Does Chronic Ketone Salt Supplementation Alter BP, CBC, or CMP Results in Adults Diagnosed with PTSD?

Abstract

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition that is associated with high levels of stress that can be linked to elevated resting blood pressure and heart rates in those who have it. Ketone bodies are chemicals that the body utilizes as fuel when glucose is not readily available, and have been shown to improve metabolic diseases, as well as decrease systolic blood pressure in healthy populations. The purpose of this study was to determine if chronic ketone salt supplementation alters blood pressure (BP), complete blood count (CBC), or comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) results in adults diagnosed with PTSD. The hypothesis was that 6-weeks of chronic KS consumption will not have any negative effects on the CMP and CBC health markers, and potentially have positive effects on BP in the PTSD population. Participants included males and females between the ages of 2165 years of age, all of whom had been previously diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study was randomized, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled. The findings of the study showed that there were no significant interactions, positive or negative, between 6-weeks of chronic KS supplementation and BP, CBC, and CMP in adults with PTSD. Received: 01/31/2020 Accepted: 02/17/2020 Correspondence: Jordan Locklin, Augusta University, 1120 15 St. Augusta, GA 30912, jolocklin@augusta.edu