Quantification of Ketosis After Intake of Coconut Oil and Caprylic Acid-With and Without Glucose-After a 12-hour Fast

Overview

In a cross-over design, 15 participants, age 65-75, will be tested in six different arms in a randomised order. After a 12-hour fast participants will be served 2.5 dl coffee with 15 g cream + 30-50 g of different fatty acids, with or without 50 g glucose. Blood ketones and other biomarkers will be measured during 4 hours.

In the metabolic state ketosis, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and acetoacetate are synthesised from fatty acids in the liver, resulting in higher circulating levels. Ketosis can be induced by fasting or adherence to a low-carb-high-fat diet, but also by intake of-at least some-medium-chain-triglycerides (MCT). MCT are built from fatty acids with a chain of 6-12 carbon atoms. Caprylic acid (C8) is well known to be ketogenic, but the effect of lauric acid (C12)-constituting about 50% of coconut oil-is less clear. The aim of this study is to assess ketosis, as a combined effect of an extended overnight fast, and intake of coconut oil or C8, and to study how ketosis is affected by simultaneous glucose intake. Sunflower oil is used as control, expected to not break fasting ketosis, although not being ketogenic in itself. Some sunflower oil is also added to C8 to make that arm isocaloric with coconut oil, with a roughly similar proportion of MCT. Coffee with cream will be used as a vehicle, and although coffee has been reported to be mildly ketogenic, this effect is expected to be negligible and equally distributed between arms.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes