Rise of ketone bodies with psychosocial stress in normal weight men.
BACKGROUND
Ketone bodies are known as alternative cerebral energy substrates to glucose. During psychosocial stress, the brain of a normal weight subject demands for extra glucose from the body to satisfy its increased needs. In contrast, the brain of an obese subject organizes its need, supply and demand in a low-reactive manner. The present study aimed at investigating (i) whether psychosocial stress increases ketone body concentrations and (ii) whether ketone reactivity to a psychosocial challenge differs between normal weight and obese people.


METHODS
Ten normal weight and ten obese men participated in two sessions (stress induced by the Trier Social Stress Test and a non-stress control session). Blood samples were frequently taken to assess serum β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations and stress hormone profiles.


RESULTS
Our main finding was that social stress markedly increased concentrations of serum β-hydroxybutyrate by 454% in normal weight men. The increase in ketone bodies during stress in normal weight subjects was associated with an increase in ACTH, norepinephrine and epinephrine concentrations. Interestingly, we could not detect any increase in serum β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations during stress in obese men.


CONCLUSIONS
Normal weight men showed high ketone reactivity to a psychosocial challenge.
Medical Clinic 1, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.
Britta
B
Kubera
Medical Clinic 1, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.
Christian
C
Hubold
Medical Clinic 1, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.
Hannah
H
Wischnath
Medical Clinic 1, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.
Sophia
S
Zug
Medical Clinic 1, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany. Electronic address: achim.peters@uk-sh.de.
Achim
A
Peters
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D056865:Ideal Body Weight; D007657:Ketone Bodies / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology; D011581:Psychological Tests; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D007657:Ketone Bodies; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine
Ketones; Obesity; Psychosocial stress; Selfish brain