Ketone Archives | Rise Nutrition Coach

Ketone

Ketone, Performance, Recovery, Supplements
The Impact of Ketone Supplements on Dopamine and Athletic Performance
- June 14, 2023
As an athlete, you constantly strive to enhance your performance and reach new levels of achievement. From rigorous training regimens to carefully planned diets, you leave no stone unturned in your pursuit of excellence. In recent years, the use of ketone supplements has gained significant attention in the athletic community. These supplements not only provide a source of energy but also have the potential to impact our brain chemistry, specifically dopamine. In this article, we will explore the fascinating connection between ketone supplements, dopamine, and their potential effects on an athlete’s overall performance.

Understanding Ketone Supplements and Dopamine

Before we dive into the impact of ketone supplements on dopamine, let’s briefly understand what these supplements are. Ketone supplements are exogenous sources of ketones, which are produced by the body during periods of fasting or low-carbohydrate diets. They come in various forms, including powders, drinks, and even esters, providing athletes with an alternative fuel source to carbohydrates.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in our brain’s reward and pleasure centers. It is associated with motivation, focus, and overall well-being. Recent studies, such as the one referenced below, suggest that ketone supplements can impact dopamine, potentially benefiting athletes in multiple ways.

Enhanced Cognitive Function

One of the key benefits of ketone supplements on dopamine is the potential enhancement of cognitive function. The study referenced below indicates that ketone supplementation can increase dopamine release, leading to improved focus, mental clarity, and decision-making abilities. As an athlete, these cognitive advantages can significantly contribute to your performance, allowing you to make split-second decisions and stay focused during high-intensity situations.

Reduced Fatigue and Improved Endurance

Fatigue is one of the biggest obstacles athletes face during training and competition. Ketone supplements have shown potential in reducing fatigue and enhancing endurance. By increasing dopamine levels, these supplements can promote feelings of motivation and well-being, allowing athletes to push through physical and mental barriers. This can be particularly beneficial during long-duration events or intense training sessions.

Enhanced Recovery and Muscle Preservation

Optimal recovery is vital for athletes to maintain their performance and prevent injuries. While still early, research suggests that ketone supplements can aid in muscle preservation and recovery. Dopamine, in combination with other factors, plays a role in muscle protein synthesis, reducing muscle breakdown, and promoting growth. The majority of these benefits stem from the potential of improving blood flow and decreasing inflammatory causing products from getting into muscles. By positively influencing dopamine levels, ketone supplements may facilitate faster recovery, allowing athletes to bounce back quicker from intense workouts or competitions.

Mood Regulation and Stress Reduction

Competitive sports can be mentally demanding, leading to increased stress and pressure. Dopamine is closely linked to mood regulation and stress reduction. By promoting the release of dopamine, ketone supplements may help athletes manage stress more effectively and maintain a positive mindset. This can lead to better overall mental well-being, improved confidence, and a higher level of performance.

Ketone Supplements Considerations and Conclusion

While the potential impact of ketone supplements on dopamine and athletic performance is promising, it is important to note that individual responses may vary. As with any supplement, it is crucial to consult with a healthcare professional or sports dietitian before incorporating this into your routine. Never forget the importance of ensuring any supplement used is third party tested. Additionally, it’s essential to prioritize a well-balanced diet, proper hydration, and a comprehensive training program to optimize your performance. There are no magic products that can cut those corners.

In conclusion, ketone supplements appear to have the potential to positively impact dopamine levels in the brain, thereby influencing an athlete’s cognitive function, endurance, recovery, and overall well-being. However, further research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects and individual variances associated with these supplements. As an athlete, you should approach ketone supplementation with caution and always prioritize a holistic approach to your training, nutrition and well-being.

Study referenced: click here

CONTINUE READING
Diets, Energy, Ketone, Macronutrients, Performance, Supplements
Supplemental ketones impact on performance in rugby players
- March 8, 2023
Ketones are generally associated with ketogenic diets. These diets are very low in carbohydrates and are set up to have the body run primarily on fat as its fuel source. Running on fat results in the production of ketones as part of the process. Ketones have been found to provide a wide variety of potential benefits and has gained a lot of attention as a result. Now there are even supplements to help in theory provide those benefits without needing to follow a low carb diet itself. Always looking for an edge, athletes are getting curious as well to see its potential impact on performance.

What are ketones used for

One of the biggest misunderstandings with ketones is their impact on fat loss. While ketones are produced in greater amounts in low carb diets when the body is burning more fat, ketones themselves do not directly cause greater fat loss. Some people take ketones in hopes of improved body comp through increased fat loss but are typically left disappointed. Put simply, ketones primarily serve as an additional energy source for the body to use. While the body is utilizing those though, it impacts the metabolism and utilization of other nutrients.

