Acute ketosis inhibits appetite and decreases plasma concentrations of acyl ghrelin in healthy young men

In a placebo-controlled crossover design, 10 healthy young men received a ketone ester, an isocaloric and isovolumetric 50 percent glucose drink, or a placebo vehicle on three occasions. Ketone ester ingestion produced an average peak beta-hydroxybutyrate of 5.5 mM. Acyl ghrelin and unacylated ghrelin fell by about 25 percent after both ketone ester and glucose compared with placebo, and acyl ghrelin remained lower with ketone ester but returned to baseline after glucose. GLP-1, GIP, gastrin, and cholecystokinin were not affected by the ketone ester.