Intermittent exogenous ketosis during early acclimatization at high altitudeTominec, Domen (Avtor) Stalmans, Myrthe (Avtor) Narang, Benjamin J. (Avtor) Millet, Grégoire P. (Avtor) Poffé, Chiel (Avtor) Debevec, Tadej (Avtor) hypobaric hypoxiaketone bodiesketone estersports performanceThe dataset was generated within the framework of a research project entitled "Intermittent Exogenous Ketosis: A Novel Strategy to Enhance Hypoxic Tolerance and Adaptation". As part of this investigation, physiologically healthy and recreationally active adults participated in a series of assessments conducted under both resting and exercise conditions. Initially, testing sessions were conducted at sea level (295 m; Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia), and ~6 weeks later, the subsequent testing sessions were carried out during a 4-day sojourn at high altitude (3375 m; Refugio Torino hut, Mont Blanc massif, Aosta Valley, Italy). Intermittent exogenous ketosis, induced via ketone monoester (KE) ingestion, has previously been shown to improve oxygenation and oxidative metabolism upon acute exposures to simulated high altitudes. Therefore, the present research project aimed to evaluate whether this nutritional intervention facilitates acclimatization and/or improves exercise performance during the early stages of acclimatization to terrestrial high altitude. The published data were specifically obtained from the study titled "Intermittent Exogenous Ketosis During Early Acclimatization at High Altitude: Insights on Convective and Diffusive Oxygen Transport Factors During Maximal Exercise." In this study, healthy, recreationally active adults were randomized into an intermittent exogenous ketosis (IEK; n = 16) or placebo (PLA; n = 17) group. Participants completed two incremental cycling tests to volitional exhaustion: the first at sea level (295 m) without prior supplementation and the second at high altitude (3375 m) after three days of acclimatization, during which participants intermittently ingested KE (IEK group) or placebo (PLA group). Comprehensive physiological data were collected during the incremental exercise protocol, including ventilation, gas exchange, cardiac hemodynamics, and blood and muscle oxygenation, using a metabolic cart (Quark CPET, COSMED, Rome, Italy), transthoracic impedance (Physioflow Enduro; Manatec Biomedical, Paris, France), earlobe oximetry (Nonin Xpod oximeter, Plymouth, MN, United States), and near-infrared spectroscopy (PortaLite MKII; Artinis Medical Systems, Elst, the Netherlands), respectively. Additionally, capillary blood samples were obtained at rest, prior to the onset of exercise, and at maximal exercise intensity (immediately after exertion) and analyzed using an arterial blood gas analyzer (ABL-90 FLEX; Radiometer, Copenhagen, Denmark). An additional blood sample was collected at rest, ~30 min after the last supplement administration, and used for immediate determination of blood ketone concentrations (GlucoMen Areo 2K-meter, A. Menarini Diagnostics, Firenze, Italy). Finally, the gathered data enabled the calculation of numerical values necessary to evaluate convective and diffusive oxygen transport factors during maximal-intensity exercise. Pre-exercise blood ketone concentrations were significantly higher in the IEK group compared to the PLA group (~2.1 mM vs. ~0.3 mM, P < 0.001). However, despite elevated ketone levels, both groups demonstrated similar reductions in peak power output (P = 0.644), blood oxygenation (P = 0.525), and muscle oxygenation (P = 0.304) from sea level to high altitude. Additionally, integrated convective and diffusive oxygen transport during maximal exercise, as well as maximal oxygen uptake, were comparable between groups (all P > 0.999). These findings suggest that three days of intermittent exogenous ketosis at high altitude do not counteract altitude- or exercise-induced reductions in blood and muscle oxygenation. Furthermore, intermittent KE supplementation does not influence the limitations in convective and diffusive oxygen transport during maximal exercise.20242025-01-20 10:27:52Neznano166643sl