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Ketone supplements may boost reaction times for soccer players

A single 25-gram dose of a ketone monoester supplement led to better reaction times following a 45-minute simulated soccer match, compared to placebo.

Scientists from the University of Western Ontario used the commercial supplement called ΔG ketone performance marketed by Orlando, FL-based TdeltaS Global. The supplement was also associated with reduced glucose and lactate levels in the blood.

“These data suggest that [ketone monoester] supplementation can attenuate the decline in some aspects of cognitive function during sports characterized by repeated, intense, intermittent exercise,” they wrote. However, given that the study only included nine recreationally active men in a double-blind, balanced, crossover design, the researchers called for more studies to assess fully “the possible cognitive/physical benefits of [ketone monoester] for athletes”.

Nutritional ketosis

In recent years, exogenous ketones delivered synthetically in supplement form have emerged as an easier and faster route to triggering a state of ketosis than more restrictive conventional methods.

The potential cognitive benefits of exogenous ketones were reported in a 2021 paper published in the Journal of Physiology​​. That study, performed by scientists at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, found that ketone supplements containing β-hydroxybutyrate led to improvements in aspects of cognition and increases cerebrovascular blood flow (CBF) in obese people.

In the sports realm, several studies have examined the potential cognitive benefits during exercise. But the results have been mixed, said the University of Western Ontario scientists.

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