Can a ketone drink curb alcohol cravings? new study investigates
NCT ID NCT06807918
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at whether a nutritional ketone supplement can alter how the brain uses energy and reduce alcohol consumption in people with alcohol use disorder. Sixty adults who drink heavily but are not seeking treatment will receive either the supplement or a placebo, then undergo brain scans and a controlled drinking session. The goal is to see if the supplement changes brain fuel use and affects drinking behavior.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 2/3
Runs two stages together: whether the treatment works, then large-scale confirmation.
- Participants
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Aug 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jan 2030
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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21 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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: 1. Age 21-65 years old 2. Able to provide written informed consent 3. Meets current DSM-5 criteria for mild to moderate (established using MINI) 4. Average weekly alcohol consumption of at least 15 standard drinks over the past month before consent (self-report) 5. Not seeking treatment for AUD (self-report) Exclusion Criteria: 1. Unwilling or unable to refrain from use of alcohol, within 24 hours of Alcohol Bar Lab, MRI and PET procedures (self-report, breathalyzer). 2. Use of psychoactive medications or medications that may affect study results (self-report, medical history). 3. Current DSM-5 diagnosis of a major psychiatric disorder (other than alcohol, Marijuana, and nicotine use disorders) that required hospitalization or daily medication in the past year. 4. Current significant alcohol withdrawal symptoms in the past 12 months that required medical treatment (self-report, medical history). 5. A current, clinically significant physical disease or abnormality on the basis of medical history, physical examination, or routine laboratory evaluation that could interfere with study participation or make it hazardous for the subject to do so (e.g., bleeding disorder, pancreatitis, epilepsy, liver disease, kidney disease, or diabetes as determined by history and clinical exam); ALAT or ASAT concentration greater than 3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN), or bilirubin above the ULN. (Note-abnormal laboratory tests during screening may be repeated once). 6. Current, major gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, such as: GERD, Crohn's disease, Irritable bowel syndrome, Ulcerative colitis, Celiac disease Diverticulitis, or other clinically significant physical disease that may interfere with the intake of the Ketone Supplement based on medical history, and evaluation of the Study Physician. 7. Clinically significant laboratory findings that could affect brain function (e.g., HIV+). 8. Head trauma with loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes (self-report, medical history). 9. Pregnant or breast-feeding 10. Weight greater than 250lbs (Need to cap amount of alcohol give based on weight to individuals). 11. BMI greater than 35. 12. Self-reported claustrophobia. 13. Contraindications to MRI (e.g., metal in the body that cannot be removed and is not MRI compatible).
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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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Center for Studies of Addiction
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a Stress-Hormone blocker take the edge off alcohol?
- Can a ketone drink shield kidneys?
- Can MDMA plus therapy help veterans fight both PTSD and alcohol addiction?
- Brain scans probe opioid receptor imbalance in alcohol use disorder
- Spinal taps open a window on alcohol use disorder