Popular MCT Oil Health Benefits
MCT Oil is the most searched oil by people because of its weight loss benefits and others. MCT Oil for skin, MCT Oil in coffee, and MCT oil dosage is amongst the popular searches on the internet which sky-rocketed the sale of MCT Oil supplements. Indeed, some popular keto diet pills are now having MCT Oil as the essential element for weight loss.
What is MCT Oil?
Medium-chain Triglyceride oil is the most beneficial fat to the body. It has medium-length chains of fatty acid and TG which is available in many food items as well. The primary source of MCT Oil is Coconut Oil which accounts for more than 50% of MCT Oil manufacturing.
There are other types of Oil from where you can collect MCT such as Palm Oil and dairy products.
Altogether, you should keep in mind the following 7 health benefits of MCT Oil that might be useful to spend a quality life.
- MCT Oil is Best for Weight Loss
Speaking of the ketogenic diet, MCT Oil is loaded with healthy fats that help in weight loss. This is because MCT Oil promotes the inhibition of hunger-inducing hormones i.e Peptide YY and Leptin. A study suggests having 2 tablespoons of MCT Oil in breakfast suppresses the craving of the day. The main reason is MCT Oil is the prime source of triglycerides that increase the feeling of fullness amongst individuals.
- MCT Oil Benefits Cardiovascular Health
Some heart-related diseases that can be lowered in risk by using MCT Oil are:
- Hypertension
- High cholesterol levels
- Inflammation
- High BMI
MCT Oil not only induces weight loss but also lowers down the risk of heart diseases. A study suggests the use of MCT Oil in combination with flaxseed and certain phytosterols that after 29 days leads to the reduction of blood cholesterol levels by 12.5%. The use of olive oil with MCT Oil is only as half beneficial as the former combination.
In some studies, adding MCT oil to your diet leads to the reduction of bad cholesterol LDL and raises the levels of good cholesterol HDL. HDL is heart-protective cholesterol that improves its health. In other studies, MCT Oil reduces the inflammatory mediator called C-reactive Protein which is also involved with several heart diseases.
- MCT Oil Fights off Diabetes
MCT Oil helps manage blood sugar levels which have been shown to reduce the fat percentage and improve the fat-burning mechanism in the body. Studies have revealed that people with diabetes after the use of MCT Oil in their diet tend to be slimmer and insulin-resistant than compared to the ones who didn’t.
The timing of the MCT oil is taking is also important to keep the sugar levels in a balanced form.
Ketogenic breakfasts are usually loaded with MCT Oil which indicates its use in the morning is extremely beneficial for diabetic individuals.
- MCT Oil Helps Low Energy Levels
MCT Oil is absorbed more rapidly than long-chained triglycerides. Due to their less number of carbons in the fatty acid chains, MCT Oil travels quickly in the liver and its metabolism by the liver also takes place quicker than other triglycerides.
MCT Oil is mentioned in keto diet plans for it is converted by the liver to small ketones. These ketones have the access to the blood-brain barrier which makes them the greatest source of energy during a weight loss diet.
- Athletes Use MCT Oil to Sustain Energy
This is because MCT Oil reduces the lactate build-up in muscles that remarkably enhance the performance levels in athletes. During the study on cyclists around the world, it was observed that cyclists who took 6 grams of MCT Oil before had lower levels of lactate build-up than those who didn’t take MCT Oil.
The use of MCT Oil before exercise is also beneficial as it uses fat as an energy source rather than using carbs.
That’s how it reduces the overall belly circumference in the users who have been looking for belly fat loss. MCT Oil is also popular amongst the swimmers who repeatedly use it for elevated endurance and performance levels shooting the roof.
- MCT Oil Treats Brain Disorders
It is in fact proven by multiple scientific studies that MCT Oil help manage the symptomatic treatment of Autism, Epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease. This effect is brought by the neuroprotective mechanism of MCT Oil which helps the brain to produce more neurotransmitters which are good for memory and speaking skills. Additionally, MCT Oil supplies a significant amount of energy to the brain that it works to function.
That’s why the ketogenic diet is also recommended to old people who have all these brain-related issues.
- MCT Oil Prevent the Growth of Bacteria and Yeast
It has been shown that MCT Oil contains antimicrobial and antifungal effects. The first effect was observed with coconut oil which is an in-vitro study reduces the growth of Candida albicans commonly known as Candidiasis by 25%. MCT Oil extracted from coconut oil reduces the growth of yeast and bacteria because of the high number of lauric acid, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
Is There any Drawback of MCT Oil?
MCT Oil may be a beneficial good cholesterol-containing Oil but it has few flaws also varies in different people.
- MCT Oil sometimes increases the urge of eating and this is caused by the elevated levels of hunger hormones. In a study conducted on anorexic patients, when given the MCT Oil, they reported increased appetite due to the elevation in ghrelin and neuropeptide hormones. These are hunger-stimulating hormones which produce in the brain after having only 1 gram of MCT Oil 3 times daily. But when noticed the enhanced levels of hunger hormones MCT Oil, it was also noticed that individuals experienced not so deadly cravings like they used to have before.
- MCT Oil in some people increases the fatty build-up in the liver which is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. This only happens when you take MCT Oil in high doses for a long time. One 12-week study in mice found that a diet in which 50% of the fats were MCTs increased liver fat. Interestingly, the same study also found that MCTs reduced total body fat and improved insulin resistance (46Trusted Source).
- It is important to know MCT Oil is not recommended in high doses and further researches are still pending which indicates the use of MCT Oil for the long term. A person should not consume MCT Oil more than 4-6 tablespoons which is approx 70-100 ml in a day. This quantity is enough to keep you healthy and fights off the fat build-up in the body. MCTs are high in calories and usually only makeup about 5–10% of your total calorie intake. If you’re trying to maintain or lose weight, you should consume MCT oil as part of your total amount of fat intake and not as an additional amount of fat.
Summary
As a part of the ketogenic diet, MCT Oil is great for several health conditions that involve higher weight gain or BMI. Medium-chain triglycerides promote weight loss and they are also environmentally friendly which is something you don’t found with other types of Oil.
MCT could build lean muscle mass because it increases energy levels during workouts and the feeling of fullness effect is for dieters. For brain-related disorders, doctors recommend MCT Oil to their patients who are elderly and also youngsters with autism and epilepsy.
MCT Oil is an important part of the ketogenic diet and keto diet pills are considered the best supplement for weight loss. Fashion models, athletes everyone is following the keto diet trend not because it targets fat burn but because it targets the intake of carbohydrates.
Binge eating is disastrous for dieters and this could lead to the maximum fat build-up in the body. Keto diet with the help of MCT Oil supply ketone bodies to the system that leads to remarkable fat loss.
It’s also healthy to prefer the MCT Oil obtained from Coconut Oil instead of Palm Oil and other dairy products.