HealthyKAVNCT06685913
The Effect of Ketone Esters on Forearm Glucose Metabolism
A study testing Ketone supplement in people with Healthy, run by University of Exeter at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
Ketones are naturally produced by our body and can affect our blood sugar levels. Ketones could be important tool for treating disease or recovering from exercise. The purpose of this research is to determine if a ketone drink can increase sugar uptake in our muscles. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 40 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Healthy
- What is being tested?
- Ketone supplement
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 14 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 11 Nov 2024to 1 Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 40 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18-40
Who cannot join
- Any diagnosed metabolic health condition
- Pregnant
- Smoker
- Diagnosed Cardiovascular disease
- Use of medications deemed by research team to affect study outcomes
- Recent history of musculoskeletal injury
- Aged >40 or <18
- Allergy to ingredients in the supplement, including ketones, lactose or milk protein
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United Kingdom1 site
Nutritional Physiology Research Unit, University of Exeter
Exeter, Devon, EX1 2LU
About this study
Ketones are naturally produced by our body and can affect our blood sugar levels. Ketones could be important tool for treating disease or recovering from exercise. The purpose of this research is to determine if a ketone drink can increase sugar uptake in our muscles. This research will provide new knowledge about the regulation of blood sugar.
Read the detailed description
Impaired skeletal muscle glucose uptake following a meal ("insulin resistance"), is a primary risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. We and others have consistently shown that ingesting exogenous ketones can reduce blood glucose concentration. Mechanistically, this must arise through reduced glucose release (i.e. from liver), and/or increased uptake (i.e. into skeletal muscle). Our current MRC-funded work is focussing on ketone-liver interactions in patients with type 2 diabetes. Here we aim to investigate how KE influence skeletal muscle glucose metabolism.
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Being tested
- Ketone supplement, Placebo supplement
- Keywords
- Blood glucose, Ketone monoester, Substrate metabolism
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Ketone supplementDietary supplement
100 mL flavoured drink containing 0.3 g/kg ketone monoester ((R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate; ΔG®, University of Oxford; https://www.deltagketones.com) consumed 30 min prior to a mixed meal tolerance test
Placebo supplementDietary supplement
Placebo with bitter agent to flavour match, consumed 30 min prior to a mixed meal tolerance test
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Ketone supplementation | Experimental | 100 mL flavoured drink containing 0.3 g/kg ketone monoester ((R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate; ΔG®, University of Oxford; https://www.deltagketones.com) Receives: Dietary Supplement: Ketone supplement |
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | Placebo with bitter agent to flavour match Receives: Dietary Supplement: Placebo supplement |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Forearm glucose net balance
Net balance of blood glucose across a forearm following a mixed meal tolerance test
Measured: 3 hours
Secondary outcomes (4)
Forearm non-esterified fatty acid net balance
Net balance of blood non-esterified fatty acids across a forearm after a mixed meal tolerance test
Measured: 3 hours
Forearm amino acid net balance
Net balance of blood amino acids across a forearm following a mixed meal tolerance test
Measured: 3 hours
Serum insulin concentrations
Insulin concentration using ELISA assay over 4 and 8 hours following a meal
Measured: 3 hours
Ketone concentration
Ketone concentration using colorimetric assay over 4 and 8 hours following a meal
Measured: 3 hours
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 Nov 2024
- Study start11 Nov 2024
- Primary completion28 Jan 2026
- Study completion1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for HealthyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 14 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Exeter
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- George F Pavis, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Exeter
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06685913
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 5390017
- Acronym
- KAV
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 11 Nov 2024
- Last updated
- 8 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Anonymised data will be made available on open access public repositories
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Ketone Esters on Forearm Glucose Metabolism
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06685913
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- KAV / 5390017
- Conditions
- Healthy
- Keywords
- Blood glucose, Ketone monoester, Substrate metabolism
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 14 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of ExeterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 11 Nov 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 28 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 13 Nov 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Ketones are naturally produced by our body and can affect our blood sugar levels. Ketones could be important tool for treating disease or recovering from exercise. The purpose of this research is to determine if a ketone drink can increase sugar uptake in our muscles. This research will provide new knowledge about the regulation of blood sugar.
Detailed description
Impaired skeletal muscle glucose uptake following a meal ("insulin resistance"), is a primary risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. We and others have consistently shown that ingesting exogenous ketones can reduce blood glucose concentration. Mechanistically, this must arise through reduced glucose release (i.e. from liver), and/or increased uptake (i.e. into skeletal muscle). Our current MRC-funded work is focussing on ketone-liver interactions in patients with type 2 diabetes. Here we aim to investigate how KE influence skeletal muscle glucose metabolism.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Ketone supplementation | Experimental | Dietary Supplement: Ketone supplement100 mL flavoured drink containing 0.3 g/kg ketone monoester ((R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate; ΔG®, University of Oxford; https://www.deltagketones.com) |
| Placebo | Placebo comparator | Dietary Supplement: Placebo supplementPlacebo with bitter agent to flavour match |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Age 18-40
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Any diagnosed metabolic health condition
- Pregnant
- Smoker
- Diagnosed Cardiovascular disease
- Use of medications deemed by research team to affect study outcomes
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Ketone supplement100 mL flavoured drink containing 0.3 g/kg ketone monoester ((R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate; ΔG®, University of Oxford; https://www.deltagketones.com) consumed 30 min prior to a mixed meal tolerance test | Dietary supplement | Ketone supplementation |
| Placebo supplementPlacebo with bitter agent to flavour match, consumed 30 min prior to a mixed meal tolerance test | Dietary supplement | Placebo |
Primary outcome
Forearm glucose net balance
Time frame: 3 hours
Net balance of blood glucose across a forearm following a mixed meal tolerance test
4 secondary outcomes
Forearm non-esterified fatty acid net balance
Time frame: 3 hours
Forearm amino acid net balance
Time frame: 3 hours
Serum insulin concentrations
Time frame: 3 hours
Ketone concentration
Time frame: 3 hours
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Anonymised data will be made available on open access public repositories
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
George F Pavis, PhD principal investigator
University of Exeter
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Ketone supplement in people with Healthy, run by University of Exeter at 1 site in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Forearm glucose net balance (time frame: 3 hours). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 May 2026.