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1850 Obesity
Exploring the Viability of Exogenous Ketones as Weight Loss
Supplements (P21-017-19)
Angela Po, Andrew Koutnik, Sara Moss, Sahith Mandala, and
Dominic D’Agostino
University of South Florida
Objectives: 70.7% of Americans over 20 years of age are overweight
or obese. Currently, the main strategy for weight loss is caloric re-
striction. Ketone bodies have been shown to facilitate voluntary caloric
restriction through altering the appetite stimulating hormone ghrelin.
However, these non-toxic ketone bodies have not been evaluated
as weight loss supplements. C57BL6J mice were used to determine
the weight loss ecacy of exogenous ketones by adding synthetic
(R/S 1,3-Butanediol Acetoacetate Diester and 1,3-Butanediol) and
natural (Beta-hydroxybutyrate and Beta-hydroxybutyrate +Medium
Chain Triglycerides) ketogenic agents to standard rodent chow
ab-libitum.
Methods: Six groups (R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester, 1,3-
butanediol, beta-hydroxybutyrate, beta-hydroxybutyrate +medium
chain triglycerides, caloric restriction, standard diet ad-libitum) were
housed 2–5 animals per cage and monitored to ensure appropriate
acclimation prior to intervention. Mice were treated for two weeks with
ketogenic agents, adjusting % of agent daily to ensure 20% weight loss
was achieved.
Results: All ketogenic agents induced weight loss and voluntary
caloric restriction. Weight loss for beta-hydroxybutyrate and beta-
hydroxybutyrate +medium chain triglycerides was explained by caloric
restriction alone. However, R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester
induced weight loss at lower dosages which could not be explained by
caloric restriction alone.
Conclusions: Taken together, all ketogenic agents may assist in
weight loss. However, R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester appears
to be a more potent non-toxic ketogenic supplement that facilitates
weight loss via both voluntary caloric restriction and caloric restriction-
independent mechanisms. Future studies should explore caloric-
restriction independent weight loss mechanisms of R/S 1,3-butanediol
acetoacetate diester.
Funding Sources: Disruptive Nutrition.
CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS IN NUTRITION