The following is a summary of “Ketone Body Infusion Abrogates Growth Hormone–Induced Lipolysis and Insulin Resistance,” published in the March 2023 issue of Endocrinology & Metabolism by Høgild, et al.
The effect of β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB) on insulin sensitivity is poorly understood. For a study, researchers sought to investigate whether βOHB administration acutely enhances insulin sensitivity by suppressing circulating free fatty acid (FFA) levels.
In a randomized, single-blinded crossover design, 8 healthy men were given a growth hormone (GH) infusion to induce lipolysis and βOHB or saline infusion. Each study day included a basal period, a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp with a glucose tracer, and adipose tissue and skeletal muscle biopsies.
βOHB administration significantly increased insulin sensitivity, as demonstrated by a significant increase in glucose disposal and energy expenditure. This was accompanied by a substantial decrease in FFA levels and a many-fold increase in skeletal muscle content of both βOHB and its derivative acetoacetate.
The findings suggested that βOHB enhanced insulin sensitivity by suppressing lipolysis, indicating a potential therapeutic strategy for improving glucose metabolism in conditions associated with insulin resistance.
Source: academic.oup.com/jcem/article-abstract/108/3/653/6761325?redirectedFrom=fulltext