Ketogenic diet to help muscle in older adults with pneumonia
Official title: Ketogenic Approach to Restore Muscle in older patients with community-Acquired Pneumonia - KARMA-P Trial
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11282391 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small trial will test if a short 10-day ketogenic (low carb, high fat) feeding helps preserve muscle and speed recovery in people 65 and older hospitalized with pneumonia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $409,750 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AG098466-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11282391 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults (65+) hospitalized with bacterial pneumonia who can ingest food orally.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who cannot tolerate a high-fat ketogenic diet or have contraindications to ketogenic feeding may not benefit.
What this research studies
This study will enroll hospitalized adults over 65 with bacterial community-acquired pneumonia and randomly assign them to either ketogenic enteral feeding or standard hospital feeding for 10 days. Researchers will measure muscle mass with ultrasound, monitor blood inflammation and metabolism, and analyze gut bacteria from rectal swabs at several time points including discharge and one month later. The trial is designed to test safety, feasibility, and to estimate the effect size for potential benefits on recovery and functional outcomes. If ketogenic feeding proves workable and beneficial, it could lead to new nutritional strategies to reduce muscle loss and improve recovery in older patients with severe pneumonia.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could help older patients maintain muscle, shorten hospital stays, and improve overall recovery after pneumonia.
How similar studies have gone: Previous early data suggest ketogenic feeding may reduce inflammation and support metabolism in hospitalized patients, but larger studies are needed.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mankowski, Robert T — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Mankowski, Robert T
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.