Exogenous Ketones Testing

exogenous-keytones
#1

I am revisiting the addition of exogenous ketones to my plan after listening to several days worth of various podcasts (Peter Attia, Joe Rogan, Rhonda Patrick, etc) with Dom D’Agostino as guest. So I decided to do my own experiment.

I am dealing with adaptive glucose sparing where no matter how strict my diet is I always experience slightly elevated glucose in the mornings (103-108). My issue is a combo of dawn phenomenon and AGS. I’m not worried at all though because ketones are good.

By midday it settles down to the 80’s or 90’s. Ketones are fine generally (.5 to 1.+). So one day in the afternoon I was tempted by my wife with a sugary frappe coffee drink we serve in our coffee shop (I just drank about 5 oz. though). I waited an hour and checked my numbers: Glucose 104 and ketones .4.

About an hour after this I mixed & drank one standard dose of a powdered ketone salt product (Sports Research brand) product highly recommended by Dom and included a dribble of MCT oil which he also recommends adding. Eventually I will be going with a powdered MCT oil which doesn’t seem to have the gastro upsetting issues of the oil. I went for a 50 minute walk and checked my numbers after I got back (this is about two hours after I first checked):
Glucose 84 and Ketones 1.4

Dramatic to say the least. Dom D’Agostino explains that he sees powdered ketone salt products should be considered a supplement and not a core part of the ketone lifestyle. This is my direction. Don’t use it everyday, but just to bump up ketones when perceived energy need is at, hand perhaps before a workout or run or just any heavy physical effort. But only when I perceive I need a bump and not just to go farther, faster, et al.

So I’m working through this now and testing on myself.

So curious to hear any other testimonials and personal experience.

(Allie) #3

Sorry, personal gripe, there’s no Y in ketones.

#4

Thanks for catching that. Spell checker kicked in and I didn’t notice. :grinning:

#5

I also want to mention, that Dom says the inclusion of MCT and even caffeine have a synergistic effect on the ketone supplement protocol. He self tests on himself like all of us and uses a CGM so he can track results minute by minutes. He has lots of great data.

My test today will be that I am on a 18/6 plan but will do a dose of the ketone supplement/mct oil/caffeine protocal at beginning of my 6 hour feeding window and see how I feel from a grhelin perspective. Wondering if the ketone supplement kick will be an aid. I understand the pure zero calorie context of fasting and this not to debunk anything, just curious.

(Bob M) #6

I’ve heard these can be used to extend/improve fasting (typically > 24 hours), but I haven’t tried that.

For me, MCT oil causes bad things to happen, unless it’s pure C8.

By the way, a 50 minute walk could decrease your blood sugar and increase your ketones. You’re changing too many variables to gauge what’s happening based on exo ketones.

I’ve tried exo ketones, but not for exercise. I did not like them. Made me feel “jittery”. But I haven’t tried them since then, and have not used them around exercise.

On the days I do body weight training, I’ve been adding some carbs in. That’s only two days a week, and usually for only my first meal after exercise. I can’t tell much of a difference, though I think I might feel better.

#7

I don’t believe the exercise made much of a difference as I’ve been checking my ketones and sugars for years now in every conceivable circumstance. I’d be a great candidate for a CGM :grinning:

But it may have been a contributing factor. Today I’m fasting all day and attempting a 36-48 hour fast and see how the ketone salts affect that.

#8

Try the powdered MCT as it won’t upset your stomach. It was developed specifically so people could mix it easier for one thing and also increase the amount you dose each day. Dom D’Agostino’s research is showing higher MCT doses increasing have positive effects. The brand I’m trying is from a company called Quest. Not horribly expensive either.