A new study from the University of Portsmouth suggests that drinking ketones could help the heart work more efficiently, especially for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D).
This small-scale study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, is the first to examine how ketone esters—a supplement that pushes the body into ketosis—affect heart function in people with diabetes.
Why This Study Was Conducted
The research was inspired by an unexpected discovery. A drug called sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), originally developed to lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, was found to reduce the risk of dying from heart disease.
Scientists wanted to understand why this was happening. One theory was that the drug might be pushing the body into ketosis, where it burns fat instead of glucose for energy. If so, ketones might be playing a role in improving heart health.
How the Study Was Conducted
The trial included 13 participants with type 2 diabetes. Each was given a ketone drink, and their heart function was measured 30 minutes later. A week later, they were given a placebo drink, and the same tests were repeated. Researchers used non-invasive tools like ECG-like monitoring, ultrasound scans, and infrared spectroscopy to check how well the heart and blood vessels were functioning.
Dr. Maria Perissiou, lead researcher from the University of Portsmouth, explained, “In all 13 participants, their hearts worked more efficiently after drinking ketones, both at rest and during moderate exercise, compared to when they had the placebo drink.”
Why This Matters for People with Diabetes
People with diabetes struggle to use glucose properly because of insulin resistance. Instead, their bodies rely on fatty acids for energy, which makes the heart work harder and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Dr. Perissiou described the problem, saying, “Glucose can build up in the blood, acting like rust and gradually damaging blood vessels. Meanwhile, the hearts of people with diabetes are burning fatty acids instead of glucose, making them work harder over time, which increases the risk of heart disease.”
The results of this study suggest that ketones might offer an alternative fuel source that is easier on the heart, helping it work more efficiently.
What’s Next?
Although the findings are promising, this study only looked at short-term effects. The researchers measured heart function on the same day the ketone drink was consumed, but they don’t yet know what would happen if people drank ketones regularly over weeks or months.
Dr. Perissiou remains optimistic but cautious, saying, “More research is needed to see the long-term effects of ketone supplements on heart health.”
This study opens new possibilities for improving cardiovascular health in people with diabetes. If further research confirms these benefits, ketone-based supplements or diets could become a new tool for managing heart disease risk in people with type 2 diabetes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about Vitamin D and type 2 diabetes, and to people with diabetes, some fruits are better than others.
For more health information, please see recent studies that low calorie diets may help reverse diabetes, and 5 vitamins that may prevent complication in diabetes.
The research findings can be found in the Journal of Applied Physiology.
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