Cited by 71Diet and metabolism studiesDietary Effects on HealthDiabetes Management and Research

Investigating Ketone Bodies as Immunometabolic Countermeasures against Respiratory Viral Infections

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Stubbs, Brianna J., Koutnik, Andrew P., Goldberg, Emily L., Upadhyay, Vaibhav, Turnbaugh, Peter J., Verdin, Eric, Newman, John C.·2020·Med

Abstract

Respiratory viral infections remain a scourge, with seasonal influenza infecting millions and killing many thousands annually and viral pandemics, such as COVID-19, recurring every decade. Age, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus are risk factors for severe disease and death from viral infection. Immunometabolic therapies for these populations hold promise to reduce the risks of death and disability. Such interventions have pleiotropic effects that might not only target the virus itself but also enhance supportive care to reduce cardiopulmonary complications, improve cognitive resilience, and facilitate functional recovery. Ketone bodies are endogenous metabolites that maintain cellular energy but also feature drug-like signaling activities that affect immune activity, metabolism, and epigenetics. Here, we provide an overview of ketone body biology relevant to respiratory viral infection, focusing on influenza A and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2, and discuss the opportunities, risks, and research gaps in the study of exogenous ketone bodies as novel immunometabolic interventions in these diseases.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.medj.2020.06.008

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  • Ketones produced during ketogenic diets or fasting can impact immune function and may have therapeutic effects for COVID-19.

    “Additionally, ketones, which are largely produced during either ketogenic diets or fasting periods, can impact immune function and may have possible therapeutic effects for COVID-19194.”

    From SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 and the aging immune system (2021) · cites this paper as [194]

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  1. [84]Shimazu T. Hirschey M.D. Newman J. He W. Shirakawa K. Le Moan N. Grueter C.A. Lim H. Saunders L.R. Stevens R.D. Suppression of oxidative stress by β-hydroxybutyrate, an endogenous histone deacetylase inhibitor Science 339 2013 211 214 23223453 PMC3735349

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Authors
Stubbs, B. J., Koutnik, A. P., Goldberg, E. L., Upadhyay, V., Turnbaugh, P. J., Verdin, E., & Newman, J. C.
Affiliations
  • Buck Institute for Research on Aging (US)
  • Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (US)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
Corresponding author
Newman, John C.
Venue
Med
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-12
Volume
1
Issue
1
Pages
43-65
ISSN
2666-6340 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3043137980
Cited by
71
References
251
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 6
FWCI
1.43
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Med (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • eScholarship (California Digital Library) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Buck Institute for Research on Aging (T32 HL007185)
  • National Institutes of Health (K08 AG048354)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Diet and metabolism studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Dietary Effects on Health
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes Management and Research
Keywords
ketone bodies, immunometabolic therapy, respiratory viral infections, influenza A virus, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pandemic, immunomodulation, metabolic signaling, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, age-related risk factors, cardiopulmonary complications, functional recovery
MeSH terms
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Humans, Influenza, Human, Ketone Bodies, Pandemics

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