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NCT07082309: WAKM
The Effect of Ketone Monoesters on Skeletal Muscle Protein Synthesis and Whole-body Protein Metabolism.
NA trial testing Ketone Monoester (KE) and whey protein beverage in Healthy Participants in 12 participants. Currently enrolling.
1 July 2026
Quick facts
| Lead sponsor | University of Exeter |
|---|---|
| Phase | NA |
| Status | Recruiting now |
| Study type | INTERVENTIONAL |
| Allocation | randomized |
| Design | crossover |
| Masking | double |
| Primary purpose | basic science |
| Enrollment | 12 |
| Start date | 4 June 2025 |
| Primary completion | 1 July 2026 |
| Estimated completion | 1 July 2027 |
| Sites | 1 location across United Kingdom |
Drugs / interventions tested
- Ketone Monoester (KE) and whey protein beverage
- Control
Conditions studied
- Healthy Participants — all drugs for Healthy Participants →
Sponsor
University of Exeter
Who can join
Adults 18 to 40, any sex, with Healthy Participants. Healthy volunteers can join.
What's being measured
Primary outcomes are the specific endpoints the trial is designed to prove or disprove.
-
Skeletal muscle protein synthesis rates (FSR)
Time frame: 5 hours (2 hours postabsorptive, 3 hours postprandial)
Skeletal muscle protein synthesis rates
Sponsor's own description
The ketone β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) is endogenously produced during periods of low glucose availability, serving as an alternative metabolic fuel. Beyond its role as an energy substrate, BHB acts as a pleiotropic signalling molecule, modulating various physiological processes across multiple tissues. BHB can also be ingested orally as a ketone monoester, transiently elevating plasma concentrations of BHB to a level similar to those seen following several days of fasting, thereby obviating the need for dietary manipulation. The influence of BHB on human skeletal muscle protein metabolism remains poorly understood, although emerging evidence suggests that BHB may play a role in regulating muscle protein turnover. As such, BHB supplementation may support skeletal muscle remodelling and offer therapeutic benefits, and investigating this is of considerable interest. This study will investigate the ability of oral BHB ingestion - co-ingested with protein - to stimulate skeletal muscle anabolism in young healthy adults. A dual amino acid stable isotope tracer approach will be utilised to determine postprandial (i.e., fed state) muscle protein synthesis (MPS) rates and whole-body amino acid kinetics, given BHBs systemic effects. This research will advance our understanding of the fundamental biology of exogenous ketosis and provide insight into the potential of BHB supplementation as a novel nutritional strategy to optimise muscle mass and quality.
Publications & conference data
No peer-reviewed publications indexed yet for this trial.
Verify or expand the search:
- PubMed search for NCT07082309
- Europe PMC full search
- ASCO Meeting Library
- ESMO Meeting Library
- bioRxiv preprints
- medRxiv preprints
- Google Scholar
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Verify against primary sources
- ClinicalTrials.gov — authoritative US registry record
- WHO ICTRP — international registry index
- EU Clinical Trials Register
- Sponsor press releases (Google)
- Trial protocol + status: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07082309 (US National Library of Medicine, public domain)
- Drug + disease cross-links: matched in real time against Drug Landscape's normalised drug + company + condition tables
- Sponsor: as reported to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Exeter
- Last refreshed: 15 July 2025
Drug Landscape aggregates and links these public records for informational use only. Always verify against the primary source before clinical or regulatory decisions. Canonical URL: https://druglandscape.com/trial/NCT07082309.
Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing