How To Use MCT Oil For Weight Loss
Introduction
Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil has gained popularity as a powerful tool for supporting weight loss and overall health. Derived from sources like coconut oil and palm kernel oil, MCT oil is a unique type of fat that is rapidly absorbed and converted into energy, making it an excellent addition to a weight management plan.
Unlike long-chain fats, MCTs are metabolized differently, promoting a quicker boost in energy and potentially aiding in fat loss by enhancing metabolism, curbing hunger, and supporting ketone production.
MCT Oil: What is it?
A kind of fat known as medium-chain triglycerides is used to make MCT oil, a dietary supplement.
The majority of the lipids you eat are long-chain triglycerides (LCT), however, MCT molecules are smaller than LCT. They are therefore simpler to absorb. MCT can be swiftly absorbed into your bloodstream. This transforms it into usable energy.
MCT oil is one substance that has grown in popularity among athletes and bodybuilders. The use of coconut oil, which contains some MCTs, has increased due to its popularity.
There are four primary categories of medium-chain fatty acids.
- Lauric acid
- Caproic acid
- Caprylic acid
- Capric acid
What Is the Origin of MCT Oil?
Coconut oil or palm kernels are typically used to make MCT oil. They both include MCT. Either 100% MCT oil or a blend of MCT and LCT is available.
The process known as fractionation is used to extract MCT oil from coconut oil or palm kernel oil. This leads to the separation of the original oil and the concentration of the MCT.
Coconut oil versus MCT oil
All of the medium-chain triglycerides in MCT oil are rapidly absorbed by your body and used to provide you with instant energy. Despite being derived from coconut oil, MCT oil has more MCTs than coconut oil. This indicates that your body absorbs coconut oil more slowly and stores it as fat due to a different breakdown process.
What Is the Use of MCT Oil?
MCT is typically used to assist with:
- Issues with consuming fat or nutrients
- Control of appetite and weight loss
- Extra stamina to work out
- The inflammation
Does MCT Oil Function?
You may feel fuller for longer and store less fat if you switch from LCT to MCT. You might consume less food if you’re not as hungry. Using MCT oil instead of coconut oil may result in a lower calorie intake.
There is not enough data to conclude that MCT oil will cause weight loss, despite encouraging studies.
For those who are frail and aged, MCT oil may assist increase your strength. MCT has also been shown to increase the energy expenditure of your muscles. According to some research, however, it may not have a significant impact on your workout performance.
MCT can assist your body in producing ketones, which are a non-carbohydrate energy source for your brain. Some claim that drinking it will improve mental clarity. However, adding any MCT oil alone is unlikely to provide you with a sustained mental boost if you do not have a cognitive issue.
According to a study on premature babies, including MCT oil in formula can lessen the risk of infection from the fungus candida.
Skin infections may also be soothed and treated with MCT. As an antibacterial, the lauric acid in MCT breaks down the walls of bacteria and viruses to eliminate them.
The Ketogenic Diet with MCT
When you follow an extremely low-carb diet, your body breaks down fat and produces ketones. This can help you burn fat by lowering your insulin levels. More ketones are produced by MCT than by LCT. We don’t know, but this might assist you get to the fat-burning stage more quickly.
Since MCT allows you to consume more carbohydrates from foods like fruits and vegetables, it might be simpler for you to stick to a ketogenic diet.
MCT Oil Advantages
For some circumstances, MCT may be beneficial. Of course, consult your physician first.
Digestion issues: If you have issues breaking down other types of fat or getting the nutrients you need, your doctor may recommend that you take extra MCT. You may experience this if you take certain drugs or if you have:
- You’re having pancreatic issues
- A portion of your stomach was removed.
- resection of the small bowel
- The illness of the small bowel
- Syndrome of the short intestine
A high-fat ketogenic diet has been shown in studies to reduce seizure frequency. Some kids with epilepsy who don’t respond to medication treatment may benefit from it. If kids struggle with the high-fat content, they might find it simpler to follow a ketogenic diet that employs MCT rather than LCT.
