionally, you can save those funds for purchasing quality meats and a selection of vegetables that fit your dietary goals.

Summary and Steps Forward

My purpose is to offer a more comprehensive understanding of supplements for individuals following ketogenic or carnivore diets. There is a belief among many that these diets can be expensive because of the need for various supplements. Further analysis may unveil an unforeseen truth.

Calcium: You’re likely to receive ample calcium through a diet rich in leafy greens and homemade bone broth, making additional calcium supplements unnecessary.
Probiotics: Though helpful in specific situations such as post-antibiotic treatment, the routine daily use is often an unwarranted expense.
Vitamin C: Lower carbohydrate intake reduces vitamin C requirements. Whole, real foods provide sufficient amounts, rendering supplementation superfluous.
MCT Oil: Despite its popularity in ketogenic circles, it’s not essential for success on these diets.
Fiber: Removing all flour from your diet can lead to optimal gut function, negating the need for fiber supplements.

Here is a list of supplements you might want to reconsider.

Unnecessary Supplements	Explanation
Fish Oil/Omega-3	Including oily fish in your meals covers your needs.
Green Powders/Juices	Whole foods are adequate, making these powders an extra expense.
Collagen and Amino Acids	A meat-heavy diet typically satisfies these nutritional needs.
Multivitamins	A well-formulated diet provides all the vital nutrients without a pill.

Instead of investing in these, prioritize high-quality meats, possibly including organ meats like liver, which act as natural multivitamins. This switch not only enhances the quality of your diet but also ensures that your dietary approach is more economical.

If you’re concerned about nutrient intake, focus on incorporating a variety of whole foods into your diet. And remember, you’re always encouraged to stay connected for more insights by subscribing and turning on notifications. Feel free to share these nuggets of advice to potentially aid someone in their health journey.