Fueling the Brain: Why Ketones Are Gaining Attention in Neurological Health and Performance
- Better Brain & Body
- Jul 3
- 12 min read
Key Takeaways:
Your brain needs energy to learn, adapt, recover, and perform—and ketones provide an alternative fuel source.
Ketones may support brain health, neuroplasticity, cognitive performance, and neurological recovery.
Ketones can be produced naturally or consumed through supplements like Ketone IQ to help support the brain's energy demands.
Supplemental ketones may help support brain energy metabolism during concussion rehabilitation.
Your Brain Runs on Energy
Every thought, movement, emotion, and memory requires energy. In fact, anything and everything you do and experience is powered by your brain. But just as a car’s engine requires gas fuel to operate, so does your brain. Ketones are the hidden energy source that your brain loves, but doesn't always utilize for optimal brain performance.
When filling up a car at the gas station, there are various alternative fuel sources to the regular unleaded, such as mid-grade plus, premium, diesel, and electricity. While each fuel source powers a vehicle differently, they all serve the same essential purpose: providing energy.
The brain works in a similar way. Although its primary fuel source is glucose, the brain is incredibly adaptable and capable of using other fuel sources when needed. One of the most intriguing of these alternative energy sources is ketones, which have gained increasing attention for their potential role in supporting brain health, cognitive performance, brain energy metabolism and neurological rehabilitation. While the brain’s primary fuel source is glucose (food/carbs), it has other sources of energy to draw from too through metabolic flexibility--a process where the body breaks down stored fat into ketones for the brain to utilize. This is known as a state of ketosis, as Stanford's Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute points out.
Skip Ahead:
The Brain is Constantly Adapting
Your brain is not a static organ. Throughout your life, it constantly changes, adapts, and reorganizes itself in response to new experiences, challenges, and environments. The brain’s remarkable ability to change and adapt is called neuroplasticity, and it is at the heart of what we do here at Better Brain & Body through functional neurology and personalized neurological rehabilitation.
Neuroplasticity allows us to learn new skills faster and more effectively, form memories, recover from various injuries, adapt to stress, resist cognitive decline, heal from neurological damage, and improve performance. From learning a new hobby, a skill at work, participating in neuro-rehabilitation, or simply building healthier habits, your brain is continually creating and strengthening neural connections across your life span to support lifelong brain health and cognitive function.
Patients at Better Brain & Body engage in therapies such as eye-movement training, vestibular rehabilitation, sensory integration exercises, cognitive and memory stimulating games, and other brain-based interventions designed to stimulate neuroplasticity. By strategically challenging specific brain networks, our goal is to encourage the brain to adapt, strengthen existing pathways, build new connections, and ultimately improve function and optimize brain performance. Check out our list of high-performance therapies.
But while neuroplasticity is one of the brain’s greatest strengths, it comes at a cost: adaptation requires energy.
Ketones: Adaptation Requires Energy
While neuroplasticity is an incredible capability of the human brain, it is also an energy-demanding process. Every new neural connection, strengthened pathway, memory formed, and skill learned requires energy. Simply put, the brain’s ability to adapt, recover, and improve function depends on having adequate fuel available to support those changes. The more we challenge the brain through therapy and rehab strategies, the greater its demand for fuel becomes to support brain energy metabolism.
Sleep plays a critical role in supporting neuroplasticity by helping consolidate learning, reinforce neural connections, and promote recovery. However, while sleep helps create the conditions necessary for adaptation, it is not the fuel that powers those changes.
Let’s come back to our car analogy. Routine maintenance helps keep the engine running smoothly, but even the best maintained vehicle still needs fuel like gas in the tank. Likewise, sleep helps the brain recover and adapt, while optimizing brain function, but it cannot replace the energetic fuel required for these processes.
Most of us never think much about where that energy comes from. We simply expect our brains to work when we need them to. Yet the brain is constantly consuming fuel to support everything from memory and focus to movement and recovery and every aspect of cognitive performance.
While the brain relies heavily on glucose (processed from the carbs you eat into energy), it also has the ability to utilize alternative forms of energy when needed. One of the most fascinating of these alternatives is ketones—an energetic fuel that's produced from fat. But ketones are special because they can be produced in other natural ways too like fasting or supplementation which we'll dive into later.
