Brain Metabolism

Ketones provide clean fuel and can support brain tissue that has been damaged or impaired by chronic high glucose exposure. The example described in the article showed about a 30% drop in brain energy levels. A woman scanned before menopause and again after menopause showed substantially reduced energy activity after menopause while retaining the same basic brain structure. Infants can absorb ketones 15 times faster than adults as a developmental survival mechanism. The article gives tablespoon-based MCT dosing rather than a target blood ketone number. The suggested starting dose is at least three tablespoons of MCT oil per day divided through the day. The claim that the brain runs exclusively on carbohydrates is technically incomplete and misleading. The amount of ketones available to the brain is directly determined by blood ketone levels. The brain consumes 23% of all energy the body generates, making it one of the most metabolically demanding organs. The brain always prefers ketones over glucose when both fuels are available in the bloodstream. The brain is described as using glucose and ketones as its two main fuels. The brain is capable of running on two types of fuel: gluco…