Share on (62072472703):
WHAT IS BETA-HYDROXYBUTYRATE (BHB)?
Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), is one of the three ketone bodies (energy molecules) your body makes when it's running on fat instead of carbs. It's also known as 3-hydroxybutyric acid or 3-hydroxybutanoic acid (3HB)[*].
The three main ketones your body makes from fatty acids are:
Beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). This is the most abundant, making up to 78% of total ketones in the blood[*].
Acetoacetate (AcAc). It makes up around 20% of ketones in the blood.
Acetone. The least abundant, making about 2% of ketones in the blood. It's not used for energy.
Both BHB and acetone are derived from acetoacetate (AcAc), however, BHB is the main ketone used for energy because it's extremely stable and abundant, while acetone is lost through respiration and sweat.