Compositions comprising ketone bodies and/or their metabolic precursors areprovided that are suitable for administration to humans and animals and whichhave the properties of, interalia, (i) increasing cardiac efficiency,particularly efficiency in use of glucose, (ii) for providing energy source,particularly in diabetes and insulin resistant states and (iii) treatingdisorders caused by damage to brain cells, particularly by retarding orpreventing brain damage in memory associated brain areas such as found inAlzheimer's and similar conditions. These compositions may be taken asnutritional aids, for example for athletes, or for the treatment of medicalconditions, particularly those associated with poor cardiac efficiency,insulin resistance and neuronal damage. The invention further provides methodsof treatment and novel esters and polymers for inclusion in the compositionsof the invention.
