Energy. We all need it and want to get more of it, in as healthy a way as possible. In short, we’re all in the market for a healthy energy hack and I’ve got one you might not be aware of -- ketones. True, people who have experimented with the keto diet are familiar – the whole point of the no- or super-low carb diet is to cue the body to produce ketones for energy. But even they may not realize you can actually take a ketone supplement, not only to support energy production but also to enjoy an impressive roster of other benefits. So what can ketones do for you? Here’s a quick look at this incredibly useful stuff that can help keep you well-fueled and energy-crash-free:

We all need energy – but don’t always have it.

Safe to say, as we enter our 30s and beyond, bounding out of bed every morning isn’t necessarily a given. Even if you’re relatively young and doing everything right, as in, eating and sleeping well, moving frequently, and taking time to de-stress, you may still feel you could use more energy to help manage everything that comes at you in the course of a day. Millions default to less-than-ideal energy boosters like caffeine-laden drinks or sugary treats to get the quick boost they’re after. Trouble is, that’s usually followed almost immediately by a crash they most certainly could do without.

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While overdoing caffeine has its downsides – think jitters, elevated blood pressure, sleep problems -- relying on sugar to keep you buzzing has more dangerous downsides, think inflammation, weight gain, brain fog, mood swings, hormonal imbalances, shortened lifespan, impaired cognitive function. The list goes on.

Ketones: your other fuel source.

Ketones are acids produced by the body when it burns fat – instead of its usual glucose fuel, created by breaking down carbohydrates. Which begs the question, when and why does the body switch over to a burning fat-for-fuel state? The ketone-making, or ‘ketosis’, kicks into gear when there’s not enough glucose on hand. The switchover typically happens in times of carbohydrate deficit or depravation, for example, when you’re sleeping, exercising, fasting/intermittent fasting or on a ketogenic diet. With this alternate fuel source picking up the slack, your body can continue to seamlessly keep all your essential organs, muscles and tissues functioning normally, especially important when it comes to the heart and brain.

Ketones are a powerful brew.

And, did you know that ketones are like a "super fuel" for our bodies? They're a natural energy source that eons ago our ancestors’ bodies relied on to get them over the hump when food was scarce. There are two types of ketones: endogenous, which are produced by the body when carb reserves are low, and exogenous, which come from external sources. Foods like coconut oil naturally contain ketones, but there are also easy-to-access drinks available for our on-the-go energy needs, that also provide a healthier alternative to sugar-based energy sources. 

Ketones’ boatload of benefits await.

No matter your age, adding ketones to your nutritional mix can upgrade function in all sorts of areas.  For example, ketones can help sharpen mental focus, boost athletic performance, and tame food cravings, all without taking a bite out of your health now and your longevity down the road. Here are some of the ways enhance your wellbeing:

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1. Appetite control: Ketone supplements can help control appetite and cravings. They have been shown to reduce ghrelin, aka the "hunger hormone," making weight control easier
2. Brain health: Ketones can cross the blood-brain barrier, serving as an alternative energy source for the brain, helping to improve mental clarity and cognition, as well as protecting against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
3. Heart health: Ketones provide supplemental fuel for the heart and may promote healthy endothelial function, protecting against cardiovascular diseases.
4. Inflammation fighting: Ketones can modulate inflammation, for instance, reducing markers of fibrosis and inflammation in conditions like nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).  
5. Metabolic health: Supplemental ketones can help eliminate blood sugar spikes and crashes, helping to reduce blood glucose, free fatty acids, and triglyceride levels.
6. Mitochondrial health: Ketones allow the cellular “power plants,” the mitochondria, to produce “cleaner” energy, reducing oxidative stress and enhancing metabolic efficiency.
7. Healthy aging: Ketones are histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, which have a positive effect on a number of the hallmarks of aging, including stem cells, telomeres, inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Ketones on-the-go.

If you are thinking about adding ketones to your daily regime, you’ll find ketone supplements are available as either ketone salts or ketone esters. The ketone salt versions involve combinations of ketones with electrolytes; sold in pill form, or as a drink, or powder. Ketone esters are the more potent and fast-acting form, but they’re also quite expensive and aren’t especially tasty, so they may be literally tough to swallow for some folks. An easier option is MCT (medium chain triglyceride oil), a fat which is easily digested and absorbed into the bloodstream quickly, for a jittery-free boost of smooth energy. My favorite way to take my ketones is by adding 1-2 teaspoons to my coffee each morning to help keep my brain sharp, energy level up and help tame appetite while I’m intermittent fasting.

Not all meds and conditions play well with ketones.

Though ketones are a fantastic health boon and well-tolerated by a wide range of people, it’s always wise to check in with your doc first to make sure any medications you may be on or conditions you may have are compatible with ketone supplements – because some are most definitely not. For example, ketones can interact with some diabetes meds and push blood sugar levels down way too low – so you want to avoid that. And with ketone salts, the salt load is high, and they can exacerbate high blood pressure or over-stress the kidneys if you have electrolyte imbalances. So here too, be sure to get advice from your medical provider.