Work

A new way to produce hyperketonemia: Use of ketone ester in a case of Alzheimer's disease

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Providing ketone bodies to the brain can bypass metabolic blocks to glucose utilization and improve function in energy-starved neurons. For this, plasma ketones must be elevated well above the ≤ 0.2 mM default concentrations normally prevalent. Limitations of dietary methods currently used to produce therapeutic hyperketonemia have stimulated the search for better approaches. METHOD: Described herein is a new way to produce therapeutic hyperketonemia, entailing prolonged oral administration of a potent ketogenic agent--ketone monoester (KME)--to a patient with Alzheimer's disease dementia and a pretreatment Mini-Mental State Examination score of 12. RESULTS: The patient improved markedly in mood, affect, self-care, and cognitive and daily activity performance. The KME was well tolerated throughout the 20-month treatment period. Cognitive performance tracked plasma β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations, with noticeable improvements in conversation and interaction at the higher levels, compared with predose levels. CONCLUSION: KME-induced hyperketonemia is robust, convenient, and safe, and the ester can be taken as an oral supplement without changing the habitual diet.

Source: Alzheimer s & Dementia

DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2014.01.006

Authors: Mary T. Newport, Theodore B. VanItallie, Yoshihiro Kashiwaya, Michael Todd King, Richard L. Veech

Institutions: St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Tominaga hospital, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Language: English

Topic: Diet and metabolism studies

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, Abbott Diabetes Care, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism