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Effects of Acute Ketone Supplementation on the Brain

Christopher Crabtree · NCT07711990

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Opens the official ClinicalTrials.gov record, with the study team’s contacts. Bored Studies doesn’t enroll anyone.

Key facts

Compensation
Not posted. Ask the study team before screening.
Who can join
Ages 45–65 · All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Accepted
Study type
Interventional · Not applicable
Target enrollment
24
US sites recruiting
1
Study start
June 15, 2026
Record last updated
July 17, 2026

Status re-checked against ClinicalTrials.gov within the last 12 hours.

What the study is about

The purpose of this study is to determine how a ketone ester supplement affects brain function, brain blood flow, and brain metabolism in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Ketones are naturally produced by the body during periods of fasting or carbohydrate restriction and serve as an alternative fuel source for the brain. Researchers are interested in whether increasing blood ketone levels through supplementation can alter brain activity and blood flow in ways that may support healthy brain function.

Participants will consume a ketone ester supplement and a placebo in separate study visits. Brain imaging, blood measurements, and cognitive testing will be used to evaluate the effects of each intervention. Findings from this study will help researchers better understand how ketones influence the healthy aging brain and may provide preliminary data for future studies in populations at risk for cognitive decline.

Being studied: Ketone Ester Drink; Placebo

Conditions: Brain Health

Eligibility criteria

Copied from the official record. The study team makes the final decision at screening.

Show full criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Age ≥45 years and ≤65 years
  • Able to comply with study requirements including presenting for each test session following an overnight fast and not following a ketogenic diet during the duration of the study.
  • BMI between 18.5 and 30 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria

  • Non-English Speaking
  • Currently taking a ketone ester supplement, ketone salt supplement, or on a ketogenic diet
  • Pregnancy, a urine pregnancy test will be given to all women before scanning to confirm nonpregnant status
  • Currently breastfeeding
  • Allergies to components in the test products, including milk protein, and not lactose intolerant
  • History of high blood pressure
  • History of alcoholism (previous 2 years)
  • History of illicit drug use
  • History of head trauma involving loss of consciousness or skull fracture
  • Diagnosed neurological disease
  • Taking psychiatric prescriptive medications (antipsychotics, antidepressants, or barbiturates) or over-the-counter (OTC) medications (other than those taken as nutritional supplements for non-therapeutic indications)
  • Current smoker
  • Currently consuming a habitual ketogenic diet, or was consuming a habitual ketogenic diet in the past three months
  • Any condition or material in the body that is a contraindication for MRI procedures

Recruiting US locations

  • The Ohio State University

    Columbus, OH 43210

    Site contact: Christopher Crabtree, Ph.D. · 614-688-5623 · Chrisstopher.Crabtree@osumc.edu

Study contacts (from the official record)

  • Christopher Crabtree, Ph.D. · 614-688-5623 · Christopher.Crabtree@osumc.edu
All healthy volunteers studies in Ohio →
Effects of Acute Ketone Supplementation on the Brain (NCT07711990) | Bored Studies