This ability to access multiple fuel sources, known as metabolic flexibility, has attracted growing interest among researchers studying brain health, cognitive and athletic performance, and neurological rehabilitation. As scientists continue to explore the relationship between brain energy metabolism, neuroplasticity, and mitochondrial function, ketones have emerged as a promising area of investigation. Because neuroplasticity, learning, recovery, and performance all require energy, ketones have become an area of growing interest amongst doctors including our Dr. Alicia Brown, as a tool to better support brain function, neurological health, and enhance recovery. Unlike glucose alone, ketones can serve as an alternative brain fuel, providing another crucial energy source during periods of increased metabolic (fuel) demand, such as during a concussion or in patients with metabolic dysfunction, such as Alzheimer's Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, as Jensen and colleagues point out in their 2020 article.
Meet Ketones: The Brain’s Alternative Fuel Source
So what exactly are ketones?
Ketones are byproduct energy molecules that can be used by the brain and body for fuel. While the brain typically relies on glucose for much of its energetic fuel, it can also utilize ketones when they become available or are supplemented with. The primary ketone used by the brain is beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which has become a major focus of neuroscience and metabolism research.
The body naturally produces ketones when glucose becomes less available, such as during periods of fasting, extended exercise, or carbohydrate restriction. Once produced, ketones can travel through the bloodstream, cross into the brain through the blood-brain barrier, and be used by the brain as an alternative source of energy to support brain energy metabolism.
Two Ways to Access Ketones
There are two primary ways to increase ketone levels in the body:
Encourage your body to produce them naturally
Consume them directly through supplementation
The body’s natural production of ketones typically occurs during periods of fasting, extended exercise, or carbohydrate restriction (also called the 'ketogenic diet'). As glucose becomes less available, the liver begins converting stored fat into ketones that can be used throughout the body, including by the brain.
This natural shift is one reason fasting has gained attention in discussions surrounding fat loss, weight management, metabolism, and brain health. As the body begins relying more heavily on stored fat for energy, ketone production increases, providing an alternative fuel source while helping the body access its own energy reserves (fat).
Ketones can also be consumed directly through supplementation. Unlike fasting or dietary strategies, ketone supplements provide ketones immediately, allowing blood levels to rise within minutes. This gives the brain access to an alternative fuel source without requiring prolonged fasting or significant dietary changes through entering nutritional ketosis.
One supplement that has gained significant attention is Ketone IQ, a ketone drink designed to raise ketone levels quickly and conveniently. Also called the "brain's fuel", Ketone IQ calls ketones "the feel good energy". While fasting and dietary approaches remain effective ways to encourage natural bodily ketone production, products like Ketone IQ offer another option for supporting the brain’s energy utilization during periods of rehabilitation at Better Brain & Body, during performance, and for other uses through exogenous ketone supplementation.
"Ketones are a natural fuel your body already produces. For decades, ketones were locked away, only accessible through extreme fasting or restrictive diets. Scientists and elite performers knew them as the body’s most efficient fuel, but they were impossible to access on demand." - Ketone IQ
As part of our goal to help patients explore cutting-edge, evidence informed tools and technologies for brain health and performance, Better Brain & Body has partnered with Ketone IQ to make exogenous ketones more accessible to our patients. patients and community members can receive 30% off their purchase by using our exclusive link:
Why Some People Use Ketone IQ
According to Ketone IQ, ketone supplementation may support:
Brain Energy – Ketones can cross the blood-brain barrier and provide the brain with an additional source of fuel to support brain energy metabolism.
Mental Clarity & Focus – Ketones may help support communication between brain networks involved in concentration, memory, cognitive performance, and overall brain function.
Cellular Energy Production – Ketones may help cells produce energy more efficiently, particularly during periods of increased demand by supporting mitochondrial energy production.
Exercise Performance & Recovery – Some athletes use ketone supplementation to support endurance, oxygen utilization, and post-exercise recovery, while promoting metabolic flexibility.
