Hi Foxy! You've got some really good questions here, but unfortunately, I can't really answer them completely.
First of all, I have never read in any of my nutrition books or journal articles about taking either of these supplements to increase the rate of ketosis or such. I even did a search early today through several of the journal databases & found many about ketosis and ALA, but none about "pushing" ketosis or making it more effective.
It doesn't mean that there isn't a reputable, clinical study out there....I just haven't found it yet. I'll keep looking because I am curious...
However, I am very familiar about niacin and too much can cause liver toxicity. You can gradually increase your niacin intake so that your body gets used to the flushing and tingling sensation, but only up to a point. High doses for long periods of time should ONLY be under a physician's care & I seriously doubt that any would recommend it for "pushing" one into ketosis.
Furthermore, Dr. Atkins knew a lot about supplements and, of course, ketosis. Wouldn't you think that he would say something in any of his publications about increasing ketosis via supplements if it were safe? I would certainly think so.
Niacin does help the body metabolize fat and carbs into useful energy, so it IS worthwhile to take it as a supplement, but it should be checked by taking other B-vitamins in a correct balance. I can't imagine what the body would do with high doses of niacin without the other B-vitamins to keep us healthy. The importance of having the B-vitamins in balance is illustrated by the use of B-complex supplements...they are made to be in the correct ratios.
ALA is also a great supplement, and is useful in reducing the amount of sugar in our bloodstreams by increasing our cells' ability in absorbing it. I suppose in this context, it could help one get into ketosis faster, but you wouldn't need high doses of it. If you're doing Atkins correctly, you wouldn't need to take high doses of ALA to maintain ketosis. Staying within your CCL and taking normal doses of ALA if you wish should keep you on track with losing weight and staying in ketosis. Keep an accurate food journal and check it with fitday or some other program to check your calories, carb/protein/fat ratios to make certain that you don't go over your CCL.
Anyways, I hope this helps you somewhat. Sorry I couldn't say definitively yes or no to your questions. If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
