β-hydroxybutyrate attenuates diabetic renal and muscular pathologies in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic model

Diabetes and its associated complications are the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Strategies have been rapidly developed to reduce diabetic complications and the overall quality of life of patients with diabetes. β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), the most abundant ketone body generated from fatty acids in the liver, provides energy sources under nutrient deprivation and has various potential health benefits as a functional food. However, its role in diabetic pathologies is unclear. In this study, we examined the effect of BHB on the kidney and muscle functions in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. BHB supplementation exerted anti-inflammatory effects on the kidneys and improved renal tubule injury and fibrosis in STZ-induced mice. Furthermore, BHB alleviated diabetes-induced muscle atrophy, indicated by the increased fiber area and normalized fiber area distribution in BHB-supplemented STZ-treated mice. Our study demonstrates the beneficial effects of BHB in improving diabetic complications, particularly diabetic nephropathy and myopathy, and highlights the potential of BHB as a functional food for the treatment of diabetes.