Effect of Exogenous Ketone Supplementation on Exercise-induced Iron Deficiency: Focusing on Hepcidin Responses

Abstract

[Purpose] The present study aimed to investigate the effect ofβ-hydroxybutyrate（β HB）elevation via exogenous ketone supplementation on serum erythropoietin（EPO） and hepcidin concentrations in response to endurance exercise in young active women. [Methods] Eight young women（20 ± 1 years）performed two high-intensity interval cycling sessions（8 sets×3 min of cycling at 85% of peak oxygen consumption） followed by supplementation of 25.5g β HB（8.5 g/h, 3 times; β HB trial）or placebo（CON trial）．Both trials were conducted during the early follicular phase（day 1 to day 7 after the onset of menstruation）．Blood samples were taken before exercise, immediately, 30, 60, 120, and 180 min after exercise. Ketone and iron metabolism were assessed from the collected blood samples. [Results] Serum β HB concentrations in the β HB trial were signi-cantly increased from 30 min to 180 min after exercise（p < 0.01 at each time point），with higher β HB concentrations in the β HB trial compared to the CON trial（p < 0.05 at each time point）．The average blood glucose concentration in theβ HB trial was signi-cantly lower than in the CON trial（p = 0.012）．Serumferritin concentration at baseline did not vary between the trials（p = 0.474）．Serum hepcidin concentration did not change after exercise（interaction: p = 0.449），and changes in this concentration did not differ signi-cantly between the trials（p = 0.430）． Changes in serum EPO concentration 180 min after exercise significantly differed between the trials（p = 0.027）．[Conclusion] Serumβ HB elevation via exogenous ketone supplementation in active young women in-uenced EPO changes after exercise while not hepcidin changes in response to endurance exercise in young active women.