Get to know Ketones

When glycogen (the main storage form of glucose or sugar) is sufficiently depleted, the liver converts fatty acids into ketones. Ketones are the body’s secret weapon. We naturally produce these molecules during times of nutritional deficit primarily to feed the heart, muscles, and brain.

In today’s world, the utilization of ketones for energy has become infrequent due to the abundance of food. We instead rely exclusively on fat and glucose.

The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is high in fat, medium in protein, and very low in carbohydrates. It encourages a metabolic state called ketosis in which the body burns fat instead of carbohydrates as its primary source of energy.

The process of burning fat in the body results in the production of fatty acid byproducts called ketones. These are the substances that the body uses for energy when carbohydrates are in short supply.

Yes, but the keto diet is highly restrictive. Many people have difficulty sustaining the diet and therefore fail to achieve ketosis consistently and with any kind of longevity.

Exogenous ketones are supplements which help a person achieve ketosis while being slightly less strict regarding their diet. 

No, there are several types of over-the-counter exogenous ketones (EK). Some may cause longer ketosis periods than others and some are NOT bio-available (molecularly identical to what the body produces), which prevents the body from utilizing the ketone at all. Prüvit’s KETO//OS NAT® is the ONLY exogenous ketone in the WORLD created through a process of natural fermentation. These Pure Therapeutic Ketones® are MØRE bio-identical to the natural ketones our bodies produce.

Ketone esters: Ketone esters are the most potent type of EK and as a result, may cause longer ketosis periods than other EK supplements. However, ketone esters are very expensive and generally have an unpleasant taste.

Ketone salts: Ketone salts are created by adding ketones to electrolytes, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium. Within the world of ketones, ketone salts are available in a variety of forms including drinks, pills, and powders. Prüvit’s KETO//OS NAT® is the ONLY exogenous ketone in the WORLD created through a process of natural fermentation. These Pure Therapeutic Ketones® are MØRE bio-identical to the natural ketones our bodies produce.

Medium chain triglycerides (MCTs): MCTs are not technically a type of EK, but they do have similar effects. The body rapidly absorbs MCTs. Following this absorption, the liver converts the MCTs into ketones. A person will not get into ketosis by taking MCTs alone. They will need to follow a ketogenic diet or take other EK supplements to fully induce ketosis. Prüvit’s MCT//143®’s innovative technology was formulated by Dr. Mary Newport as a powerful alternative fuel for the brain. MCT//143® allows ketones to cross the blood/brain barrier efficiently, providing instant energy to the brain while supporting cognitive function. In addition to brain boosting power, MCT//143® is naturally thermogenic, increasing the rate at which fat is burned.

Researchers have carried out several studies on the potential benefits of taking EKs. 

Exogenous ketones for ketosis:

• A 2017 study was published in PubMed Central where the effects of EKs on human metabolism was investigated. Researchers asked healthy participants to consume drinks that contained EKs. They found that EKs induced a state of ketosis in the participants which lowered blood glucose, free fatty acid and triglyceride concentrations, and had similar effects on blood electrolytes, which remained normal. They concluded that exogenous ketone drinks are a practical, efficacious way to achieve ketosis.

Exogenous ketones for enhanced athletic performance:

• Another use for EKs is in athletic performance. Prolonged physical activity can result in a lack of oxygen supply to the muscles, which leads to an increase in the production of lactic acid. Excess lactic acid can make muscles feel sore and weak.
• A 2016 study, noted on reader.elsevier.com, states that EKs act as an alternative energy source for the body during intensive exercise. As such, they help reduce lactic acid production therefore improving a person's athletic performance.

Exogenous ketones for certain diseases and disorders:

• Some people follow a keto diet to help reduce the number and severity of seizures while other patients and their doctors have minimized the symptoms of certain psychiatric disorders like anxiety. Experts believe that this is partly due to metabolism changes which affect the brain.
• A 2019 review of available research published on frontiersin.org, suggests that EKs affect levels of certain neurotransmitters within the brain thus reducing the signs of some psychiatric diseases. Their conclusion is that EK supplements, which help the body enter ketosis, may be an effective treatment.
• According to news-medical.net, emerging data indicates that a ketogenic diet, may have anticancer features such as slowing tumor development, protecting disease-free cells from radiation and chemotherapy damage, amplifying chemotherapy’s harmful effects on tumor cells, and reducing inflammation. Ketones might be an effective anticancer approach as a nutritional intervention.

Exogenous ketones for better sleep:

• According to PubMed, available evidence indicates that ketone bodies may improve sleep quality. This is based on ketone intake which counteracts sleep disruptions induced by strenuous exercise.

How does using exogenous ketones help combat the effects of a poor diet?

• The excessive consumption of carbohydrates and sugar, without incorporating regular periods of fasting, has heightened our susceptibility to insulin resistance, blood glucose volatility, and systematic energy deficits.  
• Many serious medical conditions can be traced back to persistent metabolic disorders. Without the need to completely alter your diet, Pruvit’s OS//NAT allows you to combat the primary instigators of metabolic dysfunction, like insulin resistance, elevated blood glucose, excess body fat, and inflammation.

Exogenous Ketones Provide:

• Brain Health by improving brain network stability
• Focus by improving cognitive performance
• Endurance through boosting power output
• Performance by increasing power and decreased lactate production
• Heart Health by improving cardiac efficiency
• Faster Recovery by boosting protein synthesis
• Weight Control by decreasing appetite through lowering ghrelin
• Training Longer through muscle glycogen resynthesis

Works Citied

· “Exogenous Ketones: Do They Work, and Are They Safe?” Www.medicalnewstoday.com, 9 Oct. 2019, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326607.

· Egan, Brendan, and Dominic P. D’Agostino. “Fueling Performance: Ketones Enter the Mix.” Cell Metabolism, vol. 24, no. 3, Sept. 2016, pp. 373–375, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2016.08.021. Accessed 24 Jan. 2020.

· Evans, Mark, et al. “Metabolism of Ketone Bodies during Exercise and Training: Physiological Basis for Exogenous Supplementation.” The Journal of Physiology, vol. 595, no. 9, 2017, pp. 2857–2871, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27861911, https://doi.org/10.1113/JP273185.

· Storoschuk, Kristi. “Exogenous Ketones - What Are They?” Charlie Foundation, 6 Aug. 2019, charliefoundation.org/exogenous-ketones-what-are-they/. Accessed 15 July 2024.

· Kesl, Shannon L., et al. “Effects of Exogenous Ketone Supplementation on Blood Ketone, Glucose, Triglyceride, and Lipoprotein Levels in Sprague–Dawley Rats.” Nutrition & Metabolism, vol. 13, no. 1, 4 Feb. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4743170/, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-016-0069-y.

· Kovács, Z., D’Agostino, D. P., Diamond, D., Kindy, M. S., Rogers, C., & Ari, C. (2019, May 10). Therapeutic potential of exogenous ketone supplement induced ketosis in the treatment of psychiatric disorders: Review of current literature. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00363/full 

· Masood, W. (2023, June 16). Ketogenic diet. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499830/ 

· Stubbs, B. J., Cox, P. J., Evans, R. D., Santer, P., Miller, J. J., Faull, O. K., Magor-Elliott, S., Hiyama, S., Stirling, M., & Clarke, K. (2017, October 30). On the metabolism of exogenous ketones in humans. Frontiers in physiology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5670148/Trusted Source