Michael Brandt: The Performance and Brain Benefits of Supplemental Ketones

Apr 1, 2025

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I welcome Michael Brandt, co-founder and CEO of Ketone IQ, to the show for a conversation about supplemental ketones!

Ketone IQ offers supplemental ketones, or ketones on the go, for an instant high performance energy source. I have talked about the ketogenic diet for many years, writing many books with Mark Sisson about the amazing benefits of the ketogenic state for anti-inflammatory and immune boosting and antioxidant and protein sparing, and the keto diet has risen to popularity and become a huge fad. However, it is a little difficult to adhere to this extremely strict dietary protocol to limit carbs to the extent that you force your liver to make ketones internally. So a wonderful breakthrough in high performance supplemental technology is the availability of consuming what they call exogenous ketones—outside source of ketones—directly for athletic performance recovery and improved brain function. I have been excited about this technology for many years now and tested these products out over time, and while Michael does talk a little bit about his product, this episode is not really a commercial show. You will hear about the benefits of ketones in general, and we also talk about his own high performance athletic training, athletic training regimen, and how pursuing these daunting goals that we put up there with our competitive aspirations carry over into all aspects of daily life.

I hope you enjoy this conversation, which ended up being a really interesting one centered around being the best you can be and learning about this exciting, cutting edge intervention for your training, which is supplemental ketones. You will hear all about my experience using this product on my Cactus to Clouds hike, how I felt an immediate boost in mental clarity, as you often hear about people talking about when it comes to following a ketogenic diet. If you’re an athlete, it is a really useful supplement because it plays an important role in athletic performance by keeping your brain engaged and well fueled so that your body can work as best as it can—there’s a reason why he’s got Tour de France athletes using them, as well as Ironman Legends, and MMA fighters. It’s really cutting edge stuff and I think you're going to get a lot of value out of it and probably want to try the product. If you do, I have a special discount for you and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how effective supplemental ketones are. The Ketone IQ product is a special type of formulation called a ketone diol that has a longer lasting duration in your bloodstream. I think it’s a great product, one I use a lot myself, and I welcome the idea to learn more about it. Enjoy this episode with Michael Brandt, a former marathon runner with such an interesting story to share, who founded Ketone IQ on the heels of getting a huge grant from the United States government to research the benefits of supplemental ketones for soldiers.

Michael Brandt (@michaeldbrant) is an avid triathlete and marathoner, and co-founder and CEO of KetoneIQ. A lifelong student and leader of designing products around new technologies and emerging needs. Prior to starting KetoneIQ, he received his BS in Computer Science & Design at Stanford, was a Product Manager at Google, and Adjunct Professor at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, California.

TIMESTAMPS:

Ketones play an important role in your training regímen by keeping your brain well fueled. [01:03]

How did Michael get into creating the ketone supplements and how did it affect his performance? [04:24]

Your body learns and gets better. You don’t need to slam yourself. [07:58]

Everyone, even the top athletes, should have a coach. [13:33]

Let your intuition guide your training rather than follow a strict planned schedule. [19:01]

Ketones are a source of caloric energy. You have better mental clarity. [25:25]

The brain is the central governor and needs glucose around the clock. But then what about your muscles? [35:29]

How do you use Ketone IQ in a day-to-day manner? [39:37]

Brad found a tremendous boost in his energy and mental clarity when he used it on the famous Cactus to Clouds hike. [43:32]

Tour de France riders use this to keep up their endurance. [47:41]

LINKS:

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