DietaryR, S‐1,3‐butanediol diacetoacetate reduces body weight and adiposity in obese mice fed a high‐fat diet

What is it about?

High-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets have been shown to decrease body weight more rapidly and to a greater extent than low-calorie diets. However, strict carbohydrate restriction can pose difficulties in long-term compliance. The delivery of dietary ketones in the absence of carbohydrate restriction is now possible with ketone esters, which have been shown to increase resting energy expenditure and adipose tissue thermogenesis in lean mice. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether ketone ester (KE) included in a high-fat diet (HFD) increases energy expenditure and markers of adipose tissue thermogenesis in the presence of obesity. Mice were placed on a HFD (45% kcals from fat) for 10 weeks to induce obesity and were then randomly assigned to one of three groups for an additional 12 weeks. Mice fed a KE diet consumed 26% less than Control animals, and despite being fed the same amount as a pair-fed group, the KE group had significantly lower body weight and fat mass. Reduced body weight was accompanied by greater resting and total energy expenditure when adjusted for fat mass and lean body mass (KE vs. PF). Considering the existing gap in knowledge of dietary KE effects on energy balance, the outcomes of this study will expand our understanding of ketone metabolism, adipose biology, and the potential for determining KEs as a plausible treatment for weight gain and obesity.

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