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Ketone Supplements, Are They the New Fuel for Athletes?
Effects of ketone supplements on performance
In a study of eight cyclists who took a ketone supplement before exercise, they increased their distance travelled by 2% during a 30-minute time trial. Although there was a lot of excitement about the results of this study, such improvements in athletic performance have not been replicated in most studies. A very recent meta-analysis of 13 controlled and randomized studies that compared the effects of a ketone salt or ester beverage to a placebo beverage on athletic performance concluded that ketone supplements had no significant effect on performance for sprints as well as exercises lasting up to 50 minutes. This negative finding could potentially be partly explained by the relative small sample sizes, the doses and the types of supplements used (salts versus esters), the types of efforts studied (duration and intensity of the exercise) and the presence of gastrointestinal disorders in the subjects, such as flatulence, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting and abdominal pain. Thus, the inability of many subjects to tolerate the supplements may have undone their performance-enhancing potential. The meta-analysis also suggests that studies are needed to specifically assess the effects of ketone supplements on performance in ultra-endurance exercise.
Effects of ketone supplements on post-exercise recovery
There is also evidence suggesting that ketone supplements may promote better recovery after exercise. A post-exercise state of ketosis is likely to promote both the recovery of glycogen stores in the body and muscular resynthesis, the two main goals of recovery. In post-exercise ketosis, the body burns ketones to produce energy, thereby saving the carbohydrates (necessary for glycogen) and proteins (necessary for muscles) for recovery. Thus, ingesting the usual amounts of carbohydrates and proteins recommended after exercise, in combination with a supplement of ketone esters, could help accelerate recovery.
In one study, 18 active men consumed either a ketone ester supplement or a placebo (up to three bottles per day) during a three-week intensive cycling training camp. During the third week of training, subjects who consumed the ketone supplement were able to perform 15% higher training length and perform at a 15% higher intensity as compared to the placebo group. In both groups, maximum heart rate during effort was reduced between the start and end of the training camp, but this decrease was significantly lower in subjects who consumed the ketone supplements, indicating that they were less fatigued and recovered better. The results of this study therefore suggest that consuming a ketone ester supplement could potentially be an effective strategy to prevent over-training and stimulate the body’s adaptation to endurance training.
In conclusion, although initial research and anecdotal evidence appear promising, there is still a lack of studies available to be able to confidently make recommendations for taking ketone supplements to improve sports performance.
References
- Valenzuela et coll (2020) Acute Ketone Supplementation and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Int J Sports Physiol Perform; 1-11.
- Margolis et O’Fallon (2019) Utility of Ketone Supplementation to Enhance Physical Performance: A Systematic Review. Adv Nutr; 00:1–8.
- Cox et coll (2016) Nutritional Ketosis Alters Fuel Preference and Thereby Endurance Performance in Athletes. Cell Metabolism; 24(2) 256-68.
- Poffé et coll (2019) Ketone Ester Supplementation Blunts Overreaching Symptoms During Endurance Training Overload. J Physiol; 597 (12), 3009-27.
- Jeukendrup (2016). Ketone bodies: Fuel or hype? My Sports Science; http://www.mysportscience.com/single-post/2016/05/16/Ketone-bodies-Fuel-or-hype
- Pinckaers et coll (2017) Ketone Bodies and Exercise Performance: The Next Magic Bullet or Merely Hype? Sports Medicine; 47:383–391.
Author
Kathryn holds a Bachelor Degree in Nutrition as well as a Bachelor and a Master Degree in Kinesiology, all from Laval University. She is a Registered Dietitian and active member of the Ordre professionnel des Diététistes Nutritionnistes du Québec (ODNQ) and of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She holds the Monash University's certification for the FODMAP diet and IBS, and has considerable clinical experience in that area. She is also an accomplished athlete, having ran track and cross-country at a national level. Kathryn specializes in sports nutrition, weight loss, diabetes, as well as heart and gastrointestinal health.
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