7-Keto for Fat Loss

7-Keto, a metabolite of the “mother steroid” DHEA, may have anti-aging weight loss benefits.

• Boosting thermogenesis (heat generation), initiating and enhancing the burning of calories
• Boosting resting metabolic rate, helping to accelerate fat-burning activity
• Boosting fat oxidation, which may help the body preferentially burn stored fat for energy

Overview

7-oxodehydroepiandrosterone (7-oxo-DHEA), also known by the brand name 7-Keto®, is a chemical byproduct (metabolite) of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). A steroid which is produced in the adrenal glands, DHEA functions as a precursor to testosterone and estrogen, the key male and female sex hormones.

Unlike DHEA, 7-Keto is not converted into these sex hormones, does not appear to have adverse side effects associated with DHEA, and has a wide range of potential health benefits — including support for healthy aging, memory, thyroid activity, immune function and muscle-building.

7-Keto has many potential anti-aging benefits, but is most widely used as a weight management compound.

7-Keto-DHEA is about 2.5 times as effective as DHEA as a thermogenic agent and does not appear to have its adverse side effect such as acne, hair loss, and mood changes. These side effects are believed to result from DHEA’s conversion into the male or female sex hormones, which does not occur with 7-keto.¹

7-Keto was developed to isolate DHEA’s active fat-loss ingredient, offering greater support for healthy weight management than DHEA supplementation along with a superior safety and tolerability profile.

7-Keto’s Fat-Burning Bio-Activities

7-Keto is believed to promote fat-burning and weight loss through three major mechanisms:

1. It is believed to boost thermogenesis (heat generation) by enhancing the action of thermogenic enzymes glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) and cytosolic malic enzyme in the liver, as well as the enzyme catalase.² In turn, these actions appear to increase respiration in cells – the chemical processes that convert energy from nutrients into a usable form.
2. The above mechanisms also appear to be responsible for boosting metabolism by increasing the rate at which the body uses up energy.
3. 7-keto-DHEA is believed to boost fat oxidation, primarily by enhancing the action of acyl-CoA oxidase, an enzyme which plays a key role in the oxidation of fat. As a result, stored body fat is used more often as an energy source.³

7-Keto’s manufacturers note that its weight loss benefits appear to revolve around its ability to increase the activity of three key fat-burning enzymes.

Research

Animal Research

Some early animal research of 7-Keto showed promising results for its fat-burning potential:

7-oxo-DHEA may stimulate thermogenesis, and is more effective than its parent compound

This study looked at the effects of DHEA and several of its related metabolites, including 7-keto-DHEA, on metabolism in rats. The animals were supplemented for 6 days at an amount equal to 0.01-0.2 % of their total diet. The 7-oxygenated metabolites, which include 7-keto, were found to be more effective than DHEA at stimulating enzymes associated with thermogenesis (heat production) and had none of its side effects.

• The researchers concluded that “the 7-oxo steroids should prove to be more useful therapeutic agents than DHEA, for they are more active, are not aromatized, and cannot be converted to testosterone”⁴

Human Research

Human trials of 7-Keto further demonstrate its weight loss potential and lack of side effects.

7-Keto 200 mg per day may help overweight individuals by raising resting metabolic rate

This study tested whether 7-keto alone, and in combination with other bioactive compounds such as green tea in a mixture called HUM5007, would increase the resting metabolic rate (RMR) – a measure of how much energy is being used by the body in a relaxed state. Forty-five overweight individuals on a diet underwent a total of 3 experiments: 7-day treatments with 7-keto 200 mg/day, HUM5007 with the same 7-keto quantity, and placebo. While placebo’s RMR dropped by 3.9%, it increased by 1.4% for the 7-keto group, and 3.4% for the HUM5007 group.

