Exogenous ketone esters as a potential therapeutic for treatment of sarcopenic obesity

This narrative review presents a proposed hypothesis on exogenous ketone esters as a therapeutic for preserving skeletal muscle and function in sarcopenic obesity. Much of the reviewed literature examines the mechanisms of the ketone diester R,S-1,3-butanediol diacetoacetate on skeletal muscle mass, muscle protein synthesis and epigenetic regulation in murine models. The authors state that further studies are needed on the key regulatory factors, differences among ketone ester formulations, and optimal frequency and dosing before translating these findings to humans.