Ketone Supplementation for Health and Disease

Abstract

Abstract Exogenous ketone supplements rapidly elevate blood ketones in a dose-dependent manner regardless of dietary intake, making them a practical method of inducing therapeutic ketosis for medical use. It is thought that ketone supplementation could be used as a stand-alone therapy, or as a way to further augment the therapeutic efficacy of the ketogenic diet. Ketone supplementation could increase treatment compliance by allowing many patients to maintain a more normal lifestyle with a less restrictive diet. The therapeutic effects of ketone supplementation are likely mediated in part by a stabilization of blood glucose and insulin levels, an increase in metabolic efficiency, and an inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammation. Ketone supplements may also serve as an effective preventative medicine due to their potential ability to protect and enhance mitochondrial health and function. Indeed, preliminary evidence suggests there are a number of conditions for which exogenous ketone supplementation may be beneficial.