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Ketone Ester and Salt (KEAS) in Young Adults

Ketone Supplementation as a Strategy to Reduce the Negative Health Effects of High Dietary Salt in Young Adults

Who can join

Ages 19 to 39 · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome

Inclusion Criteria:

* Between the ages of 19-39
* Resting blood pressure no higher than 150/90
* BMI below 35 kg/m2 (or otherwise healthy)
* Free of any metabolic disease (diabetes or renal), pulmonary disorders (COPD, severe asthma, \& cystic fibrosis), cardiovascular disease (peripheral vascular, cardiac, or cerebrovascular)
* Do not have any precluding medical conditions that prevent participants from exercising (i.e., cardiovascular issues, or muscle/joint issues including painful arthritis) or giving blood (e.g., blood thinners).

Exclusion Criteria:

* High blood pressure - greater than 150/90 mmHg
* Obesity (BMI \> 30 kg/m2)
* History of metabolic disease (diabetes or renal disease), pulmonary disorders (e.g., COPD, severe asthma, \& cystic fibrosis), and cardiovascular disease (peripheral vascular, cardiac, or cerebrovascular).
* Medical issues that prevent safe exercise (i.e., cardiovascular issues, or muscle/joint issues including painful arthritis)
* Medical issues that prevent giving blood (e.g., blood thinners).
* Current smoking, using smokeless tobacco, or vaping (within past 12 months)
* Current pregnancy

About the study

Most Americans consume excess dietary salt based on the recommendations set by the American Heart Association and Dietary Guidelines for Americans. High dietary salt impairs the ability of systemic blood vessels and the kidneys to control blood pressure, which contributes to excess salt consumption being associated with increased risk for chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in America. There is a critical need for strategies to counteract the effects of high dietary salt as consumption is likely not going to decrease. One promising option is ketones, metabolites that are produced in the liver during prolonged exercise and very low-calorie diets. While exercise and low-calorie diets are beneficial, not many people engage in these activities. However, limited evidence indicates that ketone supplements improve cardiovascular health in humans. Additionally published rodent data indicates that ketone supplements prevent high salt-induced increases in blood pressure, blood vessel dysfunction, and kidney injury. Our human pilot data also indicates that high dietary salt reduces intrinsic ketone production, but it is unclear whether ketone supplementation confers humans protection against high salt similar to rodents. Therefore, the investigators seek to conduct a short-term high dietary salt study to determine whether ketone supplementation prevents high dietary salt from eliciting increased blood pressure, blood vessel dysfunction, and kidney injury/impaired blood flow. The investigators will also measure inflammatory markers in blood samples and isolate immune cells that control inflammation. Lastly, the investigators will also measure blood ketone concentration and other circulating metabolites that may be altered by high salt, which could allow us to determine novel therapeutic targets to combat high salt.

What is being tested

• No Salt, No β-OHB (dietary supplement)
• High Salt, No β-OHB (dietary supplement)
• High Salt, High β-OHB (dietary supplement)

Sponsor: Indiana University · Participants: 35 · Started: Mar 24, 2023

Contact the study team

• Austin T Robinson, PhD · Phone: 5745141034
• Kallie E Dawkins, MS · Phone: 8505566251

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT05545501

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• High Blood Pressure

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.