Repository logo
 

Novel ketone diet enhances physical and cognitive performance.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Murray, Andrew J 
Knight, Nicholas S 
Cole, Mark A 
Cochlin, Lowri E 
Carter, Emma 

Abstract

Ketone bodies are the most energy-efficient fuel and yield more ATP per mole of substrate than pyruvate and increase the free energy released from ATP hydrolysis. Elevation of circulating ketones via high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets has been used for the treatment of drug-refractory epilepsy and for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease. Ketones may also be beneficial for muscle and brain in times of stress, such as endurance exercise. The challenge has been to raise circulating ketone levels by using a palatable diet without altering lipid levels. We found that blood ketone levels can be increased and cholesterol and triglycerides decreased by feeding rats a novel ketone ester diet: chow that is supplemented with (R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate as 30% of calories. For 5 d, rats on the ketone diet ran 32% further on a treadmill than did control rats that ate an isocaloric diet that was supplemented with either corn starch or palm oil (P < 0.05). Ketone-fed rats completed an 8-arm radial maze test 38% faster than did those on the other diets, making more correct decisions before making a mistake (P < 0.05). Isolated, perfused hearts from rats that were fed the ketone diet had greater free energy available from ATP hydrolysis during increased work than did hearts from rats on the other diets as shown by using [31P]-NMR spectroscopy. The novel ketone diet, therefore, improved physical performance and cognitive function in rats, and its energy-sparing properties suggest that it may help to treat a range of human conditions with metabolic abnormalities.-Murray, A. J., Knight, N. S., Cole, M. A., Cochlin, L. E., Carter, E., Tchabanenko, K., Pichulik, T., Gulston, M. K., Atherton, H. J., Schroeder, M. A., Deacon, R. M. J., Kashiwaya, Y., King, M. T., Pawlosky, R., Rawlins, J. N. P., Tyler, D. J., Griffin, J. L., Robertson, J., Veech, R. L., Clarke, K. Novel ketone diet enhances physical and cognitive performance.

Description

Keywords

energetics, exercise, heart, metabolism, muscle, Animals, Cholesterol, Cognition, Diet, Dietary Carbohydrates, Dietary Fats, Energy Intake, Energy Metabolism, Feeding Behavior, Insulin, Ketones, Male, Rats, Wistar, Triglycerides

Journal Title

FASEB J

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0892-6638
1530-6860

Volume Title

30

Publisher

Wiley
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (MR/P011705/1)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/H013539/1)
A.J.M. thanks the Research Councils UK for supporting his Academic Fellowship. This work was supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.