{"id":604371714354,"title":"K3 Spark Mineral Review: A Dangerous Supplement?","created_at":"2022-11-03T18:38:27-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"K3 Spark Mineral Review: A Dangerous Supplement?\",\n \"keywords\": \"k3 spark mineral, k3 spark mineral review, k3 spark mineral reviews, k3 spark mineral side effects, k3 spark mineral ingredients, what is k3 spark mineral ingredients, what is k3 spark mineral, k3 spark mineral walmart, k3 spark mineral where to buy, k3 spark mineral amazon, k3 spark mineral does it work\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the ingredients in K3 Spark Mineral based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective for weight loss or if it's a waste of money. We highlight two ingredients clinically shown to cause liver damage.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/k3-spark-mineral-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Auren Weinberg\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/auren-weinberg\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/aurenweinberg\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"Medical Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"pharmaceutical medication, medicine, OTC drugs, medical research, clinical trials, generic drugs, branded drugs, dietary supplements, chemistry, health, wellness, healthcare\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"Haverford College\",\n \"University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry\",\n \"Fox School of Business at Temple University\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/K3_Spark_Mineral_Thumbnail.png?v=1667515652\",\n\"width\": \"3680\",\n\"height\": \"3680\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK547922\/\", \n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/zupoo-review\",\n\"https:\/\/fdc.nal.usda.gov\/fdc-app.html#\/food-details\/168872\/nutrients\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6768815\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25636220\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6628169\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Amazon\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Zelso Nutrition\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"senna\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"oat bran\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"USDA\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Brian Yeung\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Brand\",\n \"name\": \"Jordan Liles\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"ketosis\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Walmart\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-11-03\",\n\"dateModified\": \"2023-06-06\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ],\n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/K3_Spark_Mineral_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1667515130\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eK\u003c\/span\u003e3 Spark Mineral is a weight loss supplement sold on Amazon. It’s manufactured by a brand called Zelso Nutrition, and the brand claims that this supplement “promotes ketosis” and can cause the body to “utilize fat for fuel.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut is ketosis really necessary for weight loss? Are the ingredients in K3 Spark Mineral proven in medical studies to cause weight loss? Does the supplement contain any harmful ingredients? And how do real customers rate and describe the effects of K3 Spark Mineral?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review every ingredient in K3 Spark Mineral to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective for weight loss or if it's a waste of money.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe'll also discuss side effects, feature unsponsored customer reviews and share our thoughts about whether keto weight loss supplements make sense as a product category.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIngredient Analysis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/K3_Spark_Mineral_Supplement_Facts_Label_Optimized.png?v=1686102204\" alt=\"K3 Spark Mineral ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredients in K3 Spark Mineral are shown above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe cannot identify any ingredients in this formulation that we consider likely to support weight loss, and there are several ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eS\u003c\/span\u003eenna\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a laxative ingredient that we recommend avoiding for health reasons. A \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/books\/NBK547922\/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLiverTox\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e journal documented that senna can cause liver injury when used in high doses for too long of a period of time. What’s considered a high dose was left undefined.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCascara sagrada\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ebark\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ehas also been clinically shown to cause liver injury as we documented in our review of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/zupoo-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eZuPOO\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, another supplement which contains this ingredient.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFood ingredients like \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003epumpkin seed\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eoat bran powder\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003ecayenne pepper\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003elicorice root\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e may be nutritious but we cannot identify any medical studies suggesting they’re effective for weight loss, nor does the brand cite any on the Amazon product listing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe average ingredient dose in this blend is only 45 milligrams (mg).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTo give a sense of how small a dose of 45 mg of oat bran is, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/fdc.nal.usda.gov\/fdc-app.html#\/food-details\/168872\/nutrients\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eaccording to\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e the USDA, one single cup of oat bran equals 95,000 mg of oat bran. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe oat bran dose in K3 Spark Mineral is 2,100 times less than one cup of oat bran.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall, we do not consider K3 Spark Mineral likely to be effective for weight loss given that we cannot identify one single research-backed ingredient after a review of medical studies.