There is a novelty in the world of weight loss supplementation, it is MCT oil – acronym for medium chain triglycerides in English –, a liquid that promises to help you lose weight , satisfy your appetite or increase energy. Discover where this oil comes from and everything science says about the benefits attributed to it.
What are MCT oils?
MCT oil is made up, as its name suggests, of medium-length fat chains called triglycerides. These are saturated fats obtained from coconut oil , where more than 50% of its fat comes from MCT, or palm, and whose chains can have a length of between 6 and 12 carbon molecules, the shorter this chain is, the better. It is digested by the body, compared to the longer chains found in most foods.
MCT oil is obtained, for example, from coconut oil, and among other benefits it helps reduce fat, satisfy hunger and provides immediate energy.
Being shorter chain, MCTs go from the intestine to the liver quickly, without waiting for the bile to break it down as happens with longer chain fats. 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 , such as C6 (hexanoic acid), C8 (octanoic acid), C10 (decanoic acid), and C12, known as lauric acid. The latter, C12, does not have unanimous acceptance, since according to experts, these elements can function as body