~20 spots leftby Jun 2026

Exogenous Ketones for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

(KETO-SLEEP 1 Trial)

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)
Dr. Jonathan Jun, MD - Baltimore, MD ...
Overseen byJonathan Jun, MD
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Travel: May Be Covered
Time Reimbursement: Varies
Trial Phase: Phase 1
Recruiting
Sponsor: Johns Hopkins University
Must not be taking: Opiates, Acetazolamide, SGLT2 inhibitors
Disqualifiers: Concomitant sleep disorder, Respiratory impairment, Pregnancy, others
No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a common medical disorder that is associated with reduced quality of life and higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Treatments for OSA and limited and not well tolerated. Our lab has shown that a low carbohydrate, high fat ketogenic diet (KD) can reduce OSA severity. Since it can be challenging to adhere to a ketogenic diet, the investigators propose that ingesting exogenous ketones can be an alternative method to improve OSA. Specifically the investigators will examine the effect of taking a commercially available product (Ketone-IQ) at bedtime on overnight ketones and sleep quality. The investigators will also examine the effect of Ketone-IQ on sleep apnea severity, compared to placebo. This project will examine the pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and sleep impacts of ingesting exogenous ketones before sleep in patients with sleep apnea, while under treatment for OSA. \[Aim 2: Examine the preliminary efficacy of ingesting exogenous ketones before sleep on OSA\]
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you use nightly medications that affect breathing or SGLT2 inhibitors.

Is the use of exogenous ketones safe for humans?

Research indicates that exogenous ketones, such as ketone monoesters and diesters, are generally safe for human consumption. Studies have shown they are well-tolerated, although some people may experience mild gastrointestinal effects, especially at higher doses.

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How does the treatment Ketone-IQ differ from other treatments for obstructive sleep apnea?

Ketone-IQ is unique because it uses exogenous ketones, which are compounds that can provide an alternative energy source for the brain, potentially improving sleep-related issues. Unlike traditional treatments for obstructive sleep apnea, which often involve devices or surgeries, Ketone-IQ focuses on altering metabolism to support better sleep.

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Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), a condition that disrupts sleep and can lead to health problems. Participants should be currently receiving treatment for OSA but are looking for additional ways to improve their sleep quality.

Inclusion Criteria

I am between 18 and 65 years old with a BMI between 18 and 35.
I have been diagnosed with moderate to severe sleep apnea.
I use my CPAP machine regularly, at least 4 hours on most nights.
+1 more

Exclusion Criteria

I do not have any sleep disorders.
Currently on a low carbohydrate (<130 g carbohydrate/day) or ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, or consuming exogenous ketones
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
+5 more

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants ingest exogenous ketones (Ketone IQ) or placebo before sleep to assess pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and sleep impacts

2 weeks
Multiple nights of in-home monitoring

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

Participant Groups

The study tests if taking Ketone-IQ, an exogenous ketone supplement, at bedtime can improve overnight ketones and sleep quality in OSA patients. It compares the effects of this supplement to a placebo on how severe the sleep apnea is.
1Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Ketone InterventionExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants with sleep apnea using CPAP will undergo open-label procedures. They will ingest (1) nothing, (2) Ketone IQ 20 g or (3) Ketone IQ 40 g before bedtime and undergo objective and subjective sleep assessments.

Find a Clinic Near You

Research Locations NearbySelect from list below to view details:
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical CenterBaltimore, MD
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Johns Hopkins UniversityLead Sponsor
KETONE-IQCollaborator
HVMN IncIndustry Sponsor

