Ketone drink gives competitive cyclists a boost by altering their metabolism

A drink developed for soldiers to generate energy from ketones allowed highly trained cyclists to add up to 400 meters of distance to their workouts, a new study reports. The supplement, which will be commercially available within the year, works by temporarily switching the primary source of cellular energy from glucose or fat to ketones -- molecules derived from fat that are known to be elevated in people consuming a low-carb, Atkins-like diet.