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CompletedNCT03901014PLAKUpdated May 18, 2026

Investigating the Production of Lipoproteins and Acetyl-CoA During a Ketogenic Diet

An interventional study of Standard American diet and Very low carbohydrate diet in Cholesterol Metabolism and Ketone Metabolism, sponsored by Touro University, California. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to male participants aged 18 Years to 50 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-05-18.

Sponsored by Touro University, California · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
4
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
18 Years to 50 Years
Sex
Male
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is to understand how the reduction in dietary carbohydrates in a very-low carbohydrate ketogenic diet impacts the synthesis of cholesterol, fatty acid, and ketones, and the turnover rate of VLDL and chylomicron particles.

Read the detailed description

Participants will consume a standard American diet for one week followed by a very-low carbohydrate ketogenic diet (VLCKD, \<50 grams carbohydrate/day) for two weeks. Participants will undergo an oral stable isotope tracer study during each diet to measure de novo synthesis of fatty acid, cholesterol, ketone bodies, and for measurement of apolipoprotein B and triglyceride kinetics.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cholesterol Metabolism
  • Ketone Metabolism

Keywords

  • ketogenic diet
  • LDL cholesterol
  • carbohydrate
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Touro University, California is the lead sponsor of 6 studies on the registry; 2 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 50 Years
Sexes eligible
Male
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Male
  • 18-50 years old

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Use of nicotine products
  • Has dietary restrictions
  • Lactose intolerance
  • History of GI disorders, diabetes, liver, kidney, or thyroid disorders
  • Taking hypolipidemic, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, or anti-depression medication
  • Screening plasma triglyceride \< 50mg/dl or >500mg/dl
  • Screening glucose > 125mg/dl
  • Screening total and LDL-Cholesterol over 95th %tile for age and sex
  • BP > 160/95 mmHg
  • Weight loss/gain > 5% in the previous 3 months (self-reported)
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
4 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Baseline diet

    1 week baseline diet

    Other: Standard American diet

  • Experimental
    Very low carbohydrate diet

    2 week very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet

    Other: Very low carbohydrate diet

Interventions

  • OtherStandard American diet

    Standard American diet with 50% energy from carbohydrate, 30% from fat, and 20% from protein.

  • OtherVery low carbohydrate diet

    Ketogenic diet with \<50g carbohydrate, 60-75% energy from fat, and 20% from protein

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in total cholesterol

    Change in serum total cholesterol between Day 3-7 (average value) to Day 17-21 (average value)

    Time frame: Day 3-7 to Day 17-21

  2. Change in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol

    Change in serum LDL cholesterol between Day 3-7 (average value) to Day 17-21 (average value)

    Time frame: Day 3-7 to Day 17-21

  3. Change in high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol

    Change in serum HDL cholesterol between Day 3-7 (average value) to Day 17-21 (average value)

    Time frame: Day 3-7 to Day 17-21

  4. Change in apolipoprotein B (apoB) kinetics

    Change in apoB turnover rates in LDL and very low density lipoprotein plasma fractions as measured using 2H2 leucine incorporation into apoB and mathematical modeling

    Time frame: Day 3-7 to Day 17-21

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in fractional hepatic de novo lipogenesis

    Measured by the detection of incorporated 1-13C sodium acetate into palmitate in triglyceride rich lipoproteins (TRL)

    Time frame: Day 3 to Day 17

  2. Change in fractional cholesterol synthesis

    Measured by the detection of incorporated 1-13C sodium acetate into cholesterol in plasma

    Time frame: Day 3 to Day 17

  3. Change in ketone body synthesis

    Measured by the detection of incorporated 1-13C sodium acetate into ketone bodies in plasma

    Time frame: Day 3 to Day 17

  4. Change in TRL-triglyceride kinetics

    Change in TRL- triglyceride assembly rates as measured using 2-13C glycerol and mathematical modeling

    Time frame: Day 3 to Day 17

  5. Change in triglyceride lipolysis

    Measured by the dilution of administered 2-13C glycerol in plasma

    Time frame: Day 3 to Day 17

  6. Change in serum glucose concentration

    Change in fasting and postprandial serum glucose levels

    Time frame: Day 3 to Day 17

  7. Change in serum free fatty acid concentration

    Change in fasting and postprandial serum free fatty acid levels

    Time frame: Day 3 to Day 17

  8. Change in serum insulin concentration

    Change in fasting and postprandial serum insulin levels

    Time frame: Day 3 to Day 17

  9. Change in serum ketone body concentration

    Change in fasting and postprandial ketone body levels

    Time frame: Day 3 to Day 17

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Touro University California
    Vallejo, California 94592, United States
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 18, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03901014
Lead sponsor
Touro University, California
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Apr 3, 2019
Start date
Mar 29, 2019
Primary completion
Apr 18, 2019
Completion
Apr 18, 2019
Last update
May 18, 2026

Study contacts

Grace M Jones, PhD
principal investigator · Touro University, California

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Nov 2022. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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