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen we initially published this article, there was a different ingredient list on the Amazon listing than what one customer reported in the reviews section, which was a major concern, but it appears that the manufacturer has fixed this after our review highlighting the issue.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA YouTube creator named Brian Yeung who's a naturopathic doctor reviews the ingredients in this supplement in an engaging and animated video and comes to many of the same conclusions we do:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EpDJmzE-_-s\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut will the supplement cause side effects? We'll discuss in the next section.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDoes K3 Spark Mineral Cause Side Effects?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eK3 Spark Mineral does not appear to have been tested in any clinical trials, so it's challenging to say for certain whether or not it causes side effects. However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe consider K3 Spark Mineral somewhat likely to cause side effects. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eSenna is a laxative ingredient, so this supplement may cause users to experience an uncomfortable urge to use the bathroom\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, and they may experience diarrhea. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere may be a rare but serious risk of liver injury given the data we cited in the previous section on senna and \u003cem\u003eCascara\u003c\/em\u003e's hepatotoxic (liver-damaging) effects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe would certainly recommend that consumers intent on purchasing this supplement share its ingredients label with their doctor prior to taking it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIs K3 Spark Mineral a Scam?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named Jordan Liles investigates misleading advertising associated with K3 Spark Mineral.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt's important to note that this advertising doesn't appear to come from the brand itself, but from third-party marketers. Regardless, this \"Shark Tank\" scam is something that consumers should watch out for:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RUGAnkTBbW8\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal Customer Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eK3 Spark Mineral is sold on Amazon which is a useful resource for honest customer reviews.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe product has been reviewed over 1,500 times at the time of updating this article, with an unimpressive average review rating of 3.2 out of 5 stars.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top positive review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Marcelo Cordoba” who claims the supplement was effective for weight loss:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“I took them for a month, 1 in the morning 1 at night and i lost 22 pounds…They worked great i had tons of energy…I definitely recommend this product”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top negative review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Kim Adkins” who gave K3 Spark Mineral a 2-star rating, and who highlighted the ingredient discrepancy that was discussed above:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“Ingredients shown in the picture are not the ingredients that came in my bottle. Bogus product…Not the ingredients shown on Amazon”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Issue With \"Keto\" Weight Loss Pills\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/K3_Spark_Mineral_Keto_Branding_Optimized.png?v=1686103310\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs shown above, K3 Spark Mineral is branded as a keto weight loss supplement.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eKetosis is the state where the body is burning fat for fuel instead of glucose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe have not come across any convincing medical research suggesting that ketosis is necessary, or optimal, for weight loss. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe manufacturer of this supplement doesn't cite any research on their Amazon product page showing that any ingredient in K3 Spark Mineral induces ketosis at the included dose, nor that such an effect would cause weight loss.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWeight loss is a simple thermodynamic process. Calories ingested versus calories burned. Whether or not an individual is burning glucose or fat for energy, if they consume fewer calories than they ingest they will lose weight (outside of extremely rare medical conditions).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt's also worth noting that nearly any dietary supplement in pill form could be considered \"ketogenic,\" because most supplements have very few carbs due to their low total dose. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe recommend that consumers be wary of supplement brands suggesting that the keto nature or keto-diet-compliance of their supplements has beneficial health effects\u003c\/strong\u003e without providing research backing those claims.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Clean Weight Loss Picks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Weight_Loss_Supplements_Image_Optimized.png?v=1686024026\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere are food-based nutrients which have been shown in medical studies to be effective for weight loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eD\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cb\u003eietary fiber\u003c\/b\u003e was shown in a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6768815\/\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003epublished in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Journal of Nutrition\u003c\/em\u003e to cause\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e16 pounds of weight loss in 6 months\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewhen combined with moderate caloric restriction (750 calories per day below baseline).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=2011129\u0026amp;u=3153363\u0026amp;m=124607\u0026amp;urllink=www%2Esupergut%2Ecom%2Fresistant%2Dstarch%2Dfiber%2Dmix%2F%3Fsku%3D300101%2D1\u0026amp;afftrack=\"\u003eSupergut Fiber Mix\u003c\/a\u003e is our recommended fiber supplement, because it contains three different types of fiber powder and no questionable additive ingredients. Interested consumers can check out Supergut Fiber Mix \u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/shareasale.com\/r.cfm?b=2011129\u0026amp;u=3153363\u0026amp;m=124607\u0026amp;urllink=www%2Esupergut%2Ecom%2Fresistant%2Dstarch%2Dfiber%2Dmix%2F%3Fsku%3D300101%2D1\u0026amp;afftrack=\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e to the product page on the brand's official website, where it retails for \u003cstrong\u003eunder $2 per serving\u003c\/strong\u003e at a subscription rate.