“Independent pilot study that investigated whether ketosis could improve cognitive function in humans exposed to hypoxia. Objectives: Hypoxia causes a reduction in blood oxygen saturation and cerebral metabolic rate (the rate at which the brain consumes oxygen). Reduced cerebral metabolic rate negatively impacts cognitive function. Ketosis has been shown to attenuate cognitive decline caused by hypoxia in rodents. However, no research prior to this study had addressed whether ketosis could improve cognitive function in humans exposed to hypoxia. Methods: 11 male military aviation students (mean age of 24 years) participated in this pilot study, which consisted of 2 identical experimental trials, separated by 48 hours between trials. During both experimental trials, each participant performed cognitive assessments via DANA and RightEye (an eye-tracking cognitive assessment) at rest in 3 different environments, with a 30-minute break between each testing round. The 3 environments included room air (baseline), normoxia (standard oxygen levels at sea level), and mild hypoxia (reduced oxygen levels found at high altitudes). The normoxia and mild hypoxia environments were achieved with a reduced oxygen breathing device. At the first trial, participants were randomly assigned to receive 2 doses of either the ketone supplements or a placebo, consumed 30 minutes before both the normoxia environment and the hypoxia environment. At the second trial, participants received the opposite treatment (either the ketone supplements or the placebo) that they received in the first trial. The DANA test battery included simple reaction time (SRT), procedural reaction time (PRT) and the simultaneous code substitution (CSS) tests. Blood samples were taken throughout both trials. Results: DANA’s CSS scores were significantly higher in the normoxia condition as compared to the hypoxia condition, indicating significant hypoxia effects. Furthermore, during hypoxia exposure, CSS scores were higher with the ketone supplements treatment than in the placebo. These results demonstrated a protective effect of ketone supplements on cognitive function against the negative effects of acute, mild hypoxia. SRT and PRT did not show a significant decline during hypoxia. Based on prior research and the results of this study, the researchers speculated that that the physiological stress of hypoxia has greater effects on more complex cognitive processing, such as CCS, and thus these complex variables are more sensitive to interventions such as ketosis. Sensitivity of DANA to Hypoxia and Ketone Supplements: The results of the study demonstrate the sensitivity of DANA to detect changes in cognitive performance a result of both hypoxia and ketone supplements.”