Ketone Drinks in the Heat: Longer Endurance and Sharper Memory?
Ketone drinks are supposed to be for fat-burning biohackers, but a new heat-stress trial suggests they might also help you finish stronger. In 17 trained men, ketone monoester plus caffeine extended time to exhaustion to 8.9 minutes versus 7.0 with carbs plus caffeine, after 90 minutes of loaded treadmill work at 34 °C. Working-memory accuracy on the 1-back task improved too, while heart rate and core temperature didn't differ meaningfully. But 2-back, reaction time and the hit-and-avoid task showed no benefit, and the study was small, male-only and single-session. Here's what the data show, and what they don't.
Ketone IQ Raised Ketones at Cape Epic, But Did Nothing Else
Riders at the 8-day Cape Epic drank Ketone IQ twice a day and hit about 1 mM blood ketones, yet their fatigue, heart rate, reaction time and recovery looked the same as placebo riders. The double-blind trial tested R-1,3-butanediol in real racing conditions rather than a lab. The authors say the modest ketosis was not effective, and that butanediol should not be confused with ketone esters. With only 18 riders, the study has real limits, but it is a sobering data point for anyone considering a pricey ketone drink for recovery.