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMCT oil\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is quickly absorbed by the body and increases metabolic rate, which causes fat loss. A 2015 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/25636220\/\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003emeta-study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e on MCT oil documented more than one pound of weight loss over 10 weeks. \u003cstrong\u003eThis equates to potential annualized weight loss of 6 pounds per year with less than one tablespoon's worth of MCT oil per day.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/4eNQ4M\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBulletproof MCT Oil\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is our top MCT oil product, because the only ingredient is MCT oil derived from coconuts. There are no questionable additives. Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof MCT Oil \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/4eNQ4M\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e to the product page on the brand's official website, where it currently costs\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eonly\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e$15.50 for over a month's worth of product.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCoffee\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis one of the few whole food ingredients associated with weight loss in clinical trials. A\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6628169\/\"\u003emeta-analysis\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003epublished in the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eNutrients\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ejournal found that \u003cstrong\u003ecoffee intake was associated with reduced body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/vitacup.pxf.io\/LXnDrY\"\u003eVitaCup Organic Instant Coffee Sticks\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis our top coffee product for weight loss, due to its convenience. No preparation or machinery is needed. The sticks can be mixed into hot or cold water (or other beverages) and consumed. The only ingredient is organic instant coffee; no questionable additives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterested consumers can check out VitaCup Organic Instant Coffee Sticks\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/vitacup.pxf.io\/LXnDrY\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto the product page on the brand's official website, where they retail for\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e$1 per serving\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eat a subscription rate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere to Buy K3 Spark Mineral\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike most supplements we've reviewed on Illuminate Health, K3 Spark Mineral only appears to be sold at one retailer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAt the time of updating this article, \u003cstrong\u003ethe only place that consumers appear to be able to purchase K3 Spark Mineral is Amazon\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe manufacturer’s website (Zelso Nutrition) is currently down, and the supplement does not appear to be available for sale on Walmart.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere's a link to the \u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/42mCsst\"\u003eofficial Amazon listing\u003c\/a\u003e for this product.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs we've stated throughout this article, we do not recommend this supplement, but we wanted to provide a link to the official listing as a resource for consumers who are intent on purchasing it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros and Cons of K3 Spark Mineral\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHere are the pros and cons of K3 Spark Mineral in our opinion:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAffordable\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSafe inactive ingredients\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTwo active ingredients clinically shown to harm liver at high doses\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDoesn't appear clinically tested\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrand fails to provide backing for keto health \u003c\/span\u003eclaims\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVery small doses of whole food ingredients like oat bran\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManufacturer website has been down for 6 months\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUnimpressive Amazon reviews\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eK3 Spark Mineral is one of the least impressive weight loss supplements that we've reviewed on Illuminate Health.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis supplement contains two active ingredients that may be harmful to the liver, based on research cited in this article, and the brand fails to even publish the individual ingredient dose of either ingredient.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are unable to identify any ingredients in K3 Spark Mineral that we consider likely to be effective for weight loss based on a review of clinical studies, and the brand doesn't cite any on their Amazon product page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis leads us to believe that this supplement is a waste of money.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eK3 Spark Mineral is branded as a \"keto\" weight loss supplement, although that distinction is entirely meaningless in our opinion. Whether or not a supplement fits in a keto diet, or promotes ketosis, does not have anything to do with whether or not it causes weight loss.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCustomer reviews of this supplement are unimpressive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor consumers intent on purchasing K3 Spark Mineral, Amazon is currently the only retailer that appears to sell it.\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-11-03T18:51:20-04:00","updated_at":"2023-06-06T23:35:15-04:00","summary_html":"We analyze the ingredients in K3 Spark Mineral based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective for weight loss or if it's a waste of money. We highlight two ingredients clinically shown to cause liver damage.","template_suffix":"","handle":"k3-spark-mineral-review","tags":"_related:weight-loss"}

