The Effects of Exogenous Ketones on Exercise Performance in Young Healthy Adults

The ketone body beta-hydroxybutyrate is produced during prolonged fasting or exercise and can be used as an alternative fuel source. Exogenous beta-hydroxybutyrate, in the form of a ketone salt, is proposed to have ergogenic potential for high-intensity exercise performance but this has not been adequately studied. The purpose of this study is to determine whether supplementing with an acute dose of ketone salts can alter fuel use during exercise and improve exercise performance.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Exercise; Dietary Supplements; Ketones
• Intervention / Treatment: Dietary supplement: Placebo; Dietary supplement: Ketone Salt

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 10
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • British Columbia
    • Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, V1V 1V7
      • University of British Columbia, Okanagan.

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Males aged 18-40
• Ability to understand and communicate in English to answer questionnaires and interact with the research assistant
• Physically active (defined by engaging in moderate-to-vigorous exercise at least 3 times per week, determined via validated questionnaire)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosed with diabetes or any other medical conditions that could affect metabolism.
• Diagnosed with heart disease or taking anti-hypertensive medications.
• Competitive endurance athlete (self-identified as engaged in specific endurance training in triathlon, cycling, or distance running and competing in races or competition)
• Recent (last 3 months) or current consumption of a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet
• Current consumption of ketone supplements
• Any other contraindication to vigorous exercise (identified via physical activity readiness questionnaire [PAR-Q])

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Ketone Salts; Acute dose of beta-hydroxybutyrate potassium/sodium salt (0.2g beta-hydroxybutyrate/kg, 0.01g Potassium/kg, 0.01g Sodium/kg with 1 g Steviol Glycoside and 30 ml of lemon juice per dose)	Dietary supplement: Ketone Salt
Placebo Comparator: Placebo; Acute dose of taste-matched placebo (0.01g Potassium/kg, 0.01g Sodium/kg with 1 g Steviol Glycoside and 30 ml of lemon juice per dose)	Dietary supplement: Placebo

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER) during cycling exercise	The RER during 18 minutes of steady-state exercise	0-18 minutes

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
10 km Cycling Time Trial Performance	10 km time trial performed on a stationary bicycle following 18 minutes of steady-state exercise	Following 18 minutes of steady-state exercise

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of British Columbia

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: July 1, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 1, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): June 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 4, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 4, 2016
• First Posted (Estimate): July 7, 2016

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 13, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 12, 2017
• Last Verified: October 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: H1601260