Appetite Management – Emerging research suggests ketones may influence hunger and fullness signals, potentially helping some individuals manage cravings while fasting.
Individual responses to ketone supplementation vary, and research is ongoing to better understand which individuals and clinical situations may benefit the most.
While research continues to evolve, these are some of the reasons ketone supplementation has gained attention among athletes, high performers, clinicians, and individuals interested in brain health, cognitive performance, metabolic health, and healthy aging.
An Important Note on Fat Loss
It is important to note that consuming ketone supplements is not the same as producing ketones naturally through fasting or dietary changes. When the body produces its own ketones, it is often drawing from stored fat for energy. Ketone supplements can increase ketone energy fuel and its availability, but they do not produce the same fat-eliminating or metabolic effects associated with fasting or “nutritional ketosis” (a ketogenic diet) or long-term metabolic adaptations. However, Healthline points out that while supplemental ketones don't utilize fat as an energy source, exogenous ketones can help reduce appetite by controlling the hunger hormone ghrelin.
If you're interested in our approaches to fat loss, muscle building, and body composition, you can read more here.
Why We Are Interested in Ketones
We are interested in ketones for a relatively simple reason: the brain is one of the most energy-demanding organs in the body. Because learning adaptation, recovery, and performance all require energy, we (and other doctors and researchers) are interested in understanding how alternative fuel sources may influence, improve, or enhance brain function.
However, ketones have attracted attention for more than their role as fuel alone. Emerging research suggests they may also influence several important biological processes associated with brain health and neuroplasticity.
One area of particular interest involves Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), often referred to as “fertilizer for the brain.” BDNF helps support the growth, maintenance, and survival of neurons while promoting the formation and strengthening of neural connections. Because neuroplasticity depends on these processes, BDNF plays an important role in learning, memory, adaptation, and recovery.
At Better Brain & Body, supporting neuroplasticity is a core focus of many of our therapies. For example, our ExoMind TMS therapy for brain/mental health and wellness is designed to stimulate specific brain networks and has been associated with increased BDNF activity, helping create an environment that supports the formation of new neural connections and improved brain function.
Emerging evidence from a 2026 systematic review suggests ketones derived from a keto diet or fasting also influence pathways associated with BDNF production and neuroplasticity. In other words, ketones may do more than provide fuel—they may help support some of the biological processes involved in learning, adaptation, and recovery, or the downstream effects of a neuroplastic, adaptable brain.
While ketones are often discussed as an alternative fuel source, researchers are also interested in them for more than energy alone. To understand why, it helps to know that simply having fuel available is only part of the equation. The body must also convert that fuel into usable energy that cells can actually use. Ketones may positively influence the overall energy production process, as well as the brain's utilization of energy for overall health, cognition, and neurological rehabilitation.
Researchers are currently exploring whether ketones may support brain health and neurological rehabilitation in several ways:
Brain Energy – Ketones may provide the brain with an additional source of fuel during periods when energy demands increase, such as learning, rehabilitation, recovery, and cognitive performance.
Neuroplasticity – Because learning, adaptation, and recovery all require energy, researchers are investigating whether ketones may help support the brain's ability to build and strengthen neural pathways.
BDNF Production – Emerging research suggests ketones may influence pathways involved in the production of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a protein that helps support learning, memory, and the formation of new neural connections.
Concussion & Brain Injury Recovery – Following a concussion, the brain's energy demands often increase while its ability to efficiently utilize glucose may become impaired. Ketones are a promising alternative brain fuel to assist the brain's recovery from a concussion. Better Brain & Body is one of the top clinics in Charlotte for proactive brain rehabilitation from concussion.
Inflammation – Researchers are exploring whether ketones may help support healthy inflammatory balance within the brain, which can influence overall brain function and recovery.
Cell Protection – Ketones may help support the brain's natural ability to manage oxidative stress, a process that can affect cellular health and function over time.
Mental Performance – Because the brain requires a constant supply of energy, ketones are being studied for their potential role in supporting focus, mental clarity, and cognitive endurance.
