A Ketone Ester Drink Lowers Human Ghrelin and Appetite

Objective The ketones d‐β‐hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and acetoacetate are elevated during prolonged fasting or during a “ketogenic” diet. Although weight loss on a ketogenic diet may be associated with decreased appetite and altered gut hormone levels, it is unknown whether such changes are caused by ele...

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Published inObesity (Silver Spring, Md.) Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 269 - 273
Main Authors Stubbs, Brianna J., Cox, Pete J., Evans, Rhys D., Cyranka, Malgorzata, Clarke, Kieran, de Wet, Heidi
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.02.2018
Subjects
Adult
Appetite - physiology
Beverages - analysis
Cross-Over Studies
Esters - administration & dosage
Esters - pharmacology
Esters - therapeutic use
Female
Ghrelin - blood
Humans
Hunger - physiology
Ketones - administration & dosage
Ketones - pharmacology
Ketones - therapeutic use
Male
Single-Blind Method
Young Adult
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Summary:Objective The ketones d‐β‐hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and acetoacetate are elevated during prolonged fasting or during a “ketogenic” diet. Although weight loss on a ketogenic diet may be associated with decreased appetite and altered gut hormone levels, it is unknown whether such changes are caused by elevated blood ketones. This study investigated the effects of an exogenous ketone ester (KE) on appetite. Methods Following an overnight fast, subjects with normal weight (n = 15) consumed 1.9 kcal/kg of KE, or isocaloric dextrose (DEXT), in drinks matched for volume, taste, tonicity, and color. Blood samples were analyzed for BHB, glucose, insulin, ghrelin, glucagon‐like peptide 1 (GLP‐1), and peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY), and a three‐measure visual analogue scale was used to measure hunger, fullness, and desire to eat. Results KE consumption increased blood BHB levels from 0.2 to 3.3 mM after 60 minutes. DEXT consumption increased plasma glucose levels between 30 and 60 minutes. Postprandial plasma insulin, ghrelin, GLP‐1, and PYY levels were significantly lower 2 to 4 hours after KE consumption, compared with DEXT consumption. Temporally related to the observed suppression of ghrelin, reported hunger and desire to eat were also significantly suppressed 1.5 hours after consumption of KE, compared with consumption of DEXT. Conclusions Increased blood ketone levels may directly suppress appetite, as KE drinks lowered plasma ghrelin levels, perceived hunger, and desire to eat.
Bibliography:BJS, KC, and PJC designed the research studies. BJS, PJC, HdW and RDE carried out the studies. BJS, HdW, and MC analyzed the data. BJS wrote the paper with help from MC, HdW, and KC. HdW had primary responsibility for the final content. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Research Ethics Committee (NHS Queen's Square 14/LO/0288)
This work was undertaken as part of an Industrial DPhil Fellowship to BJS from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851. TΔS Ltd. provided the ketone ester, ΔG.
www.hra.nhs.uk
Disclosure
The intellectual property covering the uses of ketones and ketone esters is owned by BTG Ltd., the University of Oxford, the National Institutes of Health, and TΔS Ltd. Should royalties ever accrue from these patents, Professor Kieran Clarke and Dr. Pete Cox, as inventors, will receive a share of the royalties under the terms proscribed by Oxford University. Professor Kieran Clarke is a director of TΔS Ltd., a company spun out of the University of Oxford to develop and commercialize products based on the science of ketone bodies in human nutrition. BJS was an employee of TΔS Ltd.
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Author contributions
ISSN:1930-7381
1930-739X
DOI:10.1002/oby.22051