1. MCT oil may aid in reducing caloric consumption.
People may be able to consume fewer calories during the day if they use MCT oil.
Compared to long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which are present in foods like avocados, almonds, and olive oil, MCT oil has roughly 10% fewer calories.
MCTs have been linked to a reduction in caloric consumption, according to a review of 29 research. Those who consumed MCTs consumed a moderately lower number of calories than those who consumed LCTs.
According to certain research, MCT oil may encourage the release of leptin and peptide YY, two hormones that aid in feeling full after eating. Nevertheless, while analyzing the findings of 29 studies, researchers discovered no connection between MCT and hormones linked to appetite.
In contrast to those who took coconut oil, one study indicated that individuals who consumed two teaspoons of MCT oil for breakfast consumed less food for lunch.
It is unclear what might be causing this possible consequence. MCT oil may make you feel fuller or decrease your appetite, which may cause you to eat less, according to some people. However, there is not much evidence from studies that ingesting MCTs makes you less hungry.
The connection between MCT and calorie reduction may be further understood in future research.
2. MCT oil may have an impact on weight and body composition.
According to some earlier research, ingesting MCT oil may help lower waist circumference and body weight. It may help prevent obesity, according to researchers.
It should be noted that some of these studies do not account for other variables, such as calorie intake and activity levels.
According to a study of 13 randomized controlled trials, MCTs were supportive of reduced body size, fat loss, and mild weight loss. However, the authors noted that a large number of the studies were of dubious quality and that business sponsorship might have affected the findings.
Another review of 11 studies came to similar conclusions.
MCTs can be converted by your body into ketones, which give your body a fat-based energy source when you do not eat plenty of carbohydrates.
You may be able to maintain the fat-burning condition known as ketosis if you are on a ketogenic diet by consuming MCT oil. Very few carbohydrates and a lot of fat are included in ketogenic diets. A ketogenic diet may help people lose weight, according to some research, but it is unclear what the long-term ramifications will be.
3. MCT oil may prove to be a useful energy source.
Compared with long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which have more carbons in their fatty acid chains, the body absorbs MCTs more quickly.
In contrast to longer-chain lipids, MCTs do not require bile to break down because of their shorter chain length, which allows them to go from the gut to the liver more quickly.
The fats are converted in the liver and either stored as body fat or used as fuel. MCTs can be used as a quick energy boost because they easily reach your bloodstream and do not degrade.
MCTs can also be transformed into ketones in the liver while following a ketogenic diet. Your brain cells can use these ketones as an energy source since they can cross the blood-brain barrier.
4. MCT may facilitate the body’s energy-burning process.
When exercising, researchers have looked into whether MCT oil could help you burn fat rather than carbohydrates.
In one previous study, athletes who had 6 grams, or around 1.5 teaspoons, of MCTs with food before cycling used more fat for energy rather than carbohydrates, in contrast to those who took LCTs. However, the difference was minimal.
Men who took MCTs during exercise burnt more fat than women in a randomized controlled experiment.
Research on the potential benefits of MCT oil for improving exercise performance is conflicting, however, it may assist boost fat burning during physical activity.
A diet high in MCT may not affect exercise performance, according to the findings of an animal study, whereas a diet high in LCT may make exercise performance worse.
A study of 13 human research, however, revealed that MCT provided little to no exercise benefits. Supplementing with MCT did not significantly alter the body’s energy use or other indicators of exercise performance.
5. Autism, Alzheimer’s, and epilepsy may all be treated using MCT.
Research has indicated that a ketogenic diet and MCT oil may aid in the treatment of diseases like autism, Alzheimer’s, and epilepsy.
You should be aware that MCTs do not take the place of prescription drugs or medical care. Before starting any supplement regimen, speak with your physician.
Being epileptic:
Initially developed as a treatment for epilepsy, the ketogenic diet has become popular among those looking to reduce weight.
Fasting raises the synthesis of ketone bodies, which may lessen the frequency of epileptic seizures, according to research.
The ability to convert MCTs into ketones suggests that they could be useful in the treatment of epilepsy.
