Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

© 2019 Human Kinetics, Inc. Exogenous ketone drinks may improve athletic performance and recovery, but information on their gastrointestinal tolerability is limited. Studies to date have used a simplistic reporting methodology that inadequately represents symptom type, frequency, and severity. Herein, gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded during three studies of exogenous ketone monoester (KME) and salt (KS) drinks. Study 1 compared low- and high-dose KME and KS drinks consumed at rest. Study 2 compared KME with isocaloric carbohydrate (CHO) consumed at rest either when fasted or after a standard meal. Study 3 compared KME+CHO with isocaloric CHOconsumed before and during 3.25 hr of bicycle exercise. Participants reported symptomtype and rated severity between 0 and 8 using a Likert scale at regular intervals. The number of visitswith no symptoms reported after ketone drinkswas n = 32/60 in Study 1, n = 9/32 in Study 2, and n = 20/42 in Study 3. FollowingKME andKS drinks, symptomswere acute butmild and were fully resolved by the end of the study. High-dose KS drinks caused greater total-visit symptom load than low-dose KS drinks (13.8 ± 4.3 vs. 2.0 ± 1.0; p < .05) and significantly greater time-point symptom load than KME drinks 1-2 hr postdrink. At rest, KME drinks caused greater total-visit symptomload than CHOdrinks (5.0 ± 1.6 vs. 0.6 ± 0.4; p < .05).However, during exercise, therewas no significant difference in total-visit symptom load between KME+CHO (4.2 ± 1.0) and CHO (7.2 ± 1.9) drinks. In summary, exogenous ketone drinks cause mild gastrointestinal symptoms that depend on time, the type and amount of compound consumed, and exercise.

Original publication

DOI

10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0361

Type

Journal article

Journal

International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism

Publication Date

01/01/2019

Volume

29

Pages

596 - 603