References

Exogenous Ketosis Improves Sleep Efficiency and Counteracts the Decline in REM Sleep after Strenuous Exercise. [2023]Available evidence indicates that ketone bodies may improve sleep quality. Therefore, we determined whether ketone ester (KE) intake could counteract sleep disruptions induced by strenuous exercise.
Tolerability and Acceptability of an Exogenous Ketone Monoester and Ketone Monoester/Salt Formulation in Humans. [2023]Exogenous ketone ester and ketone ester mixed with ketone free acid formulations are rapidly entering the commercial marketspace. Short-term animal and human studies using these products suggest significant potential for primary or secondary prevention of a number of chronic disease conditions. However, a number of questions need to be addressed by the field for optimal use in humans, including variable responses among available exogenous ketones at different dosages; frequency of dosing; and their tolerability, acceptability, and efficacy in long-term clinical trials. The purpose of the current investigation was to examine the tolerability, acceptability, and circulating R-beta-hydroxybutyrate (R-βHB) and glucose responses to a ketone monoester (KME) and ketone monoester/salt (KMES) combination at 5 g and 10 g total R-βHB compared with placebo control (PC). Fourteen healthy young adults (age: 21 ± 2 years, weight: 69.7 ± 14.2 kg, percent fat: 28.1 ± 9.3%) completed each of the five study conditions: placebo control (PC), 5 g KME (KME5), 10 g KME (KME10), 5 g (KMES5), and 10 g KMES (KMES10) in a randomized crossover fashion. Circulating concentrations of R-βHB were measured at baseline (time 0) following an 8-12 h overnight fast and again at 15, 30, 60, and 120 min following drink ingestion. Participants also reported acceptability and tolerability during each condition. Concentrations of R-βHB rose to 2.4 ± 0.1 mM for KME10 after 15 min, whereas KMES10 similarly peaked (2.1 ± 0.1 mM) but at 30 min. KME5 and KMES5 achieved similar peak R-βHB concentrations (1.2 ± 0.7 vs. 1.1 ± 0.5 mM) at 15 min. Circulating R-βHB concentrations were similar to baseline for each condition by 120 min. Negative correlations were observed between R-βHB and glucose at the 30 min time point for each condition except KME10 and PC. Tolerability was similar among KME and KMES, although decreases in appetite were more frequently reported for KMES. Acceptability was slightly higher for KMES due to the more frequently reported aftertaste for KME. The results of this pilot investigation illustrate that the KME and KMES products used increase circulating R-βHB concentrations to a similar extent and time course in a dose-dependent fashion with slight differences in tolerability and acceptability. Future studies are needed to examine variable doses, frequency, and timing of exogenous ketone administration for individuals seeking to consume ketone products for health- or sport performance-related purposes.
Kinetics, safety and tolerability of (R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate in healthy adult subjects. [2022]Induction of mild states of hyperketonemia may improve physical and cognitive performance. In this study, we determined the kinetic parameters, safety and tolerability of (R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate, a ketone monoester administered in the form of a meal replacement drink to healthy human volunteers. Plasma levels of β-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate were elevated following administration of a single dose of the ketone monoester, whether at 140, 357, or 714 mg/kg body weight, while the intact ester was not detected. Maximum plasma levels of ketones were attained within 1-2h, reaching 3.30 mM and 1.19 mM for β-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate, respectively, at the highest dose tested. The elimination half-life ranged from 0.8-3.1h for β-hydroxybutyrate and 8-14 h for acetoacetate. The ketone monoester was also administered at 140, 357, and 714 mg/kg body weight, three times daily, over 5 days (equivalent to 0.42, 1.07, and 2.14 g/kg/d). The ketone ester was generally well-tolerated, although some gastrointestinal effects were reported, when large volumes of milk-based drink were consumed, at the highest ketone monoester dose. Together, these results suggest ingestion of (R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate is a safe and simple method to elevate blood ketone levels, compared with the inconvenience of preparing and consuming a ketogenic diet.
Tolerability and Safety of a Novel Ketogenic Ester, Bis-Hexanoyl (R)-1,3-Butanediol: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Healthy Adults. [2021]Nutritional ketosis is a state of mildly elevated blood ketone concentrations resulting from dietary changes (e.g., fasting or reduced carbohydrate intake) or exogenous ketone consumption. In this study, we determined the tolerability and safety of a novel exogenous ketone diester, bis-hexanoyl-(R)-1,3-butanediol (BH-BD), in a 28-day, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel trial (NCT04707989). Healthy adults (n = 59, mean (SD), age: 42.8 (13.4) y, body mass index: 27.8 (3.9) kg/m2) were randomized to consume a beverage containing 12.5 g (Days 0-7) and 25 g (Days 7-28) of BH-BD or a taste-matched placebo daily with