VKE reduced protein being burned for fuel during calorie restriction.
−34%FASTING PROTEIN OXIDATION
In the fasted measurement, protein oxidation fell about 34% in the VKE group.
GLP-1 + PERFORMANCE NUTRITIONGLP-1s help take the weight off.
GLP-1s help take the weight off.
Don't let your strength go with it.
When appetite is down but your body still has work to do, Veech Ketone Ester gives you another high-energy fuel without requiring a full meal.
Human VKE research has shown effects on muscle protein synthesis, exercise capacity, energy expenditure and protein oxidation during calorie restriction.
WHY THIS MATTERS ON GLP-1
25–39%
of total weight lost was lean mass across randomized incretin-therapy trials.
The percentage varied by therapy across 20 randomized trials. Lean mass is not the same thing as skeletal muscle.
How do you preserve muscle on a GLP-1?
Protein and resistance training come first. Adequate protein supplies the building blocks. Resistance training gives the body a reason to keep muscle. Veech Ketone Ester supports the muscle-preservation side of the equation in two ways already demonstrated in human research: it provides another high-energy fuel when calorie intake is low, and it directly stimulates myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis. What has not yet been tested is whether adding VKE specifically preserves more muscle in people taking a GLP-1 drug.
Protein supplies the material. Resistance training supplies the signal. VKE supplies fuel and supports muscle protein synthesis.
PROTEIN AND RESISTANCE-TRAINING PRIORITIES PER A 2025 JOINT ADVISORY FROM FOUR US NUTRITION AND MEDICAL SOCIETIES — SEE REFERENCES
HUMAN VKE RESEARCH. HERE'S WHAT IT FOUND.What VKE can help you hold onto
PROTEIN USED AS FUEL EXERCISE CAPACITYHiroux et al. 2023 · four weeksSEE STUDY
ENERGY EXPENDITUREHiroux et al. 2023 · four weeksSEE STUDY
MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESISHannaian et al. 2024 · 36 young menSEE STUDY
What VKE can help you hold onto
when you're eating less.
Hiroux et al. 2023 · four weeksSEE STUDY
VKE helped preserve exercise capacity while calories were low.
HELDTHROUGH A 30% CALORIE DEFICIT
Time-to-exhaustion declined on placebo but was maintained with VKE.
Resting energy expenditure held up better with VKE.
HELDLEAN-MASS-ADJUSTED RESTING ENERGY EXPENDITURE
It declined in the placebo and higher-protein groups but was preserved in the VKE group.
VKE directly stimulated muscle protein synthesis in human research.
STIMULATEDMYOFIBRILLAR MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS
VKE, 10g whey and the combination each increased MPS in the controlled trial.
PROTEIN + TRAINING + FUELDifferent jobs.
Different jobs.
All important.
VKE doesn't replace protein or training.
It adds fuel when energy intake is low — and human research shows it can directly stimulate muscle protein synthesis.
PROTEIN
Supplies the material
The amino acids needed to maintain and build tissue.
RESISTANCE TRAINING
Gives the reason
Gives your body a reason to keep the muscle.
VKE
Supplies the fuel
Another high-energy fuel when calorie intake is lower. Human research also shows VKE directly stimulates myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis.
THE MOLECULE MATTERS
These are VKE results.
VEECH KETONE ESTER
2.8mM
KETONE SALTS
1.0mM
PEAK D-BHB AT A MOLE-MATCHED βHB DOSE IN HUMAN TESTING
The muscle, calorie-restriction and performance research on this page used Veech Ketone Ester.
Other ketone products do not automatically inherit those results.
WHY VKE FITS
Appetite down.
Appetite down.
Energy demand isn't.
GLP-1s can make it much easier to eat substantially less. But training, work and daily activity still require energy.
LOWER FOOD INTAKE
DRINK VKE
D-BHB ↑
USABLE FUEL
VKE rapidly raises D-BHB, giving the body another high-energy fuel without requiring a large meal.
Protein still matters for tissue. VKE does the fuel job.
“This is a exogenous substrate that we're utilizing to improve the efficiency of energy production.”
WILLIAM SEEDS, MD
FOUNDER, SSRP INSTITUTE · ON KETONE MONOESTER
REAL-WORLD USE
When does that matter?
01
Training while eating less
Keep fuel available when calories and appetite are down.
02
Low-appetite days
Another fuel option when getting enough energy in feels harder.
03
Staying active through weight loss
Losing weight doesn't mean putting the rest of your life on pause.
04
Protecting the habits that matter
Keep training, moving and using the capacity you want to keep.
ONE ESTER. THREE CONCENTRATIONS.
Choose your concentration.
Less concentrated tastes better.
WANT THE RECEIPTS?
The human research.
Three trials. Open any one for the protocol, the numbers and the context.
Muscle protein synthesis: VKE directly stimulated MPS.
