Can Ketone Supplementation Enhance Exercise Performance?

Some believe very high fat diets (>70% energy) can enhance exercise performance by providing additional fuel (ketones) for energy metabolism, at least for very prolonged exercise (>3-4h). Regardless, this diet is difficult to maintain so it has been suggested that ingesting ketone salts along with a normal carbohydrate (CHO) diet might be more practical. The purpose of this study is to observe the effects of ketone salt ingestion on shorter term (up to ~15 min) exercise performance. Endurance trained (≥2 year training experience; ≥7 h/week) collegiate athletes (n=20) of similar body mass (♀; 55-60kg; ♂; 75-80kg) and age 18-25y) consuming 5-6g CHO•kg-1•d-1) will be tested before and after 1 and 7d of ketone salt (Prüvit, Carrollton TX, US) supplementation (0.6-0.8g•kg-1•d-1). Participants will perform two exercise performance tests (a 10km cycle time trial and a 30s Wingate cycle test on separate days) before and after supplementation. Blood samples (glucose, lactic acid, and ketone concentration) will be taken at: baseline and following each performance test. It is hypothesized that ketone salt supplementation will increase blood ketone concentration but will not enhance these exercise performance tests.