• The researchers concluded that “The results of this study reveal that administration of HUM5007 or 7-Keto to overweight adults in conjunction with a calorie-restricted diet safely reverses the decline in RMR normally associated with dieting. HUM5007 and 7-Keto also demonstrated an ability to increase RMR above basal levels and may be a benefit to obese individuals with impaired energy”⁵

7-Keto 200 mg day appears to be safe in men and may help weight loss

This study looked at the safety of 7-oxo-DHEA. Twenty-three healthy men received either placebo or 50 mg 3acetyl-7-oxo-DHEA/day for 7 days, then 100 mg for 7 more days a week later, and after another week 200 mg/day for 28 days. Although the study did not focus on weight loss, it was found that those who took 7-oxo had a slight weight loss of 0.5 kg, whereas the placebo group gained 3 kg of weight.

• The researchers concluded that “the acetylated derivative of 7-oxo-DHEA, which is devoid of androgenic activity and is not metabolically convertible to estrogens or androgens, was found to be safe and well tolerated in normal healthy adult men at doses up to 200 mg/d for 28 days”⁶

7-oxo and 7-hydroxy-derivatives of DHEA may reduce levels of hormones linked to the development of obesity

This study examined the levels 7-oxo-DHEA and 7-OH, another metabolite of DHEA, in 55 obese children aged 13-15 before and after a weight loss program. The trial found that the levels of these compounds decreased along with weight, suggesting that the 7-OH and 7-oxo-DHEA are involved in some way with the metabolic processes that control obesity. Researchers theorize that 7-OH and 7-oxo-DHEA may function by binding with the enzyme 11b-HSD1, which controls the levels of glucocorticoids – hormones linked to the development of obesity.

• The researchers concluded that “Based on our findings, we hypothesize that 7α-OH-DHEA may be involved in metabolic processes leading to reduction of obesity”⁷

7-Keto 200 mg/day combined with exercise and diet may result in significant weight loss, and be more effective than exercise and diet alone

This study examined the effects of 7-oxo-DHEA in overweight adults; 23 individuals with an average BMI of 31.9 were divided into placebo and 200 mg/day 7-oxo-DHEA daily groups for 8 weeks. In addition, they followed an exercise program and an 1800 kcal/day diet. The 7-oxo group lost 2.88 kg of weight/1.8% of fat vs 0.97 kg of weight/0.57% of fat for placebo. The rate of weight loss in the 7-oxo group was over 3 times that of the placebo group. The researchers posit that 7-oxo-DHEA works primarily by boosting thermogenesis and fat oxidation.

• The researchers concluded that “the results of the study suggest that 7-oxo-DHEA is a well-tolerated and effective weight loss aid”⁸

7-Keto supplement 200 mg/day plus diet and exercise may be significantly better for losing weight than diet and exercise alone

This study was similar to the above, except it used a commercially-available 7-keto supplement rather than 7-oxo-DHEA alone. The supplement 7-Keto Naturalean consisted primarily of 7-oxo-DHEA, along with other ingredients such as manganese and asparagus root extract. Twelve overweight men and 21 overweight women followed a diet and exercise program for 8 weeks, and were divided into placebo and 7-Keto Naturalean 200 mg/day groups. The 7-Keto group lost an average of 2.15 kg of weight vs 0.72 kg for placebo.

• The researchers concluded that “In this select population, 7-Keto Naturalean combined with a reduced-calorie diet and an exercise program resulted in a significant weight loss compared with diet and exercise alone”⁹

Dosage Notes

• Most successful studies used a maximum dose of 200 mg 7-Keto per day
• Common retail 7-Keto dosage ranges from 25 mg to 100 mg per serving

Side Effects

7-Keto-DHEA does not appear to have any side effects. All studies reported that dosages of up to 200 mg daily were well-tolerated and caused no adverse reactions. Really, that’s the whole point of 7-Keto: It is a gentler form of DHEA’s weight loss metabolite that is much better-tolerated than its “Mother Hormone.”

Available Forms of 7-Keto

7-Keto is a popular fat burner ingredient typically sold as a standalone, single-ingredient supplement. 7-Keto is sometimes included in weight loss complex formulas, combined with other nutrients for healthy weight management. There’s only one form of 7-Keto in the world: The branded, patented form.

References