Ketones for Brain Health & Rehabilitation
At Better Brain & Body many of the therapies we use are designed to challenge the brain and stimulate neuroplasticity. Whether through eye movement training, vestibular rehabilitation, sensory integration exercises, cognitive therapies, or other functional neurology interventions, our goal is to encourage the brain to adapt, strengthen neural pathways that are damaged or need optimizing, and improve overall brain-body function through personalized neurological rehabilitation.
Because these processes require energy, supporting the brain’s metabolic demands has become an area of growing interest in neuroscience and neurological rehabilitation and brain energy metabolism research.
Concussion recovery provides a helpful example. Following a concussion, the brain often experiences an increase in energy demands at the same time its ability to efficiently utilize glucose (energy) may become impaired. This is one reason doctors frequently emphasize adequate sleep during recovery, as sleep supports healing, recovery, and neuroplasticity. However, as we discussed earlier, sleep is not a source of energy itself. Because ketones can serve as an alternative fuel source for the brain, researchers are becoming increasingly interested in whether ketones may help support the brain’s energy utilization during periods when the brain’s energy needs are elevated, like during a concussion or similar head injury, as also noted by Daines in her 2021 paper in Frontiers in Neurology.
Although ketones are not a direct treatment for neurological conditions, they certainly may help support the energetic demands associated with rehabilitation, cognitive performance, and overall brain function. As research continues to evolve, ketones remain an intriguing tool for those seeking to better understand the relationship between brain metabolism (energy utilization), mitochondrial function, and neurological health.
Final Thoughts on Ketones
The brain’s ability to learn, adapt, change, and recover are some of its most incredible characteristics. But those processes require more than intention alone—they require energy.
For many years, scientists believed that meaningful neuroplasticity largely disappeared after early adulthood. We now know that the brain remains capable of learning, adapting, and forming new neural connections throughout life, even into old age. While these changes may require more repetition, practice, challenge, and persistence as we age, the capacity for growth never truly disappears. In fact, every time we learn a new skill, work through a setback, or challenge ourselves to improve, we are engaging in the very processes that help keep the brain adaptable and resilient while supporting long-term cognitive health.
From quality sleep and regular exercise to proper nutrition and metabolic health, many factors influence the brain’s ability to learn, heal, and perform. Ketones represent one potentially valuable piece of that puzzle, offering an alternative fuel source that researchers continue to study for its potential role in supporting brain energy utilization (metabolism), neuroplasticity, and recovery through improved metabolic flexibility.
At Better Brain & Body, our goal is to create an environment where the brain has the opportunity to do what it was designed to do: adapt. Whether through functional neurology, rehabilitation, lifestyle strategies, or emerging tools that support brain energy metabolism, we help our patients optimize their brain’s function while unlocking their potential for growth, recovery, and lifelong performance through evidence-informed, personalized care.
Better Brain & Body has partnered with Ketone IQ to patients and community members can receive 30% off their purchase by using our exclusive link:
Sources
Daines, Savannah Anne. “The Therapeutic Potential and Limitations of Ketones in Traumatic Brain Injury.” Frontiers in Neurology, vol. 12, Oct. 2021, p. 723148. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.723148.
“Do Exogenous Ketone Supplements Work for Weight Loss?” Healthline, 23 Oct. 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/exogenous-ketones.
Harnessing Ketone Metabolites for Brain Health and Brain Resilience | Knight Initiative. 26 Aug. 2024, https://brainresilience.stanford.edu/our-science/funded-projects/harnessing-ketone-metabolites-brain-health-and-brain-resilience.
Jensen, Nicole Jacqueline, et al. “Effects of Ketone Bodies on Brain Metabolism and Function in Neurodegenerative Diseases.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences, vol. 21, no. 22, Nov. 2020, p. 8767. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21228767.
Mohamadinarab, Maryam, et al. “The Effect of Dietary Interventions on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Levels in Adults: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials.” BMC Nutrition, vol. 12, no. 1, Jan. 2026, p. 8. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-01174-3.
Rippee, Michael A., et al. “The Ketogenic Diet in the Treatment of Post-Concussion Syndrome—A Feasibility Study.” Frontiers in Nutrition, vol. 7, Sept. 2020, p. 160. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2020.00160.
Comments