The “what’s” and “why’s” of exogenous ketones have been attracting my attention for quite some time now — and so I have decided to take the leap.

This blog is designed as an informational piece on exogenous ketones and also doubles as an opening link to a “living diary” of my experiences using this supplement.  My 7-Day Explorative Diary may be viewed HERE, and will be updated daily.

My Story

In September 2019, I was greatly injured in a rear-end collision.  Physically, I was a mess.  My body pain and migraines were off the charts, resulting in oodles of pharmaceuticals, zero activity, and questionable eating habits.  My weight also increased by 25 pounds!

In March 2020, I decided to pursue the ketogenic lifestyle, however, I still consistently struggle to reach ketosis and have not been able to lose any substantial weight.  Both my family physician and physical therapist tell me that the reason why my body is not responding to the keto diet is due to the extent of the healing process… …and the fact that I am in my 50s (yesh).

I am also experiencing what I call “keto confusion” with my food choices.  Although I track my daily intake on Carb Manager, I find that by the time I max my fat and protein (and keep my carbs well under) my calorie intake is super low.  I have read that counting calories is not important on keto, however, I wonder if my low percentage is causing a reverse effect on my weight loss (to be explored in another blog!)

And so, this rollercoaster of relentless weight and low ketosis has brought me to the decision to try exogenous ketones.

What Are Exogenous Ketones?

From what I understand, exogenous ketones are a supplement designed to speed up and/or maintain your ketone levels.  However, with the product fairly new to the market, my research has revealed that these ketone boosting claims are still yet to be scientifically accepted.

Primarily found in a powder format, this supplement is a manufactured form of the ketone beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB).  Your body naturally creates BHB on its own if you are consuming the sufficient percentages of carbs, fat, and protein recommended to reach a ketogenic state.

With reaching consistent ketosis being a tricky endeavor, the introduction of exogenous ketones made their way to the recommended keto supplement list for basically “overriding” keto food consumption “mistakes”.  And as “life-happens”, especially in the summer months when patio socializing is at its peak, I am guessing that the occasional cocktail or carb-treat is the “why” keto lifestylers are exploring this option.

Exogenous ketones basically promise to escalate your ketone levels regardless of your keto mistakes.  However, they are not a “free-pass” to loading up on carbs without $$$!  YES! Supplementing with exogenous ketones can quickly become an expensive endeavor as the product is super expensive.  I checked out various brands on Amazon to discover that most sell for approximately $50+ for 15 servings!  From what I have researched, in order to orally “speed-up” your ketone levels with exogenous ketones, you would have to consume repeated doses throughout the day to maintain a state of ketosis because the effect of this supplement only lasts a few hours.

I will share my experiences within my 7-Day Explorative Diary.

My Exogenous Ketone Journey

With the above taken into account, I believe that my exogenous ketone experiment is worth the effort — but will only be cost-effective if I supplement for a short term to kick my long-term goals back into gear, hench my 7-Day Explorative Diary.

Since I have yet to lose sufficient weight, my goal is to combine clean keto with intermittent fasting.  However, do expect some realistic choices!  I lead a very social lifestyle and I plan to be out on the town!