Kristi Storoschuk, BSc (Hons.) is a science communicator with a research focus on ketogenic diets, metabolic therapies, and fasting for health optimization. She currently works alongside the world’s leading ketogenic researchers providing scientific education for the mainstream audience. Outside of her research, you will find her traveling the world, doing CrossFit, and optimizing her health through diet and lifestyle.

We love this question! While fasting (or on a ketogenic diet), ketones are produced by the liver from the breakdown of fat. These ketones serve as an alternative fuel to glucose, mostly for the brain, but ketones do much more than that! 

In animal models, ketogenic diets have been shown to increase longevity, and while the uncovering of mechanisms is still underway, several lines of evidence suggest that these effects extend beyond the replacement of one fuel for another. Ketones have many “signaling” roles, meaning they relay information in the body, almost like a hormone or a drug, and interact with our metabolism, immune system, and DNA. Scientists believe that ketones are an important link between diet, lifestyle, and the regulation of aging (i.e., longevity) and may explain why caloric restriction leads to life span extension in some species. 

One anti-aging feature of ketones is the protection they offer against potentially damaging molecules known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are an inevitable part of energy metabolism and their accumulation past what our antioxidant system can handle is what contributes to oxidative stress, cell damage, aging, and eventually disease. Ketones may be able to reduce or mitigate oxidative stress in two ways: 1. reduction in ROS production and 2. increased levels of glutathione, our body’s master antioxidant that sweeps up and disarms free radicals. Together, ketones may enhance our body’s innate antioxidant defenses.

Ketones may also fight inflammation. Ketogenic diets--which are characterized by an elevation of blood ketones--have been shown to reduce several markers of inflammation. It is believed ketones are responsible for anti-inflammatory effects as they directly inhibit the inflammatory response in isolated cells. Ketones’ anti-inflammatory effects are exciting due to accumulating evidence linking chronic inflammation to the onset of several diseases and accelerated aging.

Lastly, ketones may also increase the expression of longevity genes through their effects on the epigenome. Our DNA may be set in stone, but through DNA modifications influenced by diet and lifestyle, we can change the expression of certain genes - this is what scientists mean when they refer to “epigenetics.” Ketones are one of these influencing factors, found to increase the expression of genes that strengthen our resilience to stress, like a metabolic armor of sorts, and may also stimulate the expression of genes involved in promoting autophagy. 

Altogether, these additional properties of ketones make fasting, ketogenic diets, and ketone supplements potentially powerful anti-aging molecules.

Roberts MN, et al. 2017. A ketogenic diet extends longevity and healthspan in adult mice. Cell Metabolism. 26(3):539-546.

Newman JC, Verdin E. 2014. Ketone bodies as signaling metabolites.Trends Endocrinol Metab. 25(1):42-52.

Veech RL, et al. 2017. Ketone bodies mimic the life span extending properties of caloric restriction. IUBMB. 69(5): 305-314.

Miller VJ, Villamena FA, Volek JS. 2018. Nutritional Ketosis and Mitohormesis: Potential Implications for Mitochondrial Function and Human Health. J Nutr Metab. 2018:5157645.

Forsythe CE, et al. 2008. Comparison of low fat and low carbohydrate diets on circulating fatty acid composition and markers of inflammation. Lipids. 43(1): 65-77.

Youm YH, et al. 2015. The ketone metabolite β-hydroxybutyrate blocks NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammatory disease. Nat Med. 21(3):263-9.

Furman D, et al. 2019. Chronic inflammation in the etiology of disease across the lifespan. Nature Medicine. 25: 1822-1832. 

What Can Ketones Do Besides Fuel the Brain?

What Can Ketones Do Besides Fuel the Brain?

Thanks to Charlie B. for this question.

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