NCT07218497

Investigating the Evolutionary Impact of Metabolic Flexibility on Physical Activity-Dependent BDNF and Cognition: Insights From the Val66Met Polymorphism

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: Phase 1
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 50 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Southern California · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 35 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a state of ketosis and physical activity will increase serum BDNF concentrations and improve cognition, specifically in individuals who possess the Met allele from the BDNF Val66Met SNP. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the combination of ketosis and physical activity increase serum BDNF concentrations and cognition? * Do Met Carriers of the BDNF Val66Met SNP demonstrate a significantly larger change in serum BDNF after physical activity and a state of ketosis compared to Val/Val Homozygotes? * Do Met Carriers of the BDNF Val66Met SNP demonstrate a significantly larger increase in cognition after physical activity and a state of ketosis compared to Val/Val Homozygotes? Researchers will compare a ketosis supplement to a placebo (a look-alike substance that contains no drug) to see if the ketosis supplement and physical activity increases serum BDNF and improves cognition. Participants will: * Participate in a drug trial where they will be given the ketosis supplement, and a placebo trial where they will ingest a placebo. * Participants will donate a whole blood sample and take a cognitive test before and after the ketosis and placebo trial. * Participants will take a 30-minute treadmill test during both the ketosis and placebo trial, after ingesting either the drug or placebo for each respective trial.

Conditions

• Cognition
• BDNF

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DRUG	d-beta-hydroxybutrate	During the ketosis trial, participants will be given d-beta-hydroxybutrate mixed with sugar-free gatorade in a 1:1 ratio. This is to ensure the participant's electrolytes are high and to mask the bitter taste of d-beta-hydroxybutrate. The dosage per participant will be calculated 0.1816g/lb based on body weight to ensure participants remain in a state of ketosis for a minimum of 2 hours.
DRUG	Placebo	Participants will consume a placebo consisting of a pure electrolyte drink.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-11-01
• Primary completion: 2027-05-01
• Completion: 2027-05-01
• First posted: 2025-10-20
• Last updated: 2025-10-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated drug study