Depending on what sort of athlete you are and the type of physical activity you’re doing on a given day, there are different ways you can use exogenous ketones to optimize your performance and recovery.Learning activities for cognitive development like many other aspects of your regimen, the most effective use of exogenous ketones will be different if you’re an ultra-marathon runner vs.Learning activities for cognitive development basketball player vs. Olympic weightlifter, etc.

There is a growing list of exogenous ketone supplements available, and an increasing number of athletes are taking exogenous ketones including ketone salts, MCT oil (technically a precursor to ketones that your liver turns into ketones over time), and the world’s first ketone ester.Learning activities for cognitive development one key difference between exogenous ketones is the levels of blood beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) reached after consumption. Ketone esters can raise blood BHB to over 3 mm, 1 , 2 whereas ketone salts and mcts tend to deliver a much smaller bump in BHB: 0.5-1 mm. 3 , 4 it looks like getting high enough BHB is important to optimize performance, as positive effects have been seen with ketone esters 1 but not ketone salts. 3 , 4

learning activities for cognitive development

Yes. Each sport has a particular set of physical demands, meaning that athlete nutritional needs are different between sports. Clearly, an NFL linebacker needs to eat differently to an ironman triathlete!Learning activities for cognitive development this affects how athletes should use exogenous ketones , and we will discuss this in detail below. While there is obviously some nuance, for this article we’ll group sports into three broad categories:

learning activities for cognitive development

Athletes take exogenous ketones , such as HVMN ketone , to raise levels of the ketone body D-BHB (D-beta-hydroxybutyrate) . Different sources of exogenous ketones will vary in their effectiveness in raising D-BHB; for instance HVMN ketone, a pure ketone ester, will be more effective than a ketone salt.Learning activities for cognitive development pure D-BHB is an energy source and so can be used in the body as a performance fuel if taken before sport, but it also has many interesting effects that can boost recovery if taken post-workout.Learning activities for cognitive development during the activity, aerobic endurance sports will likely see a bigger performance benefit with D-BHB than anaerobic power sports, but both types of exercise can benefit from adding D-BHB into recovery protocols.Learning activities for cognitive development how do ketones boost aerobic performance?

Altering use of other fuels: having high levels of D-BHB slows down the need to breakdown carbohydrate stored in the muscle and from blood sugar during exercise.Learning activities for cognitive development when the muscles run out of stored carbohydrate, this usually means the athlete ‘hits the wall’ and can’t carry on. Taking D-BHB means that this happens later on in exercise, so you can keep going for longer.Learning activities for cognitive development

Endurance exercise triggers a cascade of stress signals within the body, causing oxidative stress and inflammation. D-BHB is a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory molecule, so taking exogenous ketones could help to reduce the strain of exercise on the body and speed recovery. 8 as this is an area of active investigation, stay tuned for future research into the effects of exogenous ketones on recovery.Learning activities for cognitive development what are the effects on mental performance in sport?

In some sports, athletes’ decision making, reaction time, and cognition is just as important as their physical output.Learning activities for cognitive development normal sugary sports drinks can cause fluctuations in blood glucose levels, which can lead to peaks and troughs in concentration. D-BHB is the only other fuel (other than glucose) that is used in the brain, and it doesn’t trigger an insulin spike and crash, so taking exogenous ketones may help athletes maintain peak mental clarity during sports.Learning activities for cognitive development the effect of exogenous ketones on the brain hasn’t been studied yet, but many people report feeling in ‘flow state’ while in ketosis . It will be intriguing to see the results of testing cognitive performance following exogenous ketones.Learning activities for cognitive development does exogenous ketone supplementation work better for athletes on a keto diet?

This is a great question, and it remains to be answered in the scientific research.Learning activities for cognitive development firstly it’s important to highlight that all people (whether on a long-term low carb diet or not) have the enzymes and transporters that are needed to take up and burn D-BHB as a fuel.Learning activities for cognitive development D-BHB is taken up into cells through the same transporter as lactic acid, so athletes who are trained and have adapted to handle lactic acid are likely to be able to take up D-BHB better than sedentary people.Learning activities for cognitive development

Athletes who are on a keto diet may well have more of the enzymes that breakdown ketones because they have increased endogenous ketone production from body fat and therefore naturally higher blood ketone levels.Learning activities for cognitive development however, this has not yet been proven definitively. That said, it stands to reason that if an athlete is usually in a metabolic state where they are burning fatty acids and ketones, they may get an accentuated boost in energy levels from exogenous ketones .Learning activities for cognitive development

However, athletes on a high carb diet have the advantage that they may consume D-BHB as well as carbohydrates to fuel their performance. Some people think that following a keto diet increases fat burning capacity at the expense of the ability to do high intensity (carb dependant) exercise.Learning activities for cognitive development so, while exogenous ketones might be a great fuel source for athletes on a keto diet, athletes on a mixed diet taking ketones with carbs may have superior performance as they maintain their high-intensity capacity but can also take advantage of the addition of ketones as fuel.Learning activities for cognitive development how do I take HVMN ketone?

We would recommend using HVMN ketone for the first time around a training session that you are used to completing, that way you will get the best feel for how it affects you.Learning activities for cognitive development if you’ve never tried ketones before you might experience a ‘keto-buzz’ that’s a new and novel feeling; like any modification to your protocol, it’s key to practice in training before you use HVMN ketone for a race or game.Learning activities for cognitive development

For performance, consume one whole bottle (65ml) of HVMN ketone about 30 minutes before your workout along with your standard pre-workout carbohydrates.Learning activities for cognitive development the BHB energy source in HVMN ketone works best when you take it along with carbs, although athletes following a low carb or a ketogenic diet can use HVMN ketone alone.Learning activities for cognitive development if you want to feel energized, consider adding caffeine to your protocol, it goes fine with ketones. You can ‘top-up’ BHB levels with another bottle after 90 minutes – 2 hours to act as an energy boost.Learning activities for cognitive development we generally advise waiting at least approximately 90 min between consecutive servings of of HVMN ketone.

For recovery, take one whole bottle of HVMN ketone with your normal post-workout nutrition as soon as you can after exercise (within 30 minutes).Learning activities for cognitive development this should be a mix of carbs and protein to refuel and restore your muscles. Adding ketones will boost the effects of carbs to restore glycogen, 6 and protein to trigger muscle growth and repair. 7 what’s next?Learning activities for cognitive development

While much is known about exogenous ketone use for exercise, and athletes at all levels have used ketones to positive effect, we continue to learn more about the best practices and protocols.Learning activities for cognitive development within HVMN and beyond, research is being done on the use of exogenous ketones across a variety of athletic contexts, as well as for general metabolic benefit, cognitive benefit, and other areas of investigation.Learning activities for cognitive development join our email list to stay up to date on the latest.