What Is MCT Oil
What Is MCT Oil?
MCT oil is a supplement made from a type of fat called medium-chain triglycerides.
MCT molecules are smaller than those in most of the fats you eat, which are long-chain triglycerides (LCT). This makes them easier to digest. You can absorb MCT in your bloodstream quickly. This turns it into energy you can use.
Where Does MCT Oil Come From?
MCT oil is usually made from coconut or palm kernel oil. Both have MCT in them. You can buy 100% MCT oil or a mixture of MCT and LCT.
The way people get MCT oil from coconut or palm kernel oil is through a process called fractionation. This separates the MCT from the original oil and concentrates it.
MCT Oil vs. Coconut Oil
MCT oil consists entirely of medium-chain triglycerides, which your body absorbs quickly and uses for quick energy. While MCT oil is based on coconut oil, it has a higher concentration of MCTs compared to coconut oil. This means your body breaks coconut oil down differently, absorbing it more slowly and storing it as fat.
What Is MCT Oil Used For?
Usually, people use MCT for help with:
- Problems taking in fat or nutrients
- Weight loss
- Appetite control
- Extra energy for exercise
- Inflammation
More research is needed to discover if MCT oil can help with any of these conditions.
Does MCT Oil Work?
The short answer is we’re not sure.
You may store less fat and feel full longer if you replace LCT with MCT. If you aren’t as hungry, you may eat less. You might take in fewer calories if you use MCT oil instead of coconut oil.
While research is promising, there isn’t enough data to show that MCT oil will lead to weight loss.
MCT oil may help boost your strength if you’re elderly and weak. There’s also some evidence that MCT can raise the amount of energy your muscles use. But other research shows that it might not do that much to help you get through your workout. Study continues.
A study on preterm infants shows that adding MCT oil to formula can reduce a fungus called candida that can cause infection.
MCT may also help soothe and treat skin infections. The lauric acid in MCT works as an antimicrobial agent, breaking down bacteria and virus walls to destroy them.
MCT and the Ketogenic Diet
Your body makes ketones when you break down fat on a very low-carb diet. This can lower your insulin levels and help you burn fat. MCT helps you make more ketones than LCT. This may help you reach the fat-burning phase faster, but we don’t know.
You may find it easier to stay on a keto diet that uses MCT because you can eat more carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables.
Benefits of MCT Oil
MCT may help with some conditions. Of course, talk to your doctor first.
Digestive problems: Your doctor may suggest you get more MCT if you have trouble digesting other kinds of fat, or if you struggle to get the nutrients you need. This can happen if you take some medications or you have:
- Problems with your pancreas
- Had part of your stomach removed
- Small bowel resection
- Small bowel disease
- Short bowel syndrome
Seizures: Studies show that a high-fat ketogenic diet eases seizures. It can help some children with epilepsy who don’t react to drug treatment. A keto diet that uses MCT instead of LCT may be easier for kids to stick to if they have trouble with the high amounts of fat.
Diabetes: If you have type 1 diabetes, fatty acids made by MCT may help you think better when you have very low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). It may trim body fat and improve insulin resistance for folks with type 2 diabetes, but we need more research to know for sure.
Neurological disorders: Some research shows MCT oil may help ease problems with thinking, memory, or judgment. If you have Alzheimer’s disease, your brain may not use glucose well. Some experts think using ketones as an energy source instead may help your brain work better.
Heart disease: A keto diet with MCT oil can help you lose extra weight, reducing your risk of heart disease. MCT oil in your diet can also help lower LDL (the “bad”) cholesterol while also increasing your HDL (the “good”) cholesterol.
How to Use MCT Oil
You can add MCT oil to many foods and drinks. Most commonly, you’ll find it in:
- Smoothies
- Salad dressing
- Coffee
Because MCT oil has a low burning point, it’s not a good idea to fry things with it.
The amount you should take depends on how well you tolerate it and what benefit you’re trying to get. The most you should have in a day is around four to seven tablespoons. Ideally, you should spread those tablespoons out throughout the day.
MCT oil in coffee
Called bulletproof coffee, MCT oil boosts coffee’s fat content. It can also give you more energy and help you feel full longer. Since it’s high in fat and calories, start with one teaspoon of MCT oil and work your way up to one or two tablespoons.
MCT Foods
You’ll find MCTs naturally in certain foods, including:
- Coconut oil
- Palm kernel oil
- Butter
- Milk
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Dark chocolate
- Nuts and seeds
- Goat milk