To examine the acute changes in cardiometabolic and neurocognitive outcomes in response to exercise combined with ketone ester supplement in overweight/obese adults.
The prevalence of excess body weight and associated medical burdens (i.e., cardiometabolic and neurocognitive impairments) have been rising over the past several decades globally. The combination of exercise and ketone supplementation has been recently proposed as one of the solutions with potential clinical value, of which the interventional effects and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The current study aims at (1) investigating the additive effects of ketone ester supplements to exercise in aspects of cardiorespiratory fitness, metabolism, and neurocognitive status, and (2) examining how the exercise type (HIIE \[high-intensity interval exercise\] vs. MICE \[moderate-intensity continuous exercise\]) influences the cardiometabolic and neurocognitive responses of the exercise-diet regime. For each of the 30 participants, six experimental trials will be performed in a randomized trial with a counterbalanced order: (1) HIIE-KT condition (HIIE with ketone supplements); (2) MICE-KT condition (MICE with ketone supplements); (3) NE-KT condition (non-exercise with ketone supplements); (4) HIIE-PLA condition (HIIE with taste-matched placebo); (5) MICE-PLA condition; and (6) NE-PLA condition. Cardiometabolic and neurocognitive parameters will be assessed before and after 30, 60, and 90 min subsequently ketone ester supplements.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
20
Exogenous ketones are a class of ketone bodies that are ingested using nutritional supplements or foods. This class of ketone bodies refers to the three water-soluble ketones (acetoacetate, β-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone).
High-intensity interval exercise is a type of interval training exercise. It incorporates several rounds that alternate between several minutes of high-intensity movements to significantly increase the heart rate to at least 80% of one's maximum heart rate, followed by short periods of lower-intensity movements. The exercise will be conducted on a computer-monitored cycle ergometer.
Maximal Oxygen Uptake
The measurement name is "maximal oxygen uptake". It will be assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) equipment, such as cycle ergometers, along with a metabolic cart for measuring oxygen consumption. The unit of measurement is milliliters of oxygen per kilogram per minute(mL/kg/min).
Time frame: 2 weeks
Systolic Blood Pressure
The measurement name is "systolic blood pressure". It will be assessed by a blood pressure monitor in laboratory settings. The unit of measurement is millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Diastolic Blood Pressure
The measurement name is "diastolic blood pressure". It will be assessed by a blood pressure monitor in laboratory settings. The unit of measurement is millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Concentration of Blood Lipid
The measurement name is "blood lipid". It will be assessed by the cholestene system in laboratory settings. The unit of measurement is milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Concentration of Blood Glucose
The measurement name is "blood glucose". It will be assessed by a glucometer in laboratory settings. The unit of measurement is millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Concentration of Blood Beta-Hydroxybutyrate
The measurement name is "blood beta-hydroxybutyrate". It will be assessed by specific ketone meters designed for beta-hydroxybutyrate measurement. The unit of measurement is millimoles per liter (mmol/L).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Concentration of Blood Lactic Acid
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Moderate-intensity continuous exercise generally consists of 30-60 min of aerobic exercise at 64-76% peak heart rate, while interval training involves more intense bouts interspersed by recovery periods. The exercise will be conducted on a computer-monitored cycle ergometer.
The placebo will be the taste-matched water.
The measurement name is "blood lactic acid". It will be assessed by lactate monitor in laboratory settings. The unit of measurement is millimoles per litre (mmol/L).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Concentration of Blood Insulin
The measurement name is "blood insulin". It will be assessed by immunoassay system (chemiluminescence immunoassay analyzer) using blood samples. The unit of measurement is microunits per milliliter (μU/mL).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Reaction Time of Stroop Task
The measurement name is "reaction time of stroop task". The measurement will be assessed by psychological paradigm named Stroop Task. The unit of measurement is milliseconds (ms).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Accuracy of Stroop Task
The measurement name is "accuracy of Stroop task". The measurement will be assessed by psychological paradigm named Stroop Task. Accuracy is generally measured as a percentage (%).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Reaction Time of N-back Task
The measurement name is "reaction time of N-back task". The measurement will be assessed by psychological paradigm named N-back task. The unit of measurement is milliseconds (ms).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Accuracy of N-back Task
The measurement name is "accuracy of N-back task". The measurement will be assessed by psychological paradigm named N-back task. Accuracy is generally measured as a percentage (%).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Cerebral Hemoglobin Concentration
The measurement name is "cerebral hemoglobin concentration". The measurement will be assessed by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The unit of measurement is micromoles per liter (μM).
Time frame: 6 weeks
Arousal Level
The measurement name is "arousal level". It will be assessed by the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale in laboratory settings. The level is scored 0-5 (no special unit).
Time frame: 6 weeks