Madison Kackley

Headshot of Madison Kackley

Assistant Professor, Department of Human Sciences

(614) 247-9650
kackley.19@osu.edu

Biography

Dr. Madison Kackley is a women’s health researcher and Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University, where she directs the SHE IS Laboratory (Scientific Health Empowerment & Integrative Solutions). Her work focuses on advancing metabolic, hormonal, and neurobiological health in women through precision nutrition and ketone-based interventions across the lifespan, from reproductive years through perimenopause and midlife metabolic health.

Dr. Kackley’s research investigates how  dietary strategies and exogenous supplementation influence endocrine function, metabolic resilience, reproductive health, and cognitive performance in women. She has led clinical trials demonstrating that nutritional ketosis can restore ovulatory function and menstrual cycles in women with metabolic dysfunction, catalyzing new research in PCOS, postpartum mental and metabolic health, female athlete physiology, and perimenopause.

Dr. Kackley has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and secured competitive research funding supporting the translation of ketone-based therapies into women’s health care. Her early work on ketone salt ingestion earned the Charles E. Ragus Award from the American Nutrition Association.

In addition to her academic contributions, Dr. Kackley is an invited international speaker and educator. She has delivered keynote and expert lectures at the World Nutrition Summit, LowCarbUSA, and the Nutrition Network, helping bridge scientific discovery with clinical practice and empowering health professionals globally with evidence-based strategies for women's metabolic and hormonal well-being.

Through research, mentorship, and advocacy, Dr. Kackley is committed to closing the gender health gap and building the scientific foundation needed to advance precision health solutions for women.Visit the SHEIS Laboratory here: https://u.osu.edu/sheislaboratory/

Education

  • PhD, Kinesiology, The Ohio State University, 2021
  • MS, Kinesiology, The Ohio State University, 2018
  • BS, Health Promotion and Fitness, Otterbein University, 2014

