page_title: Exogenous ketone
section_title: Ketone salts
hierarchical_section_title: Exogenous ketone / Types / Ketone salts
caption_attribution_description: English: Salt of Beta-Hydroxybutyrate
context_page_description: Exogenous ketones are a class of ketone bodies that are ingested using nutritional supplements. This class of ketone bodies refers to the three water-soluble ketones. These ketone bodies are produced by interactions between macronutrient availability such as low glucose and high free fatty acids or hormone signaling such as low insulin and high glucagon/cortisol. Under physiological conditions, ketone concentrations can increase due to starvation, ketogenic diets, or prolonged exercise, leading to ketosis. However, with the introduction of exogenous ketone supplements, it is possible to provide a user with an instant supply of ketones even if the body is not within a state of ketosis before ingestion.
  Most supplements rely on β-hydroxybutyrate as the source of exogenous ketone bodies. It is the most common exogenous ketone body because of its efficient energy conversion and ease of synthesis. In the body, β-HB can be converted to acetoacetic acid. It is this acetoacetic acid that will enter the energy pathway using beta-ketothialase, becoming two Acetyl-CoA molecules. The Acetyl CoA is then able to enter the Krebs cycle in order to generate ATP.
context_section_description: Ketone salts are usually a synthetic compound of Beta-hydroxybutyric acid, also known as  βHB. It is then bonded to sodium, potassium, magnesium and/or calcium to offset the acidic nature of βHB alone. The salt improves βHB absorption. Most ketone salts are racemic which means only half of it is bioavailable, resulting in double the salt load per D-bhb, and even less bioavailability.
caption: β-Hydroxybutyrate salt
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