Hannaian et al. 2024 · AJCN
36 healthy young men · VKE vs 10g whey vs combination
VIEW STUDY DETAILS +
Hannaian et al. 2024 · AJCN
36 healthy young men · VKE vs 10g whey vs combination
PROTOCOL Randomized, double-blind, parallel-group trial at McGill. 36 recreationally active healthy young males received the monoester (VKE) at 0.36g per kg bodyweight, 10g of whey protein, or both, in the overnight fasted state. Myofibrillar protein synthesis measured over 300 minutes.
WHAT HAPPENED
- VKE, 10g whey, and the two together each stimulated myofibrillar protein synthesis.
- There was no significant difference between the three treatments.
- Blood beta-hydroxybutyrate rose similarly in both VKE arms.
WHY IT MATTERS
- Muscle protein synthesis is how muscle gets repaired and rebuilt.
- VKE reached that response without supplying any protein, which makes it additive to what you already eat rather than a substitute for it.
CONTEXT: Acute measurement in young men. VKE contains no protein and no amino acids, and does not replace dietary protein. PMID 38215886 — PubMed
30% calorie deficit: exercise capacity and energy expenditure held up with VKE.
Hiroux et al. 2023 · Frontiers in Physiology
32 female recreational athletes · four weeks · fully provided diet
VIEW STUDY DETAILS +
Hiroux et al. 2023 · Frontiers in Physiology
32 female recreational athletes · four weeks · fully provided diet
PROTOCOL Double-blind trial at KU Leuven. 32 female recreational athletes, four weeks at a 30% calorie deficit with every meal provided, randomized to extra protein (~2.0–2.2g per kg per day), 3 × 20g per day of VKE, or an isocaloric placebo. Blood beta-hydroxybutyrate reached about 2.5 mM an hour after each dose.
WHAT HAPPENED
- Time to exhaustion fell 2.5% on placebo but was maintained with VKE.
- Lean-mass-adjusted resting energy expenditure fell on placebo and on extra protein, but was preserved with VKE.
- Fasting protein oxidation fell about 34% in the VKE group.
- Perceived overall stress rose on placebo and on extra protein, but not with VKE.
WHY IT MATTERS
- Losing training capacity is how a deficit turns into a setback. Here it held.
- The metabolic slowdown that usually comes with eating less didn't happen in the VKE group.
- Every meal was provided and weighed, so these are controlled results rather than self-reported ones.
CONTEXT: Measured muscle mass still declined in the VKE arm; the higher-protein arm preserved it. Fat loss was the same across all three groups. The protein-oxidation figure is fasting protein oxidation, not a direct measure of muscle breakdown — it should not be read as 34% less muscle loss. 32 young, lean, recreationally active women, not men and not beyond four weeks. PMID 36714318 — PubMed
Older muscle: VKE increased ATP production, work capacity and peak power.
Andersen et al. 2026 · Acta Physiologica
Men 65–85 · randomized crossover
VIEW STUDY DETAILS +
Andersen et al. 2026 · Acta Physiologica
Men 65–85 · randomized crossover
PROTOCOL Randomized, double-blind crossover in Aarhus and Aalborg. Twelve men aged 20–25 and twelve aged 65–85, matched on fitness. Muscle energetics measured by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy with dynamometry.
WHAT HAPPENED
- In the older men, VKE increased ATP production in working muscle.
- Work capacity increased.
- Peak muscle power increased.
WHY IT MATTERS
- ATP is the fuel muscle contracts on. More available means more work before you fade.
- Muscle energetics matter for anyone trying to hold onto physical capacity while losing weight.
CONTEXT: Acute study — a single session in 24 healthy men, no women. Not a GLP-1 trial. VKE produced no measurable effect in the young comparison group. PMID 41644499 — PubMed
QUESTIONS PEOPLE ACTUALLY ASKGLP-1s, muscle
GLP-1s, muscle
and ketone ester
Veech Ketone Ester is a food, not a drug or a dietary supplement. Nothing on this page is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and nothing here is medical advice or a recommendation about prescription therapy. GLP-1 receptor agonists are prescription medicines; decisions about them belong with your prescribing clinician. VKE is not a weight-loss product, an appetite suppressant or a fat burner. Our Veech Ketone Ester molecule is manufactured in the United States.
What does VKE do for muscle while I'm on a GLP-1?
VKE can help support muscle preservation and physical capacity when energy intake is low.
Human research shows that VKE directly stimulates myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis, helped maintain exercise capacity during a 30% calorie deficit, preserved lean-mass-adjusted resting energy expenditure during that deficit, and increased skeletal-muscle energy production and power in separate research.
What has not yet been tested in humans is whether adding VKE specifically preserves more muscle in people taking a GLP-1 drug.
Do GLP-1s cause muscle loss?
