Nutrition
Beta-Hydroxybutyrate Fueling
BHB is a ketone fuel that rises during low carb or fasting. Effects on performance vary; high-intensity events still usually need carbohydrate.
Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is a ketone body that can fuel brain and muscle during low-carbohydrate availability or fasting—rising when liver glycogen is limited. Endurance athletes sometimes experiment with ketogenic diets or exogenous ketone salts for metabolic flexibility, but performance effects vary and GI tolerance matters.
It is not a substitute for event-day carbohydrate when intensity is high.
Common questions
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Do exogenous ketones improve performance?
Evidence is mixed; some endurance contexts show modest benefit, many high-intensity efforts still need carbs. Trial in training, not first on race day.
Related terms
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