How To Use MCT Oil For Weight Loss?

MCT oil is the latest trend of supplementation for weight loss, loss of appetite, or increase in energy. Find out what Medium Chain Triglycerides are, and what science says about their benefits and their potential risks.

A new addition to the world of weight loss supplements is MCT oil – an acronym for Medium Chain Triglycerides, in English – a liquid that promises to help you lose weight, satisfy your appetite or boost your energy. does. Discover where this oil comes from and everything that science says about its benefits.

MCT oil, as the name implies, is made up of medium-length chains of fat called triglycerides. These are saturated fats derived from coconut oil, where more than 50% of its fat comes from MCT or palm oil, and whose chain lengths can be between 6 and 12 carbon molecules. Well, that’s just fine. It is digested by the body more than the long chains found in most foods.

Being small chains, MCTs travel rapidly from the intestines to the liver, without having to wait for the bile to break, like the fat in a long chain. Once it reaches the liver, the organ breaks it down to use it as an immediate source of energy.

There are several types of MCT oils, including C6 (hexanoic acid), C8 (octanoic acid), C10 (decanoic), and C12, called lauric acid. The latter, C12, is not unanimously accepted, because according to experts, these elements can act as fuel for the body, and then it is unlikely that they will gain weight.

Benefits of MCT oil

Although they are rarely known, MCT oils are of great importance as supplements, especially for athletes or bodybuilders. This oil is sold in bottles and is often added as a dressing for smoothies, coffee, or salads. The main benefits attributed to this are:

Help Lose Weight

According to a study by Columbia University (New York) published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, MCT oil improves thermogenesis – the process of generating body heat that burns calories – and increases the production of two hormones. Peptide YY, which promotes a feeling of satiety. And leptin. In addition, the levels of triglycerides and glucose were lower when using MCTL than other foods. Other studies have shown that this type of oil has about 10% fewer calories than olive oil or long-chain oil, such as avocado.

Fat Loss

MCT oils have been shown to be able to convert into ketones, which are the product of fat breakdown when carbohydrate intake is low. This type of oil can be a good option for a keto diet, which includes some carbohydrates and a lot of fats, as it will help keep the fat burning, which is called ketosis, as in This is confirmed by a published study. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism.

A Good Source of Energy

As we have said, because of the short-chain triglycerides, travel rapidly from the intestine to the liver, without breaking. This allows the liver to be used as an immediate source of energy, as shown in a study in the Journal of Lipid Research. When converted to ketones, MCT oil can cross the blood-brain barrier, thus acting as a fuel for the brain.

Beneficial for Players and Athletes

Lactate levels, a glucose metabolite that is produced when there is a low oxygen supply, increase during physical activity, and taking MCT oils can help reduce the accumulated levels that cause you to lose carbohydrates. Eat more fat instead. According to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, athletes who took 6 grams of MCTL (1.5 teaspoons) before cycling had lower lactate levels and exercised better than those who did not. There were those who took triglycerides from a long chain.

Control of epilepsy, Alzheimer’s, and autism

A study published in The Lancet found that MCT oil can help control conditions such as Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, or autism. An in vitro study published in Neuropharmacology has shown that this type of oil, especially C10 or decanoic, improves epileptic seizures with anti-epileptic medication.

Another article from Neurobiology of Aging concluded that a single dose of MCTIL improved short-term cognition in 20 people with Alzheimer’s disease. Finally, research from the University of Crete found that adhering to a ketogenic diet for six months with MCTL improved overall autism. Of course, these are all pilot studies with very few people, so large studies are needed to combine their use with these benefits.

Low Risk of Fungus and Yeast

This type of MCT oil has antifungal, and antimicrobial effects, as numerous studies have shown, such as an oil published in Neutrinos, which is said to be beneficial for intestinal microbiota. Beneficial, or the Journal of Medicinal Foods, it has been determined that coconut oil, rich in MCT, reduces the growth of Clostridium difficile bacteria, which causes diarrhea.

Other research by University College Hospital (Nigeria) found that it can prevent the spread of Candida albicans by up to 25%, a yeast that causes cancer wounds and skin infections.

Cholesterol-lowering

According to a McGill University (Canada) study, taking these moderate oils with phytosterols and flaxseed oil for 29 days helped lower overall cholesterol levels by 12.5%, while olive oil reduced it to 4.7%. Percentage decreased. In the same study, it was found that bad cholesterol (LDL) also decreased when MCTs were used in food.

Other Brazilian research has shown that eating it can increase the level of good cholesterol (HDL). It is said that MCT oil protects the heart of those who take it, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Risks Associated with MCT Oil

There is still no consensus on the maximum amount of MCTL that should be taken daily, but a publication in the journal Nutrition Issues in Gastroenterology states that the highest dose that can be taken safely They have 4 to 7 tablespoons (between 60 and 100 ml).

Conclusion

MCT is a dietary supplement; medium-chain triglycerides are a type of fat used to make MCT oil. MCT molecules are more compact than the majority of the fats you consume. As a result, they are easier to absorb. MCT is really absorbed into the bloodstream. This transforms it into useful energy.

Typically, coconut or palm kernel oil is used to create MCT oil. Making MCT oil may aid with weight loss and waistline reduction. According to research, it might aid in preventing obesity. Long-chain triglycerides, which are present in foods like olive oil, almonds, and avocados, have around 10% more calories than MCT oil.

When the intake of carbohydrates is low, the breakdown of fat results in the production of ketones, which MCTs can also be turned into. Taking MCT oil may help you maintain the ketosis state, which is a state of high-fat and very low-carbohydrate eating that is characteristic of the keto diet. The health of your gut has a significant impact on your weight. MCT oil helps to improve your gut health by enhancing the growth of bacteria that aid in weight loss.

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