How the Ketogenic Diet Improved My Exam Results by 15%

The benefits of the ketogenic diet and how you can use it as a tool to reach your goals.

I’ve always loved hacks — finding ways to be more efficient with only small changes. How can I study most effectively? How can my workouts bring the greatest results? How can I become happier and healthier with only small modifications to my life?

Over the years, I’ve come across loads of hacks that I still use today. Writing down 3 things I’m grateful for every night to bring more joy and health to my life. Drinking coffee before morning fasted cardio to increase fat mobilization. Completing 10 squat jumps after my squat set at the gym to increase the muscle fiber recruitment. There are so many tiny changes we can make in our life that can have huge results.

This is where the ketogenic diet comes in. During my first semester exams of my Master’s degree, I did well, getting mainly B+ and A- grades. But I wanted to improve this even further.

The ketogenic diet

There are two sources of fuel that the body can use: glucose and ketones. Glucose is produced from carbohydrates (and your body can also make a small amount of glucose from breaking down protein). Ketones come from fatty acids metabolized by the liver. Your body won’t generally produce ketones unless there is no glucose available, as in the ketogenic diet.

The ketogenic diet is a very low carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet. Typical macronutrient ratios are 5–10% carbohydrate, 20–25% protein, and 65-75% fat. This limited intake of carbohydrate shifts your body from using glucose for fuel (as there is none) to using fat — in the form of ketones.

Ketones are beneficial in numerous ways. Ketones have a natural anti-inflammatory effect, increase antioxidants, and reduce oxidative stress in the body.

A keto diet also mimics being in a fasted state creating potent autophagy effects. Cellular autophagy is essentially a cleaning out process where the body gets rid of old cells and cellular waste products, which is very beneficial.

The ketogenic diet has a benefit for almost everything. Research has supported the following benefits of ketones, taken from bengreenfieldfitness.com:

• Weight loss
• Blood sugar balance and enhanced insulin sensitivity
• Increase satiety, and decreased food cravings
• Improved energy levels, oxygen capacity, motor performance & athletic performance
• Enhanced blood flow through vasodilation
• Migraine treatment
• Neuroprotective benefits in seizure disorders; ADHD; Alzheimer ’s disease, memory and cognitive function; Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis
• Autism and improved behavior and social impacts
• Mood stabilization in bipolar disorder (type II)
• Stroke prevention; cardiovascular disease; metabolic syndrome management; improved cholesterol levels
• Inflammation management
• Endurance enhancement

Ketones and the brain

The impacts on cognition were what I was most interested in. Ketones are able to cross the blood-brain barrier and enter your brain to be used as fuel. Ketones are actually the preferred fuel source of the brain and are a more efficient fuel source than glucose. When the brain uses ketones instead of glucose for fuel, there is an increase in cognitive abilities, as well as in focus and concentration — exactly what I was looking for during my exams.

Ketones also increase mitochondrial biogenesis in the brain— the creation of new mitochondria — increasing the brain’s ability to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy source of cells.

Ketones also up-regulate brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) which is vital for neuron growth and protection, and for creating new connections in the brain.

Ketones reduce free radicals in the brain — compounds that result from metabolism and can have deleterious effects on the brain, especially in regard to brain function. When glucose is used for fuel, free radicals are released. However when ketones are used for fuel, this drastically decreases, meaning that both the brain and body are protected from oxidative stress.

The ketogenic diet can therefore lead to clearer thinking and improved cognitive performance, as well as improved decision-making capabilities.

Enhancing the effects

I maintained a strict ketogenic diet for my entire study period and throughout exams. On exam days I went even further, utilizing exogenous ketones as well as MCT oil — taking these immediately before walking into the exam room.

MCT oil

Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil is a very special oil.

MCTs can be converted very quickly into ketones, making them ideal to incorporate in the ketogenic diet. Ben Greenfield explains:

“Most dietary fat has to be converted into water soluble molecules that then need to enter the liver via your lymph system. Your liver then converts these molecules to fatty acids and ketone bodies. But unlike most other forms of dietary fats, MCTs can enter your liver directly without having to go through your lymph system. This means that consuming MCTs gives your body an opportunity to quickly produce ketone bodies.”

MCT oil general comes from coconut oil which is 55% MCT, but the MCT oil you buy is a very pure form of this. It comes in two forms — liquid and powder. I use both. The liquid doesn’t mix well because it is an oil, so I take this by the spoonful.

The powdered MCT oil mixes really well and also tastes good because it is often flavored and sweetened (ideally only with stevia). On a normal day, I have this 1–2 times mixed with cacao powder and hot water. The MCT oil powder acts like a creamer and makes drinks creamy, so it’s ideal in coffees and hot chocolates, or even on its own.

Exogenous ketones

These are usually in the form of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) salts. BHB is the main ketone in your body, so supplementing with exogenous ketones (ones not made in your body) will increase your blood ketone levels — the levels of ketones in your blood.

It only takes 10 minutes for an exogenous ketone to enter your bloodstream after you take it, so you can increase your blood ketone levels very quickly.

Exogenous ketones are used to either artificially enter a state of ketosis — where you are using ketones for fuel despite still eating carbs, or to enter a deeper state of ketosis, which is what I use them for. Following a strict ketogenic diet meant that I was already in ketosis, and taking an exogenous ketone just puts me into a deeper state of ketosis which can enhance the benefits I was looking for.

To conclude

Following the ketogenic diet as outlined here improved my exam grades by 15%, consistently. I went from mainly B+ and A- to only A and A+ for the following 3 semesters during which I used the ketogenic diet during exam time.

The ketogenic diet has almost endless benefits, from improving cognition to preventing Alzheimer’s and improving body composition. While I don’t follow a ketogenic diet all the time, (in fact I only follow the diet for one week of every month) it can be used as a very useful tool.

Whenever I need more mental clarity or brainpower, I will use the ketogenic diet to provide these benefits. With so many proven benefits, the ketogenic diet may be that one hack which offers the life-enhancing benefits you’ve been looking for.