A randomized, double-blind, clinical pilot trial of adjunct ketone supplement compared to placebo for treating posttraumatic stress disorder.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Copper (Supplement).

Data were collected through questionnaires to assess PTSD symptoms.

The researchers used Fisher's exact tests for categorical variables and 2-sample t tests for continuous variables to examine differences in baseline values between treatment groups.

Mixed models were employed to examine changes over time between groups on the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).

Why It Was Studied

Despite some evidence of the helpful role of ketones in some neuropsychiatric disorders, there are no clinical trials that examine these agents for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 21 participants were involved.

A total of 21 participants were recruited and randomized to placebo or ketone supplement.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and pilot study.

Because people in this Copper (Supplement) study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

As a double-blind Copper (Supplement) study, the assignments were hidden from both participants and investigators until the end.

Some participants received a placebo instead of Copper (Supplement), giving a reference point.

It is described as a pilot, a small early test of whether a larger Copper (Supplement) study would be practical.

What Was Measured

Topics PubMed links to this paper include Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Pilot Projects, Ketones, 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid and Dietary Supplements.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Copper (Supplement) in 21 participants.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

Its findings take up roughly 5 sentences of the abstract and are left out here on purpose; the source paper is the place to read them.

The publication is from 2022 (Annals of clinical psychiatry : official journal of the American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Copper (Supplement) compound page, all human trials.