What They Are Not Telling Us About Ketone Supplements

Ketones naturally present in the body can act as energy sources for the brain and muscles. When one follows a ketogenic diet, which involves consuming extremely low carbohydrates and typically high fats, the body generates more ketones organically and utilizes them as an energy source.

Ketone supplements claim to accelerate this process without the necessity of a strict diet.

However, the scientific community has been divided on the efficacy of ketone supplements in boosting performance. Some studies vouch for a positive impact, while others have found no effect or a negative impact on performance.

Kinesiology experts at McMaster University have recently uncovered that ketone supplements, which some athletes consume in the hope of enhancing their performance, might actually be detrimental.

This recent research, which appears in the latest issue of the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, seeks to reconcile the conflicting data regarding the efficacy of ketone supplements that are gaining popularity among athletes looking for an edge.

According to senior author Marting Gibala, many believe that ketones could serve as an alternate energy source during physical activity or possibly modify the usage of other primary fuels like carbohydrates and fats, thereby improving endurance.

“But our findings suggest that isn’t the case.”

In the study, the researchers from McMaster selected highly-trained endurance athletes who engaged in cycling for at least five hours every week, owing to their consistent performance levels. The study recreated race settings in a laboratory environment and the athletes prepared as they would typically do for a cycling contest.

The participants went through two trials that were identical except for the beverage they consumed before embarking on a 20-minute cycling time trial, which is a reliable predictor of performance in a 40-km race. These beverages either contained a ketone supplement or a placebo that tasted similar.

This study was double-blind, ensuring that both the researchers and the participants were unaware of whether the ketone supplement or the placebo was being administered.

“The main observation from this study was that the speed that the cyclists could sustain during the test was lower after drinking the ketone supplement compared to the placebo,” remarked lead author Devin McCarthy.

The team mentioned that this data is consistent with their earlier research which showed that ketone supplements elevated the level of cardiorespiratory stress during physical activity.

Currently, the researchers are delving into how different doses of the supplements impact performance at various exercise intensities to gain a deeper understanding of the potential effects of ketones and the mechanisms at play.

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