ECEESPE2025 Poster Presentations MTEabolism, Nutrition and Obesity (125 abstracts)
Ketone supplementation acutely lowers androgen and glucose levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Nikolaj Rittig 1 2 3 , Mai C. Arlien-Søborg 2 , Mads Vandsted Svart 1 2 3 , Henrik Holm Thomsen 3 , 4 , Kirstine Kirkegaard 5 , Vinnie Hornshøj Greve 5 , Mette Moelby Nielsen 6 , Kirstine Stochholm 2 , Marie Juul Oernstrup 2 & Claus H. Gravholt 2 3 7
1Aarhus University Hospital, Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus (SDCA), Aarhus, Denmark; 2Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Endocrinology, Aarhus, Denmark; 3Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark; 4University Clinic for Innovative Patient Pathways, Regional Hospital Central Jutland, Viborg, Denmark; 5Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Aarhus, Denmark; 6Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aarhus, Denmark; 7Aarhus University, Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
JOINT1147
Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder linked to insulin resistance and elevated androgens. While ketogenic diets reduce androgen and glucose levels in women with PCOS, the direct role of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) remains unclear. This study aimed to determine whether BHB supplementation acutely lowers circulating androgen and glucose levels in women with PCOS.
Methods: A randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial was conducted involving 20 women diagnosed with PCOS. Participants underwent fasting blood sampling on two occasions, separated by at least three days. They were randomly assigned to receive either a ketone supplement or a taste-matched placebo. Each intervention was administered over 10 hours, with one dose administered the evening before and another two hours prior to blood collection.
Results: Following BHB supplementation, blood D-β-hydroxybutyrate (D-BHB) levels reached 2.4±1.2 mM, compared to 0.1±0.1 mM in the control group (P < 0.001). Androgen concentrations were generally lower with BHB supplementation, with mean reductions in testosterone (-13%, CI 95%: -27 to 1, P = 0.067), free testosterone (-21%, 95% CI: -43 to 1%, P = 0.057), androstenedione (-14%, CI 95%: -29 to 0, P = 0.050), and 11-ketotestosterone (-21%, CI 95%: -38 to -4, P = 0.020) compared to control. Fasting plasma glucose levels were 4.6±0.7 mM after BHB supplementation, vs 5.1±0.4 mM in the placebo group (mean -10%, CI 95%: -5 to -15%, P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Ketone supplementation acutely lowers androgen and glucose levels in women with PCOS. These findings highlight the potential for ketone-based therapies as a novel treatment for PCOS and suggest the need for long-term clinical trials to further explore these effects.
Volume 110
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Endocrine Abstracts
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