K3 Spark Mineral Review: A Dangerous Supplement?

K3 Spark Mineral Review: A Dangerous Supplement?


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K3 Spark Mineral is a weight loss supplement sold on Amazon. It’s manufactured by a brand called Zelso Nutrition, and the brand claims that this supplement “promotes ketosis” and can cause the body to “utilize fat for fuel.”

But is ketosis really necessary for weight loss? Are the ingredients in K3 Spark Mineral proven in medical studies to cause weight loss? Does the supplement contain any harmful ingredients? And how do real customers rate and describe the effects of K3 Spark Mineral?

In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review every ingredient in K3 Spark Mineral to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective for weight loss or if it's a waste of money.

We'll also discuss side effects, feature unsponsored customer reviews and share our thoughts about whether keto weight loss supplements make sense as a product category.

Ingredient Analysis

K3 Spark Mineral ingredients

The ingredients in K3 Spark Mineral are shown above.

We cannot identify any ingredients in this formulation that we consider likely to support weight loss, and there are several ingredients that may be questionable from a health perspective.

Senna is a laxative ingredient that we recommend avoiding for health reasons. A medical review published in the LiverTox journal documented that senna can cause liver injury when used in high doses for too long of a period of time. What’s considered a high dose was left undefined.

Cascara sagrada bark has also been clinically shown to cause liver injury as we documented in our review of ZuPOO, another supplement which contains this ingredient.

Food ingredients like pumpkin seed, oat bran powder, cayenne pepper and licorice root may be nutritious but we cannot identify any medical studies suggesting they’re effective for weight loss, nor does the brand cite any on the Amazon product listing.

The average ingredient dose in this blend is only 45 milligrams (mg).

To give a sense of how small a dose of 45 mg of oat bran is, according to the USDA, one single cup of oat bran equals 95,000 mg of oat bran. The oat bran dose in K3 Spark Mineral is 2,100 times less than one cup of oat bran.

Overall, we do not consider K3 Spark Mineral likely to be effective for weight loss given that we cannot identify one single research-backed ingredient after a review of medical studies.

When we initially published this article, there was a different ingredient list on the Amazon listing than what one customer reported in the reviews section, which was a major concern, but it appears that the manufacturer has fixed this after our review highlighting the issue.

A YouTube creator named Brian Yeung who's a naturopathic doctor reviews the ingredients in this supplement in an engaging and animated video and comes to many of the same conclusions we do:

But will the supplement cause side effects? We'll discuss in the next section.

Does K3 Spark Mineral Cause Side Effects?

K3 Spark Mineral does not appear to have been tested in any clinical trials, so it's challenging to say for certain whether or not it causes side effects. However, we can make an educated guess based on its ingredients.

We consider K3 Spark Mineral somewhat likely to cause side effects. Senna is a laxative ingredient, so this supplement may cause users to experience an uncomfortable urge to use the bathroom, and they may experience diarrhea. 

There may be a rare but serious risk of liver injury given the data we cited in the previous section on senna and Cascara's hepatotoxic (liver-damaging) effects.

We would certainly recommend that consumers intent on purchasing this supplement share its ingredients label with their doctor prior to taking it.

Is K3 Spark Mineral a Scam?

A YouTube creator named Jordan Liles investigates misleading advertising associated with K3 Spark Mineral.

It's important to note that this advertising doesn't appear to come from the brand itself, but from third-party marketers. Regardless, this "Shark Tank" scam is something that consumers should watch out for:

Real Customer Reviews

K3 Spark Mineral is sold on Amazon which is a useful resource for honest customer reviews.

The product has been reviewed over 1,500 times at the time of updating this article, with an unimpressive average review rating of 3.2 out of 5 stars.

The top positive review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Marcelo Cordoba” who claims the supplement was effective for weight loss:

“I took them for a month, 1 in the morning 1 at night and i lost 22 pounds…They worked great i had tons of energy…I definitely recommend this product”

The top negative review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Kim Adkins” who gave K3 Spark Mineral a 2-star rating, and who highlighted the ingredient discrepancy that was discussed above:

“Ingredients shown in the picture are not the ingredients that came in my bottle. Bogus product…Not the ingredients shown on Amazon”

Our Issue With "Keto" Weight Loss Pills

As shown above, K3 Spark Mineral is branded as a keto weight loss supplement.

Ketosis is the state where the body is burning fat for fuel instead of glucose.

We have not come across any convincing medical research suggesting that ketosis is necessary, or optimal, for weight loss. 