Research Interests

Selected Publications

  • Kackley, M.L*, Belany, P.* Zhao, S., Kluwe B., Buga, A., Crabtree, C. D., Nedungadi, D., Kline, D., Brock, G., Volek, J.S, Joseph, J. J. The effects of a hypocaloric low-fat diet, ketogenic diet and ketogenic diet& ketone supplement on aldosterone and renin in overweight or obese participants. https://doi.org/10.1210/cliiinnem/dgad009
  • Buga, A., Kackley, M. L, Crabtree, C. D., Sapper, T. N,  Robinson, B.T., Stoner, J.T., Decker, D.D., Hyde, P. N., LaFountain, R. A., Brownlow, M. L., O’Connor, A.,  Volek, J.S. Diurnal ketone and glucose pattern changes in a ketogenic diet, with and without a racemic ketone salt supplementation. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2023.01.030
  • Kackley, M.L*, Brownlow, M.L*, Buga, A., Crabtree, C.D, Sapper, T.N., O’Connor, A. & Volek, J.S. The effects of a six-week controlled, hypocaloric ketogenic diet, with and without exogenous ketone salts, on cognitive performance and mood states in overweight and obese adults. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.971144
  • Kackley, M. L*., Buga, A., Crabtree, C. D., Sapper, T. N., & Volek, J.S. Influence of Nutritional Ketosis Achieved through Various Methods on Plasma Concentrations of Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12091143
  • Post, E. M, Kraemer, W.J.,  Kackley, M. L., Caldwell, L.K., Volek, J. S.,  Sanchez, B. N., Focht, B.C., Newton, R.U., Hakkinen, K., Maresh, C. M.,  The effects of resistance training on physical fitness and neuromotor-cognitive functions in adults with Down Syndrome. https://doi.org/10.3389/fresc.2022.927629
  • Crabtree, C. D., Blade, T., Hyde, P.N., Buga, A., Kackley, M. L., Sapper, T. N., Panda, O., Diaz, S., Newman, J.C., Volek, J. S., Stubbs, B. J. (2022)  Bis hexanoyl (R)-1,3-butanediol, a novel ketogenic ester, acutely increases circulating R- and s- ß-hydroxybutyrate concentrations in healthy adults. Journal of the American Nutrition Association. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2021.2015476
  • Crabtree, C. D., Kackley, M. L., Buga, A., Fell, B., LaFountain, R. A., Hyde, P. N., Sapper, T. N., Kraemer, W. J., Scandling, D., Simonetti, O. P., & Volek, J. S. (2021). Comparison of Ketogenic Diets with and without Ketone Salts versus a Low-Fat Diet: Liver Fat Responses in Overweight Adults. Nutrients, 13(3), 966. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030966
  • Hyde P.N., Sapper, T.N., LaFountain R.A., Kackley, M. L., Buga, A., Fell, B., Crabtree, C. D., Phinney, S. D., Miller, V. J., King, S. M., Krauss, R. M., Kraemer, W. J., & Volek, J.S.(2021) Effects of Palm Stearin versus Butter in the Context of Low-Carbohydrate/High-Fat and High-Carbohydrate/Low-Fat Diets on Circulating Lipids in a Controlled Feeding Study in Healthy Humans. Nutrients 13(6):1944. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13061944
  • Buga, A., Kackley, M. L., Crabtree, C. D., Sapper, T. N., Mccabe, L., Fell, B., LaFountain, R. A., Hyde, P. N., Martini, E. R., Bowman, J., Pan, Y., Scandling, D., Brownlow, M. L., O’Connor, A., Simonetti, O. P., Kraemer, W. J., & Volek, J.S. (2021). The Effects of a 6-Week Controlled, Hypocaloric Ketogenic Diet, With and Without Exogenous Ketoone Salts, on Body Composition Responses. Frontiers in Nutrition, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.618520
  • Kackley, M. L., Short, J. A., Hyde, P. N., LaFountain, R. A., Buga, A., Miller, V. J., Dickerson, R. M., Sapper, T. N., Barnhart, E. C., Krishnan, D., McElroy, C. A., Maresh, C. M., Kraemer, W. J., & Volek, J. S. (2020). A Pre-Workout Supplement of Ketone Salts, Caffeine, and Amino Acids Improves High-Intensity Exercise Performance in Keto-Naïve and Keto-Adapted Individuals. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 39(4), 290–300. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2020.1752846
  • Hyde, P. N., Sapper, T. N., Crabtree, C. D., LaFountain, R. A., Kackley, M. L., Buga, A., Fell, B., McSwiney, F. T., Dickerson, R. M., Miller, V. J., Scandling, D., Simonetti, O. P., Phinney, S. D., Kraemer, W. J., King, S. A., Krauss, R. M., & Volek, J. S. (2019). Dietary carbohydrate restriction improves metabolic syndrome independent of weight loss. JCI Insight, 4(12). https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.128308
  • Crabtree, C. D., LaFountain, R. A., Hyde, P. N., Chen, C., Pan, Y., Lamba, N., Sapper, T. N., Short, J. A., Kackley, M. L., Buga, A., Miller, V. J., Scandling, D., Andersson, I., Barker, S., Hu, H. H., Volek, J. S., & Simonetti, O. P. (2019). Quantification of Human Central Adipose Tissue Depots: An Anatomically Matched Comparison Between DXA and MRI. Tomography, 5(4), 358–366. https://doi.org/10.18383/j.tom.2019.00018
  • LaFountain, R. A., Miller, V. J., Barnhart, E. C., Hyde, P. N., Crabtree, C. D., McSwiney, F. T., Beeler, M. K., Buga, A., Sapper, T. N., Short, J. A., Bowling, M. L., Kraemer, W. J., Simonetti, O. P., Maresh, C. M., & Volek, J. S. (2019). Extended Ketogenic Diet and Physical Training Intervention in Military Personnel. Military Medicine, 184(9–10), e538–e547. https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usz04

Selected Presentations

  • Nutrition Network's Women’s Health Elective 2023, "Fitness & Fueling for Women: A Health-Focused Perspective."
  • City College Exercise Science Symposium 2023, Mind- Body Connection- “Food for Thought: The connection between nutrition and Cognitive Function."