Neuro Athletes,

We are in an energy crises. Every-time you think a thought, look at someone else’s instagram stories or read someones Tweet, you are giving away your brains energy. Not just that, since I got back from Europe, I have been experiencing brain fog. I am not sure if it is due to circadian rhythm disruption or just a change in environment but it’s defiantly taking it’s toll on my productivity.

My interest in nutritional ketosis continues to grow and this last week I have been researching more about exogenous ketones and how they can help mitigate the effects of brain fog and improve brain energy reserves. There’s promising scientific evidence that boosting ketone levels improves cognitive function, at least in some folks. Speaking for myself, I’m at my best mentally when in ketosis. I’m focused, I think more clearly, and can concentrate for longer.

In this article I will explain why supplementing with exogenous ketones throughout the day will help stave off hunger, improve brain energy metabolism and increase your focus and attention.

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Primer

Glucose is the major fuel for the brain in humans on a balanced diet. During times of starvation, the brain has the capacity to adapt to the use of ketones as its major energy source. In longstanding starvation, ketones can provide 60 to 70% of the energy needs of the brain. The 1.5 kg human brain utilizes 100 to 150 g glucose per day and 20% of the total body oxygen consumption at rest.

Under normal physiological conditions the brain primarily utilizes glucose for ATP generation. However, in situations where glucose is sparse, e.g., during prolonged fasting, ketone bodies become an important energy source for the brain. The brain's utilization of ketones seems to depend mainly on the concentration in the blood, thus many dietary approaches such as ketogenic diets, ingestion of ketogenic medium-chain fatty acids or exogenous ketones, facilitate significant changes in the brain's metabolism.

Therefore, these approaches may ameliorate the energy crisis in neurodegenerative diseases, which are characterized by a deterioration of the brain's glucose metabolism, providing a therapeutic advantage in these diseases.

Put simply;

During metabolic stress (exercise) ketones are used as an alternative energy source to maintain normal brain functionality. According to Scientific American, ketones may even be a more efficient source of fuel than glucose as it provides more energy per unit oxygen used.

Need some scientific evidence to believe that ketones help protect against brain diseases?

A research study of 23 elderly adults with mild cognitive impairment shows that a ketogenic diet improved the verbal memory performance after 6 weeks compared to a standard high-carb diet.

In a double-blind placebo-controlled study of 152 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, those receiving a ketogenic agent shows improved cognitive improved compared to those that received a placebo.

Ethan Weiss, MD (UC San Francisco Physician-Scientist), studies the effect of carb restriction and ketones.

“It’s incredibly powerful,” Weiss said.

“Cutting back on carbohydrates, there are so many metabolic benefits. The body processes the remaining carbohydrates more efficiently, and so it requires much less insulin,” he said.

Brain Fog and Ketones

Simply put, brain fog is synonymous with mild cognitive impairment. When you have brain fog, you aren’t quite yourself.

This is true whether you’re alone or with others. Having brain fog can decrease your productivity, communication skills, and mood. This is where exogenous ketones come in.

Consider the following published examples:

• Boosting ketone levels with MCT oil improved working memory and attention in older adults (MCTs aren’t ketones, but are actually highly ketogenic fats that readily convert into ketones).

• The ketogenic diet shows promise for improving cognition in Alzheimer’s and Parkison’s disease patients.

• Epileptic children treated with a ketogenic diet show improved alertness, cognitive function, and behavior.

• Ketone-fed rats navigated a maze faster than non-keto rodents.

A fat-fueled brain may be more energy efficient than one that relies on glucose. This might have several benefits for brain fog and mental function, including the reduction of damaging free radicals and oxidative stress in the brain.

If you are experiencing brain fog, it’s time to end it once and for all.

First, figure out what may be causing brain fog—diet, sedentary time, something in your environment. Next, look at all of the potential strategies that are known to help prevent brain fog, and experiment.

Maybe a ketogenic diet is your first-line strategy. If this is the case, be sure to eat enough fat and calories to provide your brain with all the energy it needs.

Maybe exogenous ketones are the solution. Taking something like an exogenous BHB supplement or MCT oil could be the super supplement you need to power through the fog.

Other smaller changes—drinking enough water, getting adequate sodium, exercising more, getting out into the sun—can have a huge impact on your mental function.

Your health is your own responsibility, your own experiment. Take control, and don’t let brain fog impede your journey toward self-optimization.

Wrap Up

Ketones serve as the brain's only significant alternative fuel and can even become the primary fuel in conditions of limited glucose availability. Thus, dietary supplementation with exogenous ketones represents a promising novel therapeutic strategy to help meet the energetic needs of the brain in an energy crisis

Exogenous ketones, like the H.V.M.N. Ketone Esters, have broadened ketosis research far beyond what was once possible. With the ability to get into ketosis faster than ever, a whole new world of applications for exogenous ketones has been unlocked. 

This includes enhanced recovery, improved athletic performance, appetite suppression, anti-catabolic effects, reduced anxiety and increased deep sleep, and beyond.