The manufacturer of this supplement doesn't cite any research on their Amazon product page showing that any ingredient in K3 Spark Mineral induces ketosis at the included dose, nor that such an effect would cause weight loss.

Weight loss is a simple thermodynamic process. Calories ingested versus calories burned. Whether or not an individual is burning glucose or fat for energy, if they consume fewer calories than they ingest they will lose weight (outside of extremely rare medical conditions).

It's also worth noting that nearly any dietary supplement in pill form could be considered "ketogenic," because most supplements have very few carbs due to their low total dose. 

We recommend that consumers be wary of supplement brands suggesting that the keto nature or keto-diet-compliance of their supplements has beneficial health effects without providing research backing those claims.

Our Clean Weight Loss Picks

There are food-based nutrients which have been shown in medical studies to be effective for weight loss.

Dietary fiber was shown in a medical review published in The Journal of Nutrition to cause 16 pounds of weight loss in 6 months when combined with moderate caloric restriction (750 calories per day below baseline).

Supergut Fiber Mix is our recommended fiber supplement, because it contains three different types of fiber powder and no questionable additive ingredients. Interested consumers can check out Supergut Fiber Mix at this link to the product page on the brand's official website, where it retails for under $2 per serving at a subscription rate.

MCT oil is quickly absorbed by the body and increases metabolic rate, which causes fat loss. A 2015 meta-study on MCT oil documented more than one pound of weight loss over 10 weeks. This equates to potential annualized weight loss of 6 pounds per year with less than one tablespoon's worth of MCT oil per day.

Bulletproof MCT Oil is our top MCT oil product, because the only ingredient is MCT oil derived from coconuts. There are no questionable additives. Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof MCT Oil at this link to the product page on the brand's official website, where it currently costs only $15.50 for over a month's worth of product.

Coffee is one of the few whole food ingredients associated with weight loss in clinical trials. A meta-analysis published in the Nutrients journal found that coffee intake was associated with reduced body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.

VitaCup Organic Instant Coffee Sticks is our top coffee product for weight loss, due to its convenience. No preparation or machinery is needed. The sticks can be mixed into hot or cold water (or other beverages) and consumed. The only ingredient is organic instant coffee; no questionable additives.

Interested consumers can check out VitaCup Organic Instant Coffee Sticks at this link to the product page on the brand's official website, where they retail for $1 per serving at a subscription rate.

Where to Buy K3 Spark Mineral

Unlike most supplements we've reviewed on Illuminate Health, K3 Spark Mineral only appears to be sold at one retailer.

At the time of updating this article, the only place that consumers appear to be able to purchase K3 Spark Mineral is Amazon

The manufacturer’s website (Zelso Nutrition) is currently down, and the supplement does not appear to be available for sale on Walmart.

Here's a link to the official Amazon listing for this product.

As we've stated throughout this article, we do not recommend this supplement, but we wanted to provide a link to the official listing as a resource for consumers who are intent on purchasing it.

Pros and Cons of K3 Spark Mineral

Here are the pros and cons of K3 Spark Mineral in our opinion:

Pros:

  • Affordable
  • Safe inactive ingredients

Cons:

  • Two active ingredients clinically shown to harm liver at high doses
  • Doesn't appear clinically tested
  • Brand fails to provide backing for keto health claims
  • Very small doses of whole food ingredients like oat bran
  • Manufacturer website has been down for 6 months
  • Unimpressive Amazon reviews
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Conclusion

K3 Spark Mineral is one of the least impressive weight loss supplements that we've reviewed on Illuminate Health.

This supplement contains two active ingredients that may be harmful to the liver, based on research cited in this article, and the brand fails to even publish the individual ingredient dose of either ingredient.

We are unable to identify any ingredients in K3 Spark Mineral that we consider likely to be effective for weight loss based on a review of clinical studies, and the brand doesn't cite any on their Amazon product page.

This leads us to believe that this supplement is a waste of money.

K3 Spark Mineral is branded as a "keto" weight loss supplement, although that distinction is entirely meaningless in our opinion. Whether or not a supplement fits in a keto diet, or promotes ketosis, does not have anything to do with whether or not it causes weight loss.

Customer reviews of this supplement are unimpressive.

For consumers intent on purchasing K3 Spark Mineral, Amazon is currently the only retailer that appears to sell it.




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