[Chaebixi]

> The drink comes in a bottle about the size of a 5-Hour Energy shot. It's clear and has no smell. The taste, however, burns like rubbing alcohol. It caused our eyes to tear. We gagged, loudly.

> Still, after a few minutes, our stomachs ached. A flavor like nail polish remover lingered on our lips long after drinking and was only extinguished with ice water.

Sounds great.

[bdm]

Hi, co-founder here.

Yes it does have a kick to it. It's made for performance (is > 98% ketone & water) not to be the most delicious thing ever.

The writer's response here is totally legit -- but we've also demo'd with pro athletes, Navy SEAL's, etc. and they just knock it back, no big deal!

[joulesforaloop]

So many questions...

Like: when you say "ketone" you mean what kind of ketone/ketone ester...? My first thought when they complained about it tasting like nail polish remover was that if it involves acetone, it is nail polish remover.

Second, I wonder what this would be doing to metabolism of other carbs... I've read that using these ketone esters without decreasing carb intake might actually make things worse from a certain perspective, metabolically speaking...

Not a criticism, just kinda thinkin out loud.

[bdm]

It is D-BHB, not acetone. https://help.hvmn.com/hvmn-ketone/what-is-inside-hvmn-ketone

When taken with carbs, as was done in the athlete studies, performance output increases because the body has access to both types of energy. The ketones are used first, protecting the glucose for later use.

[Floegipoky]

My understanding is that many elite-level athletes can still achieve ketosis while consuming a significant amount of carbs (around what most people would probably consider normal intake) because they're training so much and burning so much glycogen.

What happens when it's an average person who doesn't have the same energy expenditure and metabolic efficiency as an elite athlete?

[vanattab]

Of the 98% that is ketone and water how much is water? ;)

[rjeli]

Why not put stevia in it?

[bdm]

There is some stevia in it: https://help.hvmn.com/hvmn-ketone/what-is-inside-hvmn-ketone.

[rhinoceraptor]

I think that's just ketone esters. That actually sounds pretty pleasant compared to the descriptions I've heard of earlier ketone esters: http://eatingacademy.com/personal/experience-exogenous-keton...