Ketone ester diet in 24-month-old mice: sex-specific cognitive and metabolic effects
In 24-month-old C57BL/6 mice, a ketone monoester-containing diet raised postprandial β-hydroxybutyrate and lowered postprandial glucose; cognitive, body-composition, inflammatory and metabolic outcomes differed by sex. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The study tested short-term ketone monoester supplementation in 24-month-old male and female C57BL/6 mice. [1]
The ketone ester-containing diet raised postprandial β-hydroxybutyrate and lowered postprandial glucose. [1]
In females, the intervention was associated with fewer Barnes maze primary errors and lower hippocampal IL-1β expression. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Preclinical animal study (abstract)
- Population / context
- 24-month-old male and female C57BL/6 mice
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- September 23, 2026
Ketone ester diet tested in aged male and female mice
The abstract describes short-term supplementation with the ketone monoester (R)-3-hydroxybutyl (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate in 24-month-old male and female C57BL/6 mice. The authors note that clinical evidence for ketogenic and ketone-based interventions in cognitive aging and Alzheimer's disease remains mixed, and that long-term carbohydrate restriction may be hard for older adults. They proposed β-hydroxybutyrate-elevating supplements as alternatives to the ketogenic diet, but said sex-specific effects in aging remain poorly defined.
Supporting source [1]
Postprandial β-hydroxybutyrate up, glucose down in mice
According to the abstract, the ketone ester-containing diet increased postprandial β-hydroxybutyrate and lowered postprandial glucose. Effects on cognitive, anthropometric, inflammatory and metabolic outcomes differed by sex. In males, the intervention changed body composition, with lower body fat and higher relative lean mass. In females, the intervention was associated with fewer Barnes maze primary errors and lower hippocampal IL-1β expression. These are associations in mice, not evidence of human benefit.
Supporting source [1]
Tissue metabolite and oxylipin differences; human relevance unclear
The abstract reports that the sex-dependent effects were accompanied by differences in fasting metabolite profiles across tissues and biofluids and by altered hippocampal oxylipins. The authors state that further studies are needed to determine whether ketone monoester supplementation has similar sex-specific effects in humans, and to define mechanisms, physiological changes and translational relevance of ketone-based interventions in aging. Only the abstract was reviewed; the full text was not reviewed.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. Findings are from 24-month-old mice, not humans, and the described cognitive and inflammatory results are associations, not proven causes or human lifespan benefits.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Roslund KJ, Coates LC, Sattar Sultani S, Hayes D, Diaz S, Rutkowsky JM, Zhou Z, Ramsey JJ, Taha AY, Slupsky CM. · europepmc.org · September 23, 2026