Impact of Exogenous Ketones on Indices of Keto-Adaptation in Obese Subjects on Weight Reducing Diets.

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Weight Loss; Ketogenic Diet
• Interventions: Other: Diet; Biological: Blood Draw; Biological: Ketone/Glucose Monitoring; Other: Body Composition; Biological: Urine Analysis; Behavioral: Neuropsychological Measures - ANAM

• Registration Number: NCT06449287
• Lead Sponsor: Ohio State University

Brief Summary

This project will be a three-group controlled 6-wk feeding study where all meals are prepared and provided to obese participants. All participants will be fed a 25% energy-restricted diet. Two diets will be very low in carbohydrate (i.e., ketogenic diets) designed to induce nutritional ketosis and fat loss. Another diet will be low in fat and saturated fat but contain the same total calories. Participants will be randomly assigned to a Ketone Supplement group who are provided an exogenous pre-formed source of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BOHB) or a Control group that only receives the standard ketogenic diet. Randomization will be stratified based on insulin resistance, sex, and body composition to ensure balanced group assignment. Because of timing of recruitment (i.e., after most of the ketogenic groups have already completed the study), the low-fat group will not be randomized. Outcome measurements will be made at various intervals over the 6-wk intervention.

Detailed Description

This project will be a three-group controlled 6-wk feeding study where all meals are prepared and provided to obese participants. All participants will be fed a 25% energy-restricted diet. Two diets will be very low in carbohydrate (i.e., ketogenic diets) designed to induce nutritional ketosis and fat loss. Another diet will be low in fat and saturated fat but contain the same total calories. Participants will be randomly assigned to a Ketone Supplement group (n=12) who are provided an exogenous pre-formed source of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BOHB) or a Control group (n=12) that only receives the standard ketogenic diet. Randomization will be stratified based on insulin resistance, sex, and body composition to ensure balanced group assignment. Because of timing of recruitment (i.e., after most of the ketogenic groups have already completed the study), the low-fat group will not be randomized. Outcome measurements will be made at various intervals over the 6-wk intervention. Key outcome variables will include: 1) Markers of Ketosis/Keto-Adaptation: a. Daily measures of BOHB (capillary blood) b. Fasting serum BOHB and total ketones (venous blood) c. Diurnal capillary blood ketones and urinary loss of BOHB and total ketones 2) Energy Balance and Body Composition: a. Body mass (scale) b. Whole body and regional composition (DXA) c. Nitrogen balance (daily nitrogen intake - 24-hr urinary nitrogen loss) d. Resting energy expenditure and substrate oxidation (indirect calorimetry) e. Adiposity (myocardial/epicardial fat, liver fat, visceral fat, skeletal muscle fat by MRI) f. Microbiome (stool collection to observe microbiota and the response to diet alteration) 3) Cognitive and Behavioral: a. Computer-based cognitive function (ANAM) b. Behavioral responses (surveys) 4) Cardio-Metabolic Risk: a. Metabolic panel b. Circulating lipid panel (total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, TG) c. Glucose, insulin, HOMA

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2018-07-05
• Primary Completion: 2019-03-01
• Study Completion: 2019-08-21
• Study First Submitted: 2024-05-31
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-06-05
• Study First Posted: 2024-06-10
• Status Verified: 2024-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-12-16
• Last Update Posted: 2024-12-19

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 37

Inclusion Criteria

• BMI >27 and =35 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria

• have diabetes, liver, kidney, or other metabolic or endocrine dysfunction, or using diabetic medications.
• Currently consuming a low-carbohydrate diet
• Weight loss of >10% in past 6 months -Currently pregnant or nursing, or planning to become pregnant during the study
• Major psychiatric disorder (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder)
• Excessive alcohol intake (acute or chronic) defined as average consumption of 3 or more alcohol-containing beverages daily or consumption of more than 14 alcoholic beverages per week

