Exogenous Ketone Supplements Improved Motor Performance in Preclinical Rodent Models

This preclinical study tested a ketogenic diet, butanediol, ketone ester, ketone salt and their combinations or mixtures with medium chain triglyceride on motor performance in Sprague-Dawley and WAG/Rij rats and in GLUT-1 Deficiency Syndrome mice, using the accelerating rotarod test. It also measured postexercise blood glucose and R-beta-hydroxybutyrate. Motor performance was enhanced by the ketone ester plus MCT mixture acutely, and by ketone ester and ketone salt subchronically, in Sprague-Dawley rats. It was also enhanced by the ketone ester plus salt and ketone ester plus MCT groups in WAG/Rij rats, and by ketone ester chronically in GLUT-1 Deficiency mice. R-beta-hydroxybutyrate was effectively elevated, and in some cases postexercise blood glucose elevations were offset.