Ketone Supplementation and Exercise Performance

Can Ketone Supplementation Enhance Exercise Performance?

The purpose of this study is to observe the effects of exogenous ketone supplements during shorter bouts of exercise testing on twenty collegiate endurance trained athletes (18-25 years of age).

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.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy male or female Collegiate Endurance Trained Athletes
• ≥2 year training experience; ≥7 h/week
• Ages 18-25

Exclusion Criteria:

• Smoker
• Injury that will affect exercise performance
• Sedentary Behaviour
• Currently following a High Fat diet/Ketogenic diet
• Taking Beta Blockers or Hypertension Medication
• Has Respiratory, Cardiovascular and/or Neuromuscular disease that is not cleared for exercise by a physician.