BHB or beta-hydroxybutyrate is one of the ketones that our bodies naturally produce when breaking down fat. In essence, BHB is a molecule that converts fat into energy that allows us to think, solve problems, climb stairs, go for a walk, or work out. In this article, we will go over some facts about BHB that you need to know.
First, we will take a look at cognitive health. Next, we will discuss preventing cancer and its anti-inflammatory properties. Then, we will cover enhancing your workouts and wrap up with promoting heart health. Once you have finished reading, you will be able to benefit from these facts about BHB.
1Promotes Cognitive Health
Although glucose is the default fuel for our brains, ketones are the backup when our bodies are short on glucose. BHB might be even more efficient for the brain than glucose because it results in more energy per unit of oxygen used. It also seems to support mitochondrial growth and energy efficiency in the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is crucial to memory and learning. Exciting research found that higher BHB ketones measured in the body of an Alzheimer’s patient correlated to improved cognitive function. Participants treated with an oral dose of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) showed improved performance on a set of recall tests compared to participants who received a placebo, and this suggests that heightened levels of BHB in the body may lead to improved memory.
The BHB’s benefits to our brains go further still. Neuroprotection is a mechanism that leads to salvage, recovery, and regeneration of the nervous system. Research suggests that ketones may have a neuroprotective benefit, meaning that ketones can repair and spur the regrowth of synapses and neurons in the brain. Ketones, like BHB, may improve and maintain the overall health of your nervous system.
2May Help Prevent Cancer
Tumors like to feed on glucose. This fascinating phenomenon is known as Warburg’s effect, and it has led cancer researchers to test out a variety of ketones for their cancer-fighting properties. Research has shown that when cancer cells are denied access to glucose and forced to obtain energy from ketones instead, they fail to thrive. A failure to thrive is the end goal of every fight against cancerous cells.
BHB may even slow the motility and growth of pancreatic cancer cells, one of the most devastating cancers known to man. Further research is necessary to determine if ketones can improve life expectancies for patients with pancreatic cancer. Decreases in both the growth and spread of cancer cells to the other organs are extremely promising for the treatment or prevention of malignant tumors.
3It Is Anti-Inflammatory
Inflammation is the immune system’s response to a known or perceived threat; in acute cases, such as when you’ve sustained an injury, the body rushes to the site of the injury and sets off processes that begin healing. Although necessary, this results in pain, redness, heat, and swelling; upon healing, those associated symptoms resolve on their own, and you are free of injury. Chronic inflammation is when the immune response never shuts off. Tissues at the site of chronic inflammation are constantly being damaged and repaired; it’s an injurious cycle, and this is a very serious problem, as chronic inflammation leads to diseases such as stroke, cancer, diabetes, and more. Estimates show that as many as three in five people worldwide will die of chronic inflammatory disease.
On top of the increased risk of disease, chronic inflammation can present itself in several other undesirable ways – fatigue, pain in the joints, chest, or abdomen, rash, mouth sores, and fever are just some of the ways this ongoing immune response can negatively impact your life. It is easy to see why it is vitally important to control inflammation in the body, but how? It should be of no surprise to health-conscious individuals that diet plays a big role in inflammation; avoiding processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and added sugar in favor of whole fruits and vegetables, fatty fish, and nuts are key components of an anti-inflammatory diet. Research has found that BHB inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome; in other words, BHB has anti-inflammatory properties, so taking a BHB supplement could aid the body in fighting inflammation, and this not only helps defend the body against disease but also slows down aging!
4It Enhances Workouts
When you exercise, your body absorbs BHB at a rapid rate, which turns on the body’s fat-burning processes. By adding more BHB to the body, you have greater amounts of efficient fuel available so you can run harder, jump higher, and train longer. Naturally, this leads to more fat burning and better results from your workout.
Especially in the beginning, it may be difficult to get through a workout in a state of ketosis. Those on a ketogenic diet looking to work out in the morning while still in a fasting period may find the energy that they need to perform with the help of BHB supplementation. BHB can regulate glucose and insulin in the bloodstream, lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes and obesity. It may suppress appetite, leading to further weight loss. It could help retain bone strength and reduce bone density loss.
5Promotes Heart Health
The American Heart Association reports that nearly one in three deaths in the U.S. are due to cardiovascular disease. With over 92 million American adults living with cardiovascular disease or the aftereffects of a stroke, we are in a state of a heart health emergency. It’s no secret that diet and lifestyle are key when it comes to maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system.
For some people, however, a genetic predisposition means that diet and exercise are not enough; luckily, there are supplements that you can incorporate into your overall routine for improved heart health, including BHB. If you could take a supplement that slowed the hands of time on your heart, wouldn’t you try it? A BHB supplement may do just that. BHB improves heart health by actually preventing the cells in your heart from aging as quickly as they would otherwise, and BHB salts may also improve the blood flow and mechanical efficiency of the muscles. These supplements take being “young at heart” to another level!
Our bodies naturally produce ketones when breaking down fat, and BHB or beta-hydroxybutyrate is one of those ketones. The molecule that converts fat into energy that allows us to think, solve problems, climb stairs, go for a walk, or work out is BHB. In this article, we went over some facts about BHB that you need to know.
First, we took a look at cognitive health. Next, we discussed preventing cancer and its anti-inflammatory properties. Then, we covered enhancing your workouts and wrapped up with promoting heart health. Now that you have finished reading, you will be able to benefit from these facts about BHB.