Ketone Ester Intake Did Not Improve Performance, Neither Cognitive Function or Sleep, During an 8-Day Simulated Cycling Race
Study Details
This new study investigated whether ketone ester supplementation could improve recovery, cognitive function, sleep or endurance performance during an 8-day simulated cycling stage race in 18 well-trained cyclists 🔍
Cyclists consumed either…
1️⃣ 25 g ketone ester
2️⃣ Taste-matched placebo
…immediately after each stage and again 30 minutes before sleep.
Key Findings
🚴 The race successfully induced cumulative fatigue across both groups
🫀 Peak heart rate fell by ~11 bpm across the race, indicating increasing physiological strain
📉 Time-trial performance declined by ~3% during the stage race
❌ Ketone ester supplementation did not prevent the decline in endurance performance
⚙️ Mechanical efficiency at 200 W was impaired in the ketone ester group, but not in the placebo group
🔥 Fat oxidation increased by ~120% in the ketone ester group across the race
🧠 Ketone esters did not provide a clear benefit for cognitive function despite the accumulated physical and mental fatigue
😴 Supplementation did not improve sleep quantity or quality
🍽️ Daily dietary intake was also unaffected by ketone ester supplementation
💪 Neither ketone supplementation nor the race significantly affected the measured skeletal muscle markers
Conclusion
Overall, repeated ketone ester intake offered no clear advantage for recovery, sleep, cognition or endurance performance during eight consecutive days of demanding cycling 🧐
This study was small, with only 18 cyclists, including eight receiving ketone ester and ten placebo so findings are far from definitive ☝️
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42658808/
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