Diet and ketone metabolism
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effects of diet and exercise on ketone body metabolism
IRAS ID
143190
Contact name
Peter Cox
Contact email
Research summary
We generally recognise 3 food (or fuel) types in the diet: protein, fat and carbohydrate. When a person fasts, the energy stored in their fat is released and some is converted to another fuel type called ketone bodies. These have interesting properties of changing the way other diet components are consumed and improving efficiency of cell function. We intend to examine the way that a known amount of ketone bodies in the diet, given as a drink, can change the way that the body uses all of its food types (or dietary fuels). The efficiency of cell function (or energy metabolism) is impaired in conditions like diabetes and heart failure but also in all patients who are critically ill (eg in intensive care). We are therefore interested in the possibility of improving energy metabolism in these patient groups.\nWe aim to recruit a group of 12 normal, healthy volunteers who exercise at least 3 times a week for 45 minutes. We are looking for people who exercise regularly as they should be able to manage the exercise components of the study easily.\nThe participants will be asked to take ketones (or a non-ketone placebo drink that tastes the same) and a specific diet, for a day, and then to exercise in a controlled way in the laboratory. Before, during (blood and breath only) and after the exercise on a stationary bike, we will sample breath, blood, urine and muscle to measure the effect that the ketones and other diet components have on energy metabolism.\nThere would require up to 10 visits over approximately 4 weeks to the clinical research faciltity, all lasting approximately 4 hours. The research facility is a non-NHS lab area within the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.
REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EE/0063
Date of REC Opinion
3 Mar 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion