Is Ketone-IQ worth it?
HVMN offers two Ketone-IQ options on its online shop:
- 3 x 10-serving bottles at US$120 = US$4 per serving.
- A box of 24 travel-size shots (1 shot = 1 serving) at US$120 = US$5 per serving.
The brand recommends 1-3 servings per day based on the athlete’s training volume. I’ll let you do the rest of the math. You might be able to find other packages and deals on retailer sites. I found a two-bottle deal here in Asia, but it was more costly per severing, including shipping and tax.
Ketone-IQ isn’t cheap, so is it worth the investment? It depends on the individual. Here’s my take:
If money is not a concern, go for it. Personally, I’ve noticed that only sugar, electrolytes, water, and caffeine offer noticeable performance benefits. Just like these four, Ketone-IQ did deliver a noticeable “feeling” – cognitive clarity. So, if you have the financial means, why not?
If you’re looking for physical performance improvements and are on a tighter budget, save your money. Ultimately, what truly matters is training smart, getting enough sleep, and maintaining a healthy diet. These factors will contribute the most to your fitness.
That mental alertness could be helpful if you’re training for distances that require many miles at easy-to-moderate paces. I did several hour-long treadmill runs in the two weeks. Ketone-IQ didn’t make me faster or feel particularly more energetic. However, I felt more focused on the job at hand, and the distance and time also went by quickly.
For shorter, higher-intensity sessions, Ketone-IQ likely won’t be useful. You’re better off fueling these runs with carbohydrates, your body’s high-octane fuel of choice. Some reviews claimed that the presence of ketones may even affect your body’s ability to process glycogen for top-end performance.
Ketone-IQ won’t help with weight loss. In fact, since the product already elevates blood ketone levels, it might even suppress your body’s natural tendency to burn fat as fuel when exercising at low intensity or when glycogen stores are depleted.
I believe the benefits will be minuscule if you’re already doing all the right things regarding workouts, diet, and rest. Given the price, only professionals relying on performance results to put food on the table should go after that tiny margin.
And finally, it depends on how much value you place on marginal performance gain. I run for health, joy, adventures, and challenge. I still have plenty of room to improve by fine-tuning the fundamentals.
Testing HVMN Ketone-IQ satisfied my curiosity, but I probably won’t use it again due to cost and unproven performance benefits.