Ketosis in a bottle

This supplement just might render the keto diet and intermittent fasting obsolete.

Have you really lived until you’ve peed on a strip of paper to see if your body is burning fat? If you know what I’m talking about, you’re likely familiar with ketones (and have tried intermittent fasting or a low-carb diet to get them).

But did you know that ketones are more than just an indication that your body is in fat-burning mode? Ketones themselves have been linked to extra energy, enhanced performance and recovery, mental acuity and appetite control. (In fact, in 2019 the Department of Defense shelled out $6 million to research the effects of ketones in high-altitude and low-oxygen environments—so there’s got to be something there).

Since we live in a world where there seems to be a hack for everything (including complex metabolic processes), loading up on protein and eschewing all carbs or taking an entire day off from eating aren’t the only ways to elevate your body’s ketone level.

Meet H.V.M.N.’s Ketone-IQ, a first-of-its-kind drinkable ketone supplement. Designed to keep your ketone level in the “sweet spot” for up to three hours and deliver a burst of energy without the crash associated with sugar or caffeine, think of it as extra fuel for your body and brain. You can sip it, shoot it (like a shot of alcohol—not intravenous drugs) or mix it into your morning coffee for a jitter-free boost.

Of course I had to try it, and here’s the scoop. I took my first shot before tennis on Monday and totally brought my A-game. I tested my ketone level with a urine strip three hours later and I was still in trace/light zone. I wasn’t 100% content with the accuracy of this reading due to the time that had elapsed (and the age of my ketone strips), so I took another shot yesterday morning after dropping my son off at school. A half-hour later, I used the full-on blood analysis meter H.V.M.N. sent me (which included pricking my finger) and BOOM my ketone blood level was 1.2 mmol/L (whatever that means) which indicated I was is optimal ketosis.

Even more, almost immediately after my shot, I felt a surge of energy and focus (minus any hand-shaking or heart-racing) and managed to get about two hours of work done in 30 minutes—and then went for a 45-minute walk. Although I’ve limited myself to once a day, you can take a shot up to three times a day—but but then I might be way too productive.

The only downside: The taste leaves a lot to be desired, hence my recommendation to pretend your back in college and shoot it in place of (or after) breakfast. (BTW, I took it again this morning and was able to cross quite a few tasks off my to-do list, and have experienced no crash or any other side effects.

Considering all of the fat-burning, metabolism-cranking energy supplements I’ve tried over the years (including one that I distinctly remember being banned by the F.D.A.), I am on-board with ingestible ketones since they already occur naturally in the body. But I feel it’s important to emphasize that each bottle contains 10 servings (and comes with a measuring cup), so please don’t drink the whole thing at once.

Just so I can sleep tonight, I also want to emphasize that introducing extra ketones to the body may not be right for everyone—especially if you have diabetes. If you have any underlying medical conditions, play it safe and speak to your doctor before trying anything new.