I propose to take repeated measurements of plasma ketone concentrations before, during and after different types of exercise in healthy adults recruited to the study. Specifically, I will use a “point of care” finger-prick ketone monitoring device (commonly used by people with diabetes) to measure plasma ketone concentrations every fifteen minutes over three hours, to see whether exercise influences plasma ketone concentrations, and also to determine whether the type or intensity of exercise has any effect on ketones. These data will allow me to describe typical variations in ketone levels in healthy study participants around the time of exercise, while contributing to a broader scientific programme in Galway which seeks to describe changes in physiological ketosis that could be relevant to treatment of obesity and related disorders, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Ultimately, a better understanding of the relationship between ketone levels and exercise might help us to develop more effective interventions to prevent and treat these disorders.
