Heslop Lana L, Wright Douglas E
Department of Anesthesiology, Pain, and Perioperative Medicine, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, United States.
Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. 2025 Jul 1;329(1):C31-C37. doi: 10.1152/ajpcell.00305.2025. Epub 2025 May 28.
Ketones, or ketone bodies, are organic molecules produced via ketogenesis in the liver in response to changing energy demands. Three ketones are generated that can act as metabolic messengers and a fuel source for the body, typically forming when glucose levels decrease within the bloodstream. A ketogenic diet, a form of low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, stimulates ketogenesis and forces ketone utilization as an energy source by nonhepatic tissues. Currently, ketones, along with the ketogenic diet, have been of interest to many as a therapeutic mechanism for multiple conditions, including epilepsy, numerous neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes. Emerging preclinical evidence suggests that ketones may play a powerful role in modulating acute and chronic pain. Here, we summarize the known benefits of ketones on neurological disease and nociceptive systems associated with pain. We discuss possible mechanisms identified from preclinical studies underlying the identified benefits of ketones in reducing pain.
酮体，即酮类物质，是肝脏中通过生酮作用产生的有机分子，用于应对不断变化的能量需求。生成的三种酮体可作为代谢信使和身体的燃料来源，通常在血糖水平在血液中下降时形成。生酮饮食是一种低碳水化合物、高脂肪的饮食方式，它会刺激生酮作用，并促使非肝脏组织将酮体用作能量来源。目前，酮体以及生酮饮食作为多种病症（包括癫痫、多种神经退行性疾病和糖尿病）的治疗机制，已引起许多人的关注。新出现的临床前证据表明，酮体可能在调节急性和慢性疼痛方面发挥重要作用。在此，我们总结了酮体对与疼痛相关的神经疾病和伤害感受系统的已知益处。我们讨论了从临床前研究中确定的酮体在减轻疼痛方面的益处背后的可能机制。
