Barnes is no stranger to the ketone space as the VP of sales for Ketone Labs since August 2022. Speaking at SupplySide West in Las Vegas recently, she explained that the inspiration for her new brand “Let’s go!” came from her desire to “provide something for people on the go” and put the beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) ketone in a liposomal form.
“The farther down the duodenum it [liposomal BHB] travels, a little bit more of an efficacious dose can be felt,” she said. “So, through that, I created, with a manufacturer, a liposomal form of BHB, the first of its kind in the market. So, I’m really excited. It's going to be marketed around women and the support of a person who needs energy and focus.”
The plan is to go direct to consumer initially at $5 per serving, she said, with the launch slated for mid-December.
“It'll be available on Amazon, Tiktok, those fun platforms,” she added.
Exogenous ketones
Early research into exogenous ketones attempted to replicate the benefits of the ketogenic diet without changing what people eat: When the body goes into starvation mode because it does not have enough carbohydrates (or glucose), it will then resort to burning its own fat reserves to make ketones, a process commonly understood as ketosis. This can occur during fasting or participating in lengthy periods of exercise.
Exogenously consumed ketones will put ketones directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the fat burning step that a ketogenic diet would require.
There are different types of ketogenic products in the market. The main ketone body researchers are interested in is beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB).
“The research has definitely come a long way for people to have something that tastes better, because taste has been a concern with these ketones,” Barnes said, adding that there is also the potential to create synergies by combining BHB with ingredients like MCT or caffeine.
Barnes said that she does think cognition is one of the big areas that will open up for exogenous ketones moving forward, noting that BHB can cross the blood-brain barriers.