CI

At a glance

ClinicalIndex Comparison Record
N/ACompleted· 99 enrolled
Drug / intervention
Ketone Ester drink +1 moredietary
Likely dose
Not stated in record
Structured eligibility isn't available for this trial yet — see the full criteria in the Eligibility tab below.

Standardized by ClinicalIndex from the ClinicalTrials.gov record · verify against the source.

Search/NCT04421014
NCT04421014N/ACompleted

Ketone Ester Effects on Biomarkers of Brain Metabolism and Cognitive Performance in Cognitively Intact Adults >= 55 Years Old. A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

National Institute on Aging (NIA)·interventional·Posted Jun 9, 2020·Updated Apr 2, 2026

In Brief

A clinical study evaluating Ketone Ester drink and Placebo: isocaloric dextrose drink for Metabolic Syndrome and Normal Cognition. Completed, enrolled 99 participants across 1 site.

Detailed Summary

Background: In Alzheimer s disease (AD) the brain cannot use glucose as a fuel. The brain can use ketones as a fuel instead of glucose. Researchers want to test a supplement, Ketone Ester (KE). It may improve brain metabolic function and cognition in normal people and, perhaps, down the road, in patients with AD. Objective: To study the change in brain ketone levels in people after 28 days of taking KE compared with baseline and placebo. Also, to study changes in cognitive performance. Eligibility: People 55 years old or older with metabolic syndrome and no cognitive impairment Design: Participants will have 4 visits. Participants will be screened at Visit 1 with: Medical history Physical exam Blood and urine tests Cognitive testing Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the study supplement or a placebo with same amount of calories. Neither they nor the researchers will know which they receive. Visit 2 will include repeats of some screening tests. It will also include: Stool sample (brought from home) MRI/MRS: Participants will lie on a table that slides in and out of a scanner. A coil will be placed over their head. They may be asked to perform leg exercises. First dose of study supplement or placebo About 2 weeks after Visit 2, Visit 3 will include blood and urine tests and a questionnaire. About 2 weeks after Visit 3, Visit 4 will include repeats of the Visit 2 tests. Participants will drink the study supplement or placebo 3 times per day during the study. They will keep a daily log of each dose. They will bring the log to Visits 3 and 4. Participants will by contacted by phone once per week during the study to see how they are doing. ...

Study Details

Study Typeinterventional
Allocation--
Masking--
Primary Purpose--
CountriesUnited States
Collaborators--

Timeline

N/ACompletedFinished
202120222023202420252026
First PostedJun 9, 2020
Enrollment StartJun 24, 2021
Primary CompletionJun 2, 2025
TodayJul 2, 2026
Enrollment to primary: 3.9 yearsPosted 6.1 years ago

Interventions

Ketone Ester drinkdietary

The main ingredient of the Ketone Ester drink \[(R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate)\] is regulated as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) substance by the FDA (https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fdcc/index.cfm?set=GRASNotices\&id=515). The Ketone Ester compound is already being sold in the market as a ketogenic supplement and is especially popular among athletes, such as cyclists (sold by the official website of the company TdeltaS(R) Global (https://www.deltagketones.com/products/g-ketone-performance). The dose and formulation (25 g of KE contained in 59 ml of a drink), daily scheme (3 times daily) and total duration (28 days) are identical to a previous safety human study. The Ketone Ester drink provided by DeltaG will be repackaged by the NIA Pharmacist into new bottles identical to the ones that will be used for the placebo to ensure the blinding of participants and researchers to the drink.

Placebo: isocaloric dextrose drinkdietary

The main content of the Placebo will be an aqueous solution containing approximately 35 g of dextrose, a fruity flavor powder and stevia. We will also add Denatonium Benzoate (Bittrex) to match the bitterness of the Ketone Ester drink. The placebo will be prepared and dispensed by the NIA Pharmacist.