Impact on carbs, fat and lactate

Carbs and fat are generally the two primary sources of energy that the body pulls from. During more intense exercise/activities, carbs become increasingly relied upon for that energy. That carb utilization during intense situations is also what produces lactate in the body. If too much lactate is produced and/or too much carbohydrate and it’s stored form glycogen are used, fatigue starts to set in. Preserving that carb/glycogen usage is an area of great interest due to the potential to theoretically allow for longer duration of training and greater performance.

Ketones may have the potential to do just that. When the body is prioritizing ketones for energy, that means those glycogen stores are able to be preserved. That extra fuel tank could then be available for later in the game/competition to use while the opponents may be getting more fatigued. Ketones are also able to provide energy in a manner that doesn’t produce lactate. These two things are the main areas of interest for ketones during physical activity. While it sounds great in theory, does it actually translate to performance?

Performance effects with ketones

In a recent study, professional rugby players but that to the test. Rugby is a sport that has a strong endurance/cardio component as well as intervals of high intensity anaerobic activities. They compared performance in a rugby style simulation when consuming a carbohydrate beverage versus a ketone beverage of equal calories. For 15-meter sprints and explosive strength tests, there wasn’t any noticeable difference between the two groups. Differences were noticed though with intermittent repeat drills of high intensity lasting ~15 seconds in total each time. Those with the ketone supplement completed the drill a split second quicker (15.53 vs. 15.86 seconds) on average. While a split second may not seem like a lot, at an elite level it can have a significant impact. Because of that, ketones are an area to continue keeping an eye on.

If and when to try ketones

Rule number one is no new foods/supplements on game day! You always want to test new things during practice and off days. Doing so allows for you to see how your body reacts without risking a poor performance during competition. Some people do experience upset stomachs when taking ketones so you will want to make sure you don’t fall into that category yourself. You know your body better than anyone so listen to it and see how you feel and respond. As with all supplements though, especially if an athlete who gets random performance drug tests, make sure it’s a third party tested product. If unsure please don’t hesitate to reach out to me as I’m more than happy to help check for you.

Study referenced: click here

CONTINUE READING
Carbs, Energy, Ketone, Performance, Supplements
Ketone supplements look to help high intensity activities
- October 30, 2022
This is a big blast to the past for me as my master’s thesis was on ketone supplements and it’s impact on performance. Overall ketone supplements are still a fairly new thing. We continue to learn more and more about them and have a long ways to go. Early on though, lactate levels seem to be one of the things ketones can target the most.

What are ketones?

Ketones are what your body produces when it is breaking down fat. It’s a form of energy that your body can use, like glucose, with other potential benefits as well. Ketone production is one of the main goals of those following a low carb diet. A lot of research on this has been done looking at medical uses such as for diabetes and seizures but it’s beginning to get a lot more attention in the sports/performance world. The dietary and lifestyle production of ketones is different from simply drinking them so get a short-term ketone boost.

Ketone supplements vs. naturally produced

Most of the research up to this point on ketones has been studying those that are naturally produced. This comes from low carb diet implementation and thus has other variables to consider. Prior to supplements being made the ketones couldn’t be isolated and looked at. But never count out science! Now there are all sorts of different ketones supplements out there. Ketone supplements now allow for a unique situation where ketone levels can be high in addition to having carbs with them. There are different forms of ketone supplements as well to consider. The two most common of which are ketone salts and ketone esters. Neither are the exact same as ketones produced by the body though there are still a lot of similarities for comparable effects. A lot of questions and details obviously still need to be learned but we’re getting closer one study at a time.

Ketones used for energy

One of the biggest functions of ketones is their use for energy. Similar to glucose, ketones can be used by muscles and the rest of the body to keep things running. When consumed as a supplement ketones actually jump to the front of the line for energy usage. This is where some of the interest from a performance perspective comes into play. While it is a go-to source of energy it also is able to do that without producing lactate as a result. Even at higher intensities ketones appear to pull this off effectively.

The impact of lactate

Lactate is produced when performing at a high intensity. As the intensity increases, the usage of glucose increases with it. Partially contributing to this is that the body isn’t getting enough oxygen to run as well on fat which needs more oxygen than glucose. That oxygen need is why you start breathing harder at higher intensities. Glucose though can actually still produce energy even without oxygen. But, this comes at a bit of a cost in the form of lactate being produced. As lactate increases you may start to feel that burning sensation in your muscles. This eventually will force you to have to slowdown or stop.

Less lactate with ketone supplements

What this study shows is the potential for the body to use ketones more and preserve glucose/glycogen. As a result, the decreased glucose usage also decreases the lactate being produced. More energy being available with slower production of lactate sounds like a great combo most certainly worth keeping an eye on. While this study looked at rugby players, the overall concept could be applied to much more. Lower lactate levels will certainly catch the attention of a lot of performance experts and athletes, myself included. While too early to say it should absolutely be a part of an athlete’s supplement plan, it’s worth keeping an eye on.

Study referenced: click here

CONTINUE READING