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Can a ketone drink help aging muscles hold onto protein?

NCT ID NCT07884513

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: McGill University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
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Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Oct 20, 2026 · Last updated Oct 21, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers at McGill University are testing whether a ketone monoester drink taken with whey protein after resistance exercise changes how older men process protein. The study enrolls about 18 healthy men aged 65 and older who exercise regularly. Participants complete exercise sessions and receive either protein alone or protein plus the ketone drink. By tracking labeled phenylalanine in breath and blood, the team measures whether the body breaks down less protein and retains more of it for muscle.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
A ketone monoester drink taken with whey protein after resistance exercise
What this could lead to
If ketones help older adults hold onto muscle protein after exercise, this could point to a nutrition strategy for slowing age-related muscle loss.
What could go wrong
This is a small, short-term metabolism study in healthy older men, so any effect may be modest and may not apply to other groups. The ketone drink can cause stomach upset.

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Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

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

About 18 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Nov 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Apr 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

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

65 years and older

Sex

Male participants only

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show 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: 1. Adult male aged 65 years or older at time of initial screening. 2. Generally healthy (no uncontrolled diseases or conditions) as determined by health history, and if necessary, physician clearance. 3. BMI between 18.5 and 30 kg·m-2 (inclusive) at time of initial screening. 4. Maintenance of a stable body weight for at least 3 months prior to participation and willingness to maintain this weight during the duration of this study 5. Maintained stable use of medication and supplements (which are not limited by the exclusion criteria), and stable dietary and lifestyle habits for the last 3 months prior to screening and agree to maintain them throughout the study 6. Minimum 6 months of resistance training experience with a minimum of 2 sessions/week 7. Able and willing to understand and agree to the requirements and restrictions of this study and provide written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: 1. Presence of cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, hepatic, neuromuscular, or gastrointestinal disease that could interfere with study participation or data interpretation or make the resistance training unsafe 2. History of severe cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, severe hypertension) 3. Any musculoskeletal injury that would prevent completion of the resistance exercise protocol 4. Ketone supplementation or adherence to a ketogenic diet 5. Use of medication known to influence protein metabolism 6. Participation in a stable-isotope tracer study in the past 6 months 7. Tobacco/nicotine use 8. Undergoing exercise sessions more than 5 days/week. 9. Metal implants 10. Paralysis, limb loss, or congenital or acquired absence of skeletal muscle 11. Individuals with Phenylketonuria (PKU) 12. Dairy allergy or lactose intolerance

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Ketosis multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Aging Anabolic resistance Dietary protein Ketosis Post-exercise period Resistance exercise

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