Acute ketone monoester ingestion increases monocyte lysine β-hydroxybutyrylation and plasma β-hydroxybutyrate amino acid conjugates in humans

American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology 2026 Open access

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Authors: Alexis Marcotte-Chénard, Roderick E. Sandilands, Alexandre Abílio Teixeira, Seth F. McCarthy, Maria Dolores Moya-Garzon, Emily Goldberg, Jonathan Z. Long, Hashim Islam, Jonathan P. Little
DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00896.2025
Cited by: 2
References: 22

Abstract

This study provides the first in vivo evidence that exogenous ketone supplementation elevates lysine Kbhb in monocytes of healthy humans. Exogenous ketone supplementation also increased recently discovered BHB-amino acid conjugates, including BHB-phenylalanine, -leucine, -valine, and -methionine. These results highlight the potential immunomodulatory and systemic signaling effects of exogenous ketones.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Diet and metabolism studies Metabolism and Genetic Disorders Muscle metabolism and nutrition

Publication details

Journal / source
American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology
Publisher
American Physiological Society
Volume
330
Issue
3
Pages
C643–C650
Publication date
28 January 2026
Language
EN