Neurocognitive Effects of Exogenously Administered Βeta-Hydroxybutyrate In Adults: A Proof of Concept Study

Abstract

βeta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is a ketone body produced by the liver in a process known as ketosis, as an alternative fuel source during fasting or carbohydrate caloric restriction, and is readily used as fuel throughout the body, including in the brain. While glucose is the brain’s principal energy source, when limited, ketones derived from fats become the major energy substrate. Exogenous BHB is safe to administer orally and can enhance energy and physical performance. While the literature suggests cognitive and/or behavioural performance improvement in animal models following elevation in ketones, and in clinical human samples such as those with Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and severe traumatic brain injury, the literature investigating the neurocognitive effects of exogenous administration of ketones in nonclinical, healthy samples remains limited. For this proof of concept, we present twelve subjects who underwent exogenous administration of 11.7 g of BHB. After ingestion, participants performed significantly better in attentional accuracy compared to pre-intervention scores (p < 0.05; d = 0.65), demonstrating that exogenous administration of BHB may have positive effects on the attentional accuracy domain of neurocognition in neurotypical adults. Further analysis and its clinical implications are discussed.