Ketone bodies and ketone body esters as blood lipid lowering agents

The subject disclosure provides compositions for reducing serum cholesterol and/or triglyceride levels in subjects. These compositions can comprise racemic ss-hydroxybutyrate or D-ss-hydroxybutyrate, optionally in the acid form, physiologically compatible salts of racemic ss-hydroxybutyrate or D-ss-hydroxybutyrate, esters of D-ss-hydroxybutyrate, oligomers of D-ss-hydroxybutyrate containing from 2 to 20 or more monomeric units in either linear or cyclic form, racemic 1,3 butandiol or R- 1,3 butandiol alone and can be, optionally, administered in conjunction with a low fat diet to a subject. Alternatively, compositions comprising racemic ss-hydroxybutyrate or D-ss-hydroxybutyrate, optionally in the acid form, physiologically compatible salts of racemic ss-hydroxybutyrate or D-ss-hydroxybutyrate, esters of D-ss-hydroxybutyrate, oligomers of D-ss-hydroxybutyrate containing from 2 to 20 or more monomeric units in either linear or cyclic form, racemic 1,3 butandiol, R- 1,3 butandiol or combinations thereof can be