Nutritional composition

1. An organoleptically acceptable composition comprising a ketone body or a ketone body precursor including a hydroxybutyrate or derivative thereof, a bitter flavoring, and optionally one or more of a salt, vitamins and minerals; wherein the hydroxybutyrate or a derivative thereof is selected from a group consisting of a salt of (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate, an oligomer of (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate, an ester of an oligomer of (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate, and an ester of (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate.

2. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the hydroxybutyrate or a derivative thereof is present at a level of up to 50% weight of the composition.

3. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the composition is in the form of a drink, a solid or a gel.

4. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a hydroxybutyrate ester at a level of 30 to 95% by weight of the composition, a flavouring, and optionally an adsorbent.

5. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is in liquid form and comprises the hydroxybutyrate or a derivative thereof, at a level of at least 1% by weight of the liquid composition.

6. The composition according to claim 5 in liquid form comprising water, milk or fruit juice as the liquid component.

7. The composition according to claim 1 , further comprising at least two different ketone bodies each comprising a hydroxybutyrate or a derivative thereof.

8. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the ketone body or ketone body precursor comprises 3-hydroxybutyl-(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate.

9. The composition according to claim 8 wherein the 3-hydroxybutyl-(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate is in enantiomerically enriched form.

10. The composition according to claim 1 , comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable adsorbent for the ketone body or a ketone body precursor including a hydroxybutyrate ester or a derivative thereof.

11. The composition according to claim 10 wherein the adsorbent is selected from a polymer hydrogel, a clathrate, a protein, and a carbohydrate.

12. A method of treatment of the human or animal body by therapy comprising administering to a subject a composition according to claim 1 .

13. The method of claim 12 for treating cognitive dysfunction, diabetes, a cardiovascular condition, a condition related to mitochondrial dysfunction or a neurodegenerative disorder in which ketone bodies are known or may provide a beneficial effect; improving cardiac efficiency or brain metabolic efficiency; or reducing the effects of a neurodegenerative disorder.

14. The method of claim 12 for treating muscle impairment or fatigue or as an appetite suppressant.

15. The method of claim 12 for maintaining or improving cognitive function under fatigue or in reducing the adverse effects on cognitive function under fatigue.

16. The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises vitamins and minerals at a level such that at least 50% of the recommended daily allowance is provided on consumption of the composition over a 24-hour period.

17. A nutritional composition comprising a composition according to claim 1 and vitamins and minerals.

18. An organoleptically acceptable product comprising the composition of claim 1 and instructions for a dosage regime for consumption of the composition such that the user ingests at least 100 mg per kilogram of body weight of ketone body or ketone body precursor per day wherein upon consumption of the composition according to the instructions, provides a blood plasma ketone level of at least 0.1 mM.

19. The composition according to claim 1 further comprising a medium chain triglyceride (MCT) and/or L carnitine or an L carnitine derivative.