breakfast. Tolerability, stimulation, and sedation were assessed daily by standardized questionnaires, and blood and urine samples were collected at Days 0, 7, 14, and 28 for safety assessment. There were no differences in at-home composite systemic and gastrointestinal tolerability scores between BH-BD and placebo at any time in the study, or in acute tolerability measured 1-h post-consumption in-clinic. Weekly at-home composite tolerability scores did not change when BH-BD servings were doubled. At-home scores for stimulation and sedation did not differ between groups. BH-BD significantly increased blood ketone concentrations 1-h post-consumption. No clinically meaningful changes in safety measures including vital signs and clinical laboratory measurements were detected within or between groups. These results support the overall tolerability and safety of consumption of up to 25 g/day BH-BD.
Is there a relationship between the ketogenic diet and sleep disorders? [2022]Sleep disorders are very often underestimated and, consequently, not treated with due priority. Common sleep disorders include insomnia disorders, sleep-related breathing disorders, central disorders of hypersomnolence, circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders, sleep-related movement disorders, parasomnias, and other sleep disorders. The ketogenic diet (KD) is rich in fat, low in carbohydrates (CHO), and adequate in protein. The KD has shown several applications in treating medical conditions, such as epilepsy, neurodegenerative disorders, obesity with its comorbidities, and sleep disorders, with encouraging results. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to address the primary sleep disorders and their respective standard therapeutic approaches, analyse the effect of ketone bodies (KBs) on sleep homeostasis, and the effects of KD on sleep disorders and in particular on obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) syndrome. The goal is to summarise the evidence existing up to now on the subject, to provide a starting point for further investigations.
Nutritional ketosis delays the onset of isoflurane induced anesthesia. [2019]Ketogenic diet (KD) and exogenous ketone supplements can evoke sustained ketosis, which may modulate sleep and sleep-like effects. However, no studies have been published examining the effect of ketosis on the onset of general isoflurane induced anesthesia. Therefore, we investigated the effect of the KD and different exogenous ketogenic supplements on the onset of akinesia induced by inhalation of isoflurane.
Fasting and diurnal blood ketonemia and glycemia responses to a six-week, energy-controlled ketogenic diet, supplemented with racemic R/S-BHB salts. [2023]Single doses of exogenous ketone salts (KS) transiently increase circulating beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) (∼1 mM; 1-2 h) regardless of starting levels of ketosis; however, no studies have explored how sustained use of KS influences measures of ketonemia and glycemia.
Effects of exogenous ketone supplementation on blood ketone, glucose, triglyceride, and lipoprotein levels in Sprague-Dawley rats. [2020]Nutritional ketosis induced by the ketogenic diet (KD) has therapeutic applications for many disease states. We hypothesized that oral administration of exogenous ketone supplements could produce sustained nutritional ketosis (>0.5 mM) without carbohydrate restriction.
A Metabolic Intervention for Improving Human Cognitive Performance During Hypoxia. [2022]BACKGROUND: During hypoxia an operators cognitive performance may decline. This decline is linked to altered brain metabolism, resulting in decreased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. Ketone bodies are an alternative substrate to glucose for brain metabolic requirements; previous studies have shown that the presence of elevated ketone bodies in the blood maintains brain ATP levels and reduces cerebral glycolysis during hypoxia. Thus, ketones may be a strategy to mitigate cognitive decline in hypoxia. Ketone ester (KE) consumption allows rapid elevation of blood ketone levels; therefore, we investigated the effects of consuming a KE drink on cognitive performance during hypoxia. Here, we report results of a pilot study.METHODS: There were 11 subjects who completed a cognitive performance test battery under conditions of normoxia and hypoxia following consumption of a KE drink and a placebo control drink.RESULTS: Significant hypoxia effects (O&#8322; saturation minimum was found to range between 63 and 88 in subjects) were found for blink duration (Ph2 0.665) and blink rate (Ph2 0.626), indicating that the hypoxia condition was associated with longer blink durations and lower blink rates. Significant hypoxia effects were likewise observed for a code substitution task (Ph2 0.487), indicating that performance on the task was significantly disrupted by the hypoxia stressor. KE consumption had a significant effect on blink duration (Ph2 0.270) and the code substitution task (Ph2 0.309).DISCUSSION: These finding suggest that some effects of acute hypoxia can be mitigated by nutritional ketosis.Coleman K, Phillips J, Sciarini M, Stubbs B, Jackson O, Kernagis D. A metabolic intervention for improving human cognitive performance during hypoxia. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2021; 92(7):556562.