Brain Substrate Switch to Ketones and Lactate

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA · Aug 14, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how the brain uses different fuels, like sugars and fats, to stay active, especially during fasting or intense exercise. The researchers want to find out if switching the brain's energy source can help protect it from aging and related problems. To do this, young and healthy participants will go through a 3-day fasting period and participate in high-intensity cycling exercise. They will also receive infusions of ketones (which the body produces during fasting) and lactate (produced during intense exercise) while resting. The goal is to see how these changes affect important brain markers related to health.

To be eligible for the study, participants should be physically active and meet certain health criteria. Those who smoke, are obese, or have specific medical conditions or medications that affect exercise won't be able to participate. The trial is not recruiting yet, but it is open to individuals aged 18 to 40, regardless of gender. Participants can expect to engage in fasting and exercise, while the researchers monitor how their brain responds to these changes. Overall, this study aims to better understand how different energy sources can benefit brain health.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Regularly physically active, as determined via questionnaires
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Current smokers
• • Acute bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive airway or status asthmaticus
• • Obese (body mass index greater than 30 kg m-2)
• • Requiring daily prescription medications that may affect responses to exercise, e.g., anti-hypertensives, anti-arrhythmogenics, inhalers
• • History of disease/dysfunction that could cause complication with exercise, e.g. cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological or musculoskeletal diseases
• • Irregular or absent menstrual cycle (females)
• • Pregnant or may suspect pregnancy, or post-menopausal (females)
• • Any unexpected adverse responses to pre-experimental exercise tests
• • Any contraindication to a lumbar subarachnoid access