Summary
Dr. Latt Mansor, HVMN's research lead with an Oxford PhD in physiology, joins the Singletrack podcast for a deep dive into exogenous ketone protocols for ultra trail running. He explains why ketones are the brain and heart's preferred fuel, how exogenous ketones create a dual-fuel system alongside glucose, and shares specific dosing protocols used by athletes like Badwater 135 winner Ashley Paulson. The conversation covers practical race-day fueling strategies including 10 grams of Ketone IQ every two hours for ultra events, the difference between endogenous and exogenous ketone metabolism, ketones' effect on GABA pathways for calm focused energy, and emerging research on anaerobic exercise, sleep quality, and cognitive performance from HVMN's University of North Georgia study.
Key Points
- A ketone is a ketone is a ketone: the body uses the exact same enzymes to metabolize exogenous and endogenous ketones
- Badwater 135 winner Ashley Paulson used 10g of Ketone IQ every two hours throughout her 24-hour winning effort
- Dosing is weight-dependent at 0.3-0.5g per kg body weight; an 80kg runner should use two to three doses per serving
- Exogenous ketones act on the brain's GABA pathway, providing anxiolytic calm energy rather than stimulant-like effects
- Ultra runners report the primary benefit is sustained mental clarity and fewer decision-making errors late in races
- For recovery, the Haspel group study used 25g of ketone ester post-workout and before bed for three weeks, showing 15% improved work output
- Ketones temporarily suppress lipolysis but support overall fat metabolism when used alongside a low-carb or fasted approach
- The University of North Georgia study found no significant sleep improvement from pre-bed ketone supplementation, though anecdotal reports remain positive
Key Moments
Endogenous vs exogenous: a ketone is a ketone is a ketone
Dr. Mansor explains that the body recognizes and metabolizes exogenous ketones identically to endogenous ones, using the same enzymes to convert them into acetyl-CoA for the Krebs cycle.
"a ketone is a ketone is a ketone. Therefore, your cell will recognize ketone the same, use the exact same enzymes to break it down, and use the exact same enzymes to convert it into S-tau-coA, and therefore entering the Krebs cycle"
Ashley Paulson's Badwater 135 protocol: 10g every two hours
Dr. Mansor walks through the ketone protocol he designed for Badwater 135 winner Ashley Paulson: one shot (10g butanediol) every two hours throughout the 24-hour race, supplementing rather than replacing her normal nutrition strategy.
"she needs at least, I think we settled on six, sort of a shot of ketones every two hours. So that came up to about 12."
Calm energy through GABA: why ketones are not a stimulant
Ketones act on the brain's GABA pathway, producing anxiolytic calm energy rather than the jittery stimulation of caffeine. A student with ADHD and anxiety reported no fidgeting within 10 minutes of a ketone shot.
"ketones does act upon the GABA pathway of the brain, which is essentially a relaxation, sort of anxiolytic pathway that helps our brain calm down and give us that calm energy."
Dosing by body weight: 0.3-0.5g per kg for optimal performance
Performance studies use weight-matched dosing of 0.3 to 0.5 grams per kilogram of body weight. For an 80kg runner, that translates to two to three doses of Ketone IQ per serving.
"the dose that you take depends on your body weight. So it ranges from 0.3 to 0.5 grams per kilogram of body weight"
