For person who fast from 6 pm till 10 am next day, what will be the best time to take BHB and what is recommended dose?
For person who fast from 6 pm till 10 am next day, what will be the best time to take BHB and what is recommended dose
Consider taking BHB in the morning when you get up. Then perform your exercise routine, specifically starting with aerobic exercise followed by resistance training with moderate repetitions.
BHB can be used for a lot of different goals. If your goal is neuroprotection (i.e., using it as a superior replacement for pyruvate), I can share some ideas.
Based on the research I have read, a BHB supplement will work for neuroprotection even if you are not in ketosis (and even if you are not following a ketogenic diet).
The dose itself could be as low as 1.2 grams/day (a very low dose) and up to 12 grams of BHB per day (a more standard dose). Higher doses are also generally safe. Anyone who is new to BHB supplements should start with a small dose and increase gradually (especially if the BHB contains magnesium). Be sure to drink enough water (but don't drink too much all at once).
According to my understanding of the research, even a low dose of BHB should be helpful for neuroprotection, The nerve cells need an energy substrate, and the existing substrates are inadequate (as the research1 tells us). Therefore, any extra (exogenous) amount of BHB should help the nerve cells. Increasing the dose should help even more, but we each have to decide how much we want to take. If one's optic nerve cells are in need of a lot of support, I'd take more BHB.
Achieving nutritional ketosis does not seem to be required for neuroprotection if one is consuming supplemental BHB. (If one is on a keto diet, supplemental BHB can be used in a couple different ways to further assist maintaining a state of ketosis.)
As far as when to take it and how to optimally divide your daily dosage, there's not enough research currently to give us much guidance. However, nutritionists have a lot of experience recommending BHB supplements for many different reasons, and we can look to those practices for guidance. I'll share some ideas based on past experience.
BHB is available in capsules, and each capsule generally contains 400 mg of BHB. I'll use that example to illustrate some dosage regimes.
The first example is a steady dosing approach.
The next dosing plans are what I would call intermittent.
You could take most of (or all of) your dose of BHB in the morning after you wake up. You can optionally skip your breakfast to extend your fast until lunch.
You could take most of (or all of) your dose of BHB in the evening before bed. I have not personally tried that yet (I will), but a lot of people do it. It is recommended to have an early dinner, like you do, with this approach.
You can split your dose between bedtime and early morning. I like this approach. However, personally, I like taking a smaller dose in the evening and a larger dose in the morning.
You can refine any of these options based on your own body. For example, if your blood glucose and energy levels are pretty steady, you may prefer options 2, 3 or 4. If you could benefit from more stable energy, try option 1.
Whether you want to lose weight (body fat) or gain muscle could influence when and how you take BHB; even though you are taking BHB primarily for neuroprotection, it can simultaneously provide other benefits.
If I wanted to lose weight, I would take BHB 20-30 minutes before each meal. If I wanted to preserve muscle while fasting or gain muscle from exercise, I would take BHB before and during periods of fasting. It protects the body from breaking down muscle (via gluconeogenesis) during fasting. If I wanted more energy during my workouts, I would take BHB pre-workout.
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