If you’re wondering what exogenous ketones are or if they even work, then this article is for you! I explain what exogenous ketones are in simple terms and review one brand of ketone supplements called Key Keto by Key Nutrients. I even show my ketone readings before and after taking it.

What are exogenous ketones?

One of the goals of the ketogenic diet is to enter into a state of ketosis. Being in ketosis goes hand in hand with having high ketone levels. Exogenous Ketones are ketones made outside the body. You usually get them by taking exogenous ketones supplements as a capsule or in a drink powder. They are one way to increase your ketone levels quickly. 

But isn’t that cheating?

Some people avoid taking exogenous ketones because they argue that the body can make them naturally with a proper diet. While this is true, supplements are meant to be a tool or a way to support you in reaching your goals, not a replacement for the basics. I mean, I can technically get all of my nutrients from a great diet, but each day, I take a multi-vitamin to make sure that all of my bases are covered. 

What ketones are not…

I will say though that there are some instances one might use them incorrectly. Ketones are not meant to be a replacement for actually following the ketogenic diet. If you think about it enough, you might be able to see how some might use ketones as a replacement for actually cutting sugar and carbs. However, drinking all the ketones in the world won’t help if you’re also eating poorly on a regular basis.

Why have I taken them?

One of the first things that I learned on keto was that knowing my ketone levels was important. Besides the connection with ketosis and my weight loss, I noticed that when my ketone levels were high, I felt and performed better in life and the gym.

However, after I started tracking my blood ketones daily, I realized that keeping my ketone levels high was a bit tricky: foods (even those that are considered “keto”) impacted me differently. Plus, eating a bunch of healthy, low-carb foods doesn’t necessarily lead to ketosis (since eating healthy fats is also essential). 

I’ve taken exogenous ketones supplements for the following:

• To enter into ketosis quickly as a keto beginner. In my personal experience, this helped me skip over keto flu and it’s symptoms. 
• To get back into ketosis quickly after a cheat meal. As I said before, ketones are not meant to help you recover from cheat life. I find them useful after a cheat meal.
• To improve my performance at the gym. I used to drink supplements to help improve my performance & energy in the gym. Most of the options contain random sweeteners or sugar. Some also caused me to feel extra jittery. For me, increasing my ketones right before a workout is helpful for making it through to the end! 

What is Key Nutrients Key Keto?

One way that I have added more ketones to my life is by drinking Key Keto Strawberry Lemonade, one flavor in Key Nutrients’ line of exogenous ketone supplements. Overall, my experience has been that this is a delicious drink that lived up to its promises of increasing my ketone levels & energy.

How does Key Keto Taste?

The flavor of Key Keto lives up to its name: it’s Strawberry Lemonade and that’s exactly how it tastes. Unlike some other exogenous ketone products, this actually tastes good. When I first had it, I thought about Kool-Aid or other summertime drinks that I enjoyed as a kid. The only difference is that this is sugar-free!

How did Key Keto impact my Ketone Levels?

Like most exogenous ketones brands, Key Keto comes with the claim that it will increase your blood ketone levels and provide more energy. One morning, I decided to test this out by testing my blood ketone levels before and after having Key Keto. As shown, my initial reading was 0.4 mmol/l (almost in ketosis).

Surprisingly, within an hour, my ketones were up to 1.4 mmol/l (within the optimal ketosis range). For me, one of the benefits of being in ketosis is increased energy so I regularly use Key Keto as a pre-work and as a low-calorie, fat-free replacement for butter coffee. 

Where do you get Key Nutrients Key Keto?

I purchase this from Amazon.