Ketone supplement effects on brain blood flow during exercise at high altitude
Official title: The Effect of Ketone Monoester Supplementation and High Altitude on Exercising Cerebral Blood Flow
Run by McMaster University · NCT07063732 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will test whether a single dose of a ketone monoester supplement changes when people reach their ventilatory threshold and how blood speed in brain arteries responds during maximal exercise at low and high altitude.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 35 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 14 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | McMaster University Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Bishop, California and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | May 28, 2025 |
| Main results expected | August 31, 2025 |
| Study ends | August 31, 2025 |
| Registry record updated | July 14, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07063732 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are healthy adult expedition team members traveling to the Barcroft Research Station who are BMI ≤30, non-smokers, not pregnant, not following a ketogenic diet, and not taking prescription medications (oral contraceptives allowed).
✕Probably not a fit
People with a history of heart, lung, blood vessel, or kidney disease, current smokers, those with BMI >30, on prescription medications, pregnant individuals, or people already on ketogenic diets or supplements are unlikely to be eligible or benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Healthy adult members of a research expedition will receive a single acute dose of ketone monoester (0.6 g/kg) or a placebo before performing a maximal exercise test at both low altitude and at the Barcroft Research Station high-altitude site. The study measures the ventilatory threshold during exercise and the subsequent blood velocity in cerebral arteries using noninvasive ultrasound/Doppler methods. Participants must meet strict health criteria (no major cardiopulmonary or kidney disease, non-smokers, BMI ≤30, not on most prescription medications, not following a ketogenic diet). The crossover-like design compares responses after ketone versus placebo to see if ketone ingestion alters ventilatory and cerebral hemodynamic responses to maximal exercise in hypoxia.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to a simple nutritional option to help preserve brain blood flow and modify breathlessness timing during intense exercise at high altitude.
How similar studies have gone: Prior small studies have shown ketone esters alter metabolism and sometimes affect exercise performance or brain metabolism, but applying them to cerebral blood flow responses at high altitude is relatively novel and not well established.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: \- Must be a member of the research expedition team travelling to the Barcroft Research Station in White Mountain California Exclusion Criteria: * BMI \> 30 * No prescribed medications (oral contraceptives excluded) * History of smoking * Currently following a ketogenic diet or consuming exogenous ketogenic supplements * History of heart, lung, blood vessel, or kidney disease * Currently pregnant
Where it's running
-
Barcroft Research Station
Bishop, California, United States Recruiting -
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, Canada Recruiting
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.