Ketone drinks may sharpen the mind and boost stamina in exhausted cyclists
NCT ID NCT07792876
First seen Aug 28, 2026 · Last updated Aug 28, 2026
Summary
This crossover trial gives 12 amateur cyclists three different drinks during separate 3-hour cycling sessions: carbs alone, carbs plus ketones, or a placebo. Researchers measure how far they ride in a final 20-minute sprint, how well they perform on computer tests of memory and attention, and how their blood responds. The goal is to see whether ketone supplementation preserves cognitive function and enhances physical performance during exhaustive exercise, possibly through anti-inflammatory effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Ketone supplement (exogenous ketones) taken as a drink alongside a carbohydrate beverage
- What this could lead to
- If ketones help, athletes might use them to sustain mental focus and physical output during long races, possibly pointing to broader benefits for brain and muscle under stress.
- What could go wrong
- The trial is small (12 cyclists) and early, so results may not apply to other athletes or activities. Ketone drinks can also cause stomach discomfort, which might offset any benefit.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 12 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Dec 2025
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2029
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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20 to 50 years
- Sex
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Male participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Amateur male cyclists; * At least 2 years of cycling experience; * At least 5 hours of endurance cycling training per week; * VO2max of at least 50 mL/kg/min. Exclusion Criteria: * Confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 by PCR or rapid antigen test within the last 12 months; * Symptoms compatible with COVID-19 within the last six months; * Smokers; * Alcoholics; * Presence of neurological, immune, or muscular diseases; * Use of psychoactive medications in the last year; * Use of any acute medication prior three days each visit that possible could affect the experiment such as stool-altering medications and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; * Confirmed gastrointestinal infections, diseases, or disorders (e.g., coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, diverticular disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease); * Medical history of gastrointestinal surgery, or any other self-reported gastrointestinal issues; * Within the previous three months, if they had consumed substances that could affect gastrointestinal integrity or followed gastrointestinal-targeted dietary regimes; * Participants with any food allergy should be excluded of this study.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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School of Physical Education and Sport of Ribeirão Preto - University of São Paulo
RECRUITINGRibeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14040-900, Brazil
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