Effects of Ketogenic Diet on Alcohol Intoxication

The research study is being conducted to better understand the effects of ketosis on brain functioning and the acute effects of alcohol. Participants will be asked to undergo \~4 weeks of ketogenic diet intervention. The study involves three lab visits: Lab 1 before starting the diet, Lab 2 after about 2 weeks after starting the diet, and Lab 3 after being on the diet for 4 weeks. All of the labs will include an alcohol tolerance test, and blood draws. Lab 1 and Lab 3 will also include an Magnetic resonance imaging scan. Due to scheduling, study procedures at 2 and 4 weeks may occur +/- 3 days. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain will measure levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) (a coenzyme that is important for energy metabolism), lactate (a metabolite produced during energy metabolism), and neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA. Alcohol tolerance will be tested using a dose of alcohol (approximately 4-5 alcohol beverages) to will elevate breath alcohol levels to approximately 0.08% to measure the acute effects of alcohol. Blood samples will be collected to measure varying metabolites.

NCT Number	NCT07602270
Lead Sponsor	University of Pennsylvania Collaborators: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Conditions	Ketogenic Diet, Alcohol Drinking, Alcohol Use Disorder, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Alcohol Intoxication
Enrollment	20 participants
Start Date	2026-05-14
Primary Completion	2027-08-31 (estimated)
Study Completion	2030-05-01 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-08-04