Despite the paucity of research on MCTs and epilepsy in humans, in vitro and animal studies point to encouraging findings.
In one tiny trial, persons with epilepsy who did not respond well to medication were enrolled. When the subjects took MCT oil supplements for three months, their overall seizure frequency decreased by 42%. The authors warn, however, that more research is required.
It might matter what kind of MCT it is. MCT capric acid was found to have stronger effects on seizure control than a common anti-epileptic medication in an in vitro investigation.
The same MCT was shown to block seizure-causing brain receptors in another rat study, but further human research is required.
Consult your physician first if you are thinking about using MCT oil or a ketogenic diet to treat your epilepsy.
It is also crucial to remember that not everyone is a good fit for a ketogenic diet, and it can be difficult to stick to over time.
Alzheimer’s disease:
Alzheimer’s disease affects how well your brain uses sugar.
Ketones are an alternate energy source that can be obtained with a ketogenic diet.
This gives your brain energy and may improve the survival of Alzheimer’s brain cells.
Researchers discovered that by making MCTs the main source of fat in a ketogenic diet, people can consume more carbohydrates than they would on a typical ketogenic diet and still produce ketones. Over time, eating more carbohydrates may make the diet simpler to stick to.
Additionally, one study discovered that individuals with Alzheimer’s disease who had a particular gene type—APOE ̛4-negative—had better memory after taking MCTs for 30 days.
In another study, those with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease showed increased ketone utilization in their brains when they took 30 grams of MCT supplementation daily. The rate of ketones metabolized by their brains was similar to that of young, healthy people taking MCTs.
Other researchers have shown that the symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease could be somewhat alleviated by taking 20 to 70 grams of additional MCTs, which contain caprylic and capric acid.
MCTs may help people with Alzheimer’s disease think better, according to a meta-analysis of 12 trials, but further proof is required.
Overall, there is considerable potential in using MCT oil to treat Alzheimer’s disease; nevertheless, more extensive and prolonged research is required.
Autism:
There is not much data to support the idea that MCT oil can aid kids with autism.
It is crucial to remember that many autistic people oppose therapies that try to make them appear “less autistic” when analyzing this research.
A ketogenic and gluten-free diet combined with MCTs significantly reduced behaviors linked to autism, according to one early study. Six out of the fifteen kids who took part in the study showed this change.
There is some evidence that ketogenic diets, with or without MCTs, may reduce the behaviors of people with autism, according to a few small trials. Nevertheless, more investigation is required before any conclusions can be drawn. For children with autism, it is still unknown if this kind of diet is safe or offers any therapeutic advantages.
There are documented hazards associated with putting a child on a limited diet, such as stunted growth and malnourishment.
Additionally, a restricted diet of chosen foods may be consumed by certain autistic people due to sensory difficulties. Further, dietary limitations might not be acceptable and could result in nutritional deficiencies.
Always get your doctor’s approval before making any dietary modifications or supplementing your child.
6. MCT contains fatty acids that inhibit the growth of yeast and bacteria.
It has been demonstrated that MCTs possess antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Although further research is required, some researchers speculate that it might have some anti-inflammatory properties that could help achieve this result.
A previous in vitro study demonstrated that coconut oil, which includes a large number of MCTs, can suppress Candida albicans growth by 25%. Many skin illnesses, including thrush, can be brought on by this ubiquitous yeast.
MCTs decreased the incidence of Candida infections in prematurely born newborns, according to another small trial.
Additionally, an in vitro study revealed that coconut oil inhibited the growth of Clostridium difficile, a bacterium that causes sickness.
The caprylic, capric, and lauric acids in MCTs may be the reason why coconut oil inhibits the growth of bacteria and yeast.
Virgin coconut oil inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and aided immune cells in eliminating the bacterium in a test-tube investigation. Skin infections and other potentially dangerous illnesses are brought on by Staphylococcus aureus.
But keep in mind that the majority of studies on MCTs and immunological support have been carried either in vitro or on animals. High-caliber human studies are necessary before more conclusive conclusions may be made.
