Whether you’re doing a traditional keto diet or a plant-based one, though, there are a few supplements that will help stabilize your health and maximize the benefits of the diet you’re already experiencing. Here’s what I recommend: You’ll want to find a probiotic that contains at least 10 billion CFUs as well as the bacterial strains Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, which have been shown to also help lower inflammation2. Vitamin A is most abundantly found in animal sources; however, for those following a plant-based ketogenic diet, this can quickly become a deficiency if ignored. While sweet potatoes and carrots contain plant beta-carotenes, a precursor to vitamin A, the conversion rate to retinol is weak at only 3 percent4. Running labs is the best way to determine your baseline of this vitamin in your body. If lab work determines that supplementation is a good idea for you, dosage can range between 2,000 and 10,000 IU per day. To seriously target inflammation, up to 10 grams 7per day is ideal. It’s also important to find a supplement that also contains piperine, which increases the bioavailability of curcumin by 2,000 percent. Since a ketogenic diet can lead to a decrease in this already deficient electrolyte due to increased water excretion and decreased water retention, it is important to add in a magnesium supplement to replenish this vital nutrient. There are many forms of magnesium, some more effective than others for different symptoms, but try to get in at least 350 milligrams per day. Most doctors recommend magnesium gylcinate for optimal benefits. Another way to optimize electrolytes is something called sole water. This electrolyte-infused water supports the adrenal hormone aldosterone, which is partially responsible for electrolyte and fluid balance. It stabilizes the electrolytes like magnesium, sodium chloride, and potassium and is easy to make. To make it, fill a large Mason jar with a plastic lid, since metal can oxidize and corrode when it comes into contact with salt water (any large size—you can find these online if you don’t have any), a quarter of the way up with high-quality sea salt, Celtic salt, or Himalayan pink salt, or a mixture or combination of these three. Add filtered water, but leave a little room at the top. Put on the lid, shake it up, and let it sit overnight. In the morning, check your sole water. If you can see some salt in the bottom of the jar, the water is saturated with the salt. If you don’t see any salt, add a teaspoon more. Shake, and give it an hour to dissolve. Keep going until some salt remains at the bottom. When the sole water is fully saturated, it is ready. Add 1 teaspoon to a glass of water every morning before eating anything. Dip only plastic or wood into the water to scoop it out—no metal utensils. These are the supplements I see being the most beneficial for most people following a ketogenic diet. However, it is important to work with your practitioner, as you may require some additional supplementation depending on your individual health case, as what works for one person doesn’t always work for the next.