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Low Fat Diet +Placebo	Diet	The low-fat comparison group will also be provided all their food. Their diet will also be restricted in calories and have the same level of protein, but it will be lower in fat and higher in carbohydrate. The low-fat diet will consist of approximately 25% fat, with the remaining calories coming from carbohydrates (approximately 55% after accounting for protein at around 20%). Added sugars will be kept relatively low (less than 25 g/day) with a focus on unprocessed carbohydrate-rich foods. Saturated fat will be limited to less than 10% of total energy, with a focus on unsaturated fat sources.
Ketogenic Diet	Diet	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans.
Ketogenic Diet	Blood Draw	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans.
Ketogenic Diet	Ketone/Glucose Monitoring	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans.
Ketogenic Diet	Body Composition	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans.
Ketogenic Diet	Urine Analysis	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans.
Ketogenic Diet	Neuropsychological Measures - ANAM	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans.
Ketogenic Diet + Ketone Salt	Diet	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans. This group will also be provided a ketone salt supplement to take x2 daily.
Ketogenic Diet + Ketone Salt	Blood Draw	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans. This group will also be provided a ketone salt supplement to take x2 daily.
Ketogenic Diet + Ketone Salt	Ketone/Glucose Monitoring	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans. This group will also be provided a ketone salt supplement to take x2 daily.
Ketogenic Diet + Ketone Salt	Body Composition	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans. This group will also be provided a ketone salt supplement to take x2 daily.
Ketogenic Diet + Ketone Salt	Urine Analysis	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans. This group will also be provided a ketone salt supplement to take x2 daily.
Ketogenic Diet + Ketone Salt	Neuropsychological Measures - ANAM	Participants will have all their meals prepared in the Instructional Kitchen in the Ohio Union, irrespective of group assignment. They will receive a daily caloric intake equal to 75% of their estimated requirement to maintain weight, which should result in weight loss over the 6-week period. For those in the ketogenic groups, daily macronutrient intake will consist of 35 g of carbohydrates and moderate protein calculated as 1.5 g/kg of reference weight. The remaining caloric intake will consist of fat. A wide range of whole foods will be incorporated into the meals, including non-starchy vegetables, meats, nuts and seeds, oils, cheese, butter, cream, and eggs. The menu will be shared with participants prior to enrolling in the study so they know what to expect in terms of the meal plans. This group will also be provided a ketone salt supplement to take x2 daily.
Low Fat Diet +Placebo	Blood Draw	The low-fat comparison group will also be provided all their food. Their diet will also be restricted in calories and have the same level of protein, but it will be lower in fat and higher in carbohydrate. The low-fat diet will consist of approximately 25% fat, with the remaining calories coming from carbohydrates (approximately 55% after accounting for protein at around 20%). Added sugars will be kept relatively low (less than 25 g/day) with a focus on unprocessed carbohydrate-rich foods. Saturated fat will be limited to less than 10% of total energy, with a focus on unsaturated fat sources.
Low Fat Diet +Placebo	Ketone/Glucose Monitoring	The low-fat comparison group will also be provided all their food. Their diet will also be restricted in calories and have the same level of protein, but it will be lower in fat and higher in carbohydrate. The low-fat diet will consist of approximately 25% fat, with the remaining calories coming from carbohydrates (approximately 55% after accounting for protein at around 20%). Added sugars will be kept relatively low (less than 25 g/day) with a focus on unprocessed carbohydrate-rich foods. Saturated fat will be limited to less than 10% of total energy, with a focus on unsaturated fat sources.
Low Fat Diet +Placebo	Body Composition	The low-fat comparison group will also be provided all their food. Their diet will also be restricted in calories and have the same level of protein, but it will be lower in fat and higher in carbohydrate. The low-fat diet will consist of approximately 25% fat, with the remaining calories coming from carbohydrates (approximately 55% after accounting for protein at around 20%). Added sugars will be kept relatively low (less than 25 g/day) with a focus on unprocessed carbohydrate-rich foods. Saturated fat will be limited to less than 10% of total energy, with a focus on unsaturated fat sources.
Low Fat Diet +Placebo	Urine Analysis	The low-fat comparison group will also be provided all their food. Their diet will also be restricted in calories and have the same level of protein, but it will be lower in fat and higher in carbohydrate. The low-fat diet will consist of approximately 25% fat, with the remaining calories coming from carbohydrates (approximately 55% after accounting for protein at around 20%). Added sugars will be kept relatively low (less than 25 g/day) with a focus on unprocessed carbohydrate-rich foods. Saturated fat will be limited to less than 10% of total energy, with a focus on unsaturated fat sources.
Low Fat Diet +Placebo	Neuropsychological Measures - ANAM	The low-fat comparison group will also be provided all their food. Their diet will also be restricted in calories and have the same level of protein, but it will be lower in fat and higher in carbohydrate. The low-fat diet will consist of approximately 25% fat, with the remaining calories coming from carbohydrates (approximately 55% after accounting for protein at around 20%). Added sugars will be kept relatively low (less than 25 g/day) with a focus on unprocessed carbohydrate-rich foods. Saturated fat will be limited to less than 10% of total energy, with a focus on unsaturated fat sources.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Lean Mass (kg)	up to six weeks	DEXA Scanning will be biweekly to assess lean mass
Daily Ketone/Glucose Monitoring	Up to 6 weeks	Daily fasting glucose/ketones will be assessed using capillary finger stick lancing. A small drop of blood will be obtained once daily, while fasting, using enzymatic strips fitted for a handheld analyzer (KetoMojo). All the data will be stored in the device's internal memory.
Fat Mass (kg)	up to six weeks	DEXA Scanning will be biweekly to assess fat mass
Insulin (mIU/L)	up to six weeks	Fasting venous blood will be collected biweekly.
Cholesterol (mg/dl)	up to six weeks	Fasting venous blood will be collected biweekly to measure cholesterol.
Glucose (mg/dL)	up to six weeks	Fasting venous blood will be collected biweekly.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Neuropsychological Outcome 1 - Spatial Processing (Throughput)	up to six weeks	The first cognitive assessment will be done via Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM). Measures visual spatial skills and mental rotation by having the users compare the equivalence of two 4-bar histograms, the first of which is displayed upright and the second of which is displayed after a 90° rotation either clockwise or counterclockwise. Results are measured by Throughput.
Neuropsychological Outcome 1 - Visual Short Term Memory (Throughput)	up to six weeks	The first cognitive assessment will be done via Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM). Measures verbal short-term memory by having the users memorize a set of characters and then indicate as single characters are presented on the screen whether the character was part of the memory set. Results are measured by throughput.
Neuropsychological Outcome 1 - Reaction time (Throughput)	up to six weeks	The first cognitive assessment will be done via Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics (ANAM). Measures SRT by presenting the user with a series of "\*" symbols to which they must respond as quickly as possible each time the symbol appears. Results are measured by throughput.
Urine Chemistries	up to 6 weeks	24 hour urine will be collected biweekly and analyzed for urine chemistries

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

The Ohio State University; 🇺🇸 Columbus, Ohio, United States