7. MCT may aid with blood sugar regulation.
According to some earlier research, those with diabetes and metabolic syndrome may potentially benefit from MCT oil.
40 diabetics were tracked in a modest 2007 study. Body weight, waist circumference, and insulin resistance decreased in those who took MCT oil on a daily basis as opposed to those who took maize oil containing LCTs.
There have been conflicting findings in more recent research on MCTs and blood sugar.
An analysis of eighteen studies looked at the effects of coconut oil, which has a lot of MCTs. A slight improvement in blood sugar regulation after meals may result from consuming a meal that contains coconut oil.
Long-term usage of coconut oil, however, had the opposite effect; it was found to promote insulin resistance, which impairs blood sugar regulation.
After consuming coconut oil every day for four weeks, individuals with metabolic syndrome were monitored in a randomized controlled experiment. The participants’ “good” HDL cholesterol was higher and their fasting blood sugar and triglycerides were much lower. However, their overall cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol were also greater.
MCTs may help blood sugar in certain situations, but additional research is required to make firm judgments.
MCT Oil Usage Tips
A variety of dishes and beverages can be enhanced with MCT oil. It’s most frequently found in:
- Smoothies in general
- A dressing for salads
- coffee
- It’s not a good idea to fry anything using MCT oil because of its low burning point.
Your tolerance level and the desired outcome will determine how much you should take. Four to seven tablespoons is the most you should consume in a single day. Spreading out those tablespoons throughout the day is ideal.
Coffee with MCT oil
MCT oil increases the fat content of coffee and is referred to as bulletproof coffee. Additionally, it can increase your energy levels and prolong feelings of fullness. Due to the high calorie and fat content of MCT oil, start with one teaspoon and work your way up to one or two teaspoons.
MCT Foods
Certain foods naturally contain MCTs, such as:
- Coconut oil
- Oil from palm kernels
- Milk and Butter
- Cheese and Yogurt
- Dark chocolate
- Seeds and nuts
- Goat milk
MCT Dangers
Moderate use of MCT oil is generally safe. On the other hand, long-term use should be done with caution. The following are a few drawbacks:
- It is high in calories. Weight gain could arise from this.
- Consuming a lot of saturated fat might cause your cholesterol to rise.
- MCTs may cause you to overeat by inducing the release of hunger hormones.
- If taken in excess, the liver may become fatty.
Side Effects of MCT Oil
If you consume a lot of it, you will not feel well. You can obtain:
- Pain in the stomach
- Cramps in Gas
- bloating
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- To determine the ideal dosage for you, consult a dietician. Additionally, you should incorporate more lipids in your diet because MCT oil lacks the necessary fatty acids.
FAQs
What is the best way to use MCT oil for weight loss?
When you take MCT oil before working out, you can get a rapid energy boost and improve your physical performance.
Between Meals: If you have lunchtime cravings, you might want to use MCT oil to help regulate your appetite and prevent you from reaching for high-calorie snacks.
What is the recommended daily dosage of MCT oil for weight loss?
When using MCT oil, it is imperative to start small. You should start with just a teaspoon or two per day after figuring out your goal dose, which is 1-2 tablespoons. Then, gradually raise your dosage over a few weeks until you reach the entire quantity.
What are the 3 MCT superfoods?
MCTs come from a variety of sources, however, they are frequently found in coconut oil.
oil from palm kernels.
dairy goods, such as cheese and milk.
Who should avoid MCT oil?
People who have heart problems or high blood triglycerides (a form of fat) may not be able to take MCT oil.
What are the side effects of MCT?
Side effects include intestinal gas, stomach discomfort, diarrhea, vomiting, irritability, nausea, and a lack of vital fatty acids.
References:
- MCT Oil Benefits, Uses, and Dosage Recommendations – Dr. Axe. (2024, December 3). Dr. Axe. https://draxe.com/nutrition/mct-oil/
- PGDip, S. O. M. (2023, November 27). 7 Science-Based Benefits of MCT Oil. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mct-oil-benefits#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6
- Wiginton, K. (2024, July 4). MCT Oil. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/mct-oil-health-benefits-common-uses