Lean mass commonly decreases during GLP-1-associated weight loss, but lean mass is not the same thing as skeletal muscle — it also includes water, glycogen, organs and connective tissue.
Across the randomized trials summarized here, lean mass represented roughly 25–39% of total weight lost depending on the therapy.
The practical response is not to panic about the number. It's to deliberately support muscle with adequate protein and resistance training. Muscle function and quality matter alongside the DXA number.
How do I keep training when my appetite is low on a GLP-1?
Eating less can make it harder to keep training with the same quality. Protein and overall nutrition still matter most.
VKE provides another oxidizable fuel without requiring a full meal, which is why we see it as a performance-nutrition tool rather than a replacement for food or protein.
In a separate four-week calorie-restriction study — not a GLP-1 trial — exercise capacity was maintained with VKE while it declined on placebo.
Should I use VKE instead of protein?
No — they do different jobs.
Protein supplies amino acids. VKE supplies fuel.
In the human head-to-head trial, VKE and 10g whey each stimulated MPS, but VKE contains no protein and should not be treated as a protein replacement.
Can I use VKE every day?
Yes. Many KetoneAid customers make VKE part of their daily routine.
Human research has included repeated daily dosing, including 26.8g three times daily for 28 days in healthy adults, with good tolerability and no adverse changes in the major measures tested.
You don't need research-study doses to make VKE part of your routine. Use the amount that fits the job.
If you're using prescription medication, individual compatibility and GI tolerance are questions for your prescriber.
Can I take VKE alongside a GLP-1?
VKE is a food, but GLP-1s are prescription drugs and can change gastric emptying and GI tolerance. We can't give individual medication advice, so if you're currently using a GLP-1, discuss regular VKE use with the clinician managing your prescription.
Which KetoneAid format should I choose?
All three are the same Veech Ketone Ester at different dilutions, so the choice is about concentration, taste and how you want to dose.
Ke4 is 50% and carries 30g per bottle — the most ester in the fewest bottles, and the most potent taste. Ke2 is 25% with 25g per bottle: three times the water of Ke4 at the same cost per gram, and easier to get down. The Ketone Shot is 8% with 5g per bottle, ready to drink with nothing to measure.
If you have never had the molecule before, the Shot is the lowest-commitment way to find out what it's like.
Is VKE the same as R 1,3 butanediol?
No. R 1,3 butanediol is a ketone precursor. Veech Ketone Ester is a different molecule and is the molecule used in the human research on this page.
FULL REFERENCES AND STUDY DETAILS
- SEEDS — KETONE ESTER / ENERGY SUBSTRATEWilliam Seeds, MD, Founder, SSRP Institute. Expert commentary on ketone monoester from SSRP Institute educational material (“The Truth About Ketone Esters”). SSRP video resources. Commentary, not a clinical study, and not an endorsement of any product for GLP-1 users.
- 2025 JOINT ADVISORYMozaffarian D, Agarwal M, Aggarwal M, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: a joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2025;122(1):344–367. PMID 40450457, doi 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.04.023. A corrigendum was published in 2026 (PMID 41962912). Cited for its nutrition and resistance-training priorities; it does not evaluate Veech Ketone Ester. PubMed
- HANNAIAN 2024Hannaian SJ, Lov J, Hawley SE, et al. Acute ingestion of a ketone monoester, whey protein, or their co-ingestion in the overnight postabsorptive state elicit a similar stimulation of myofibrillar protein synthesis rates in young males: a double-blind randomized trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2024;119(3):716–729. PMID 38215886. PubMed
- HIROUX 2023Hiroux C, Schouten M, de Glisezinski I, et al. Effect of increased protein intake and exogenous ketosis on body composition, energy expenditure and exercise capacity during a hypocaloric diet in recreational female athletes. Frontiers in Physiology, 2023;13:1063956. PMID 36714318. PubMed
- ANDERSEN 2026Andersen OE, Larsen RG, Møller N, et al. Ketone monoester increases skeletal muscle power and energy turnover in older but not young men without affecting metabolic economy. Acta Physiologica, 2026;242(3):e70161. PMID 41644499. PubMed
- LEAN-MASS CONTEXTEisa N, Barood O. Lean mass changes with incretin therapy versus lifestyle intervention: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 2026. PMID 41877354. 20 RCTs, 15,782 participants. PubMed
- PHARMACOKINETICSStubbs BJ, Cox PJ, Evans RD, et al. On the metabolism of exogenous ketones in humans. Frontiers in Physiology, 2017;8:848. PMID 29163194. Ester peak D-BHB 2.8 mM vs ketone salts 1.0 mM at matched dose. PubMed
- TOLERABILITYSoto-Mota A, et al. Safety and tolerability of sustained exogenous ketosis using ketone monoester drinks for 28 days in healthy adults. 2019. PMID 31655093. 24 adults aged 18–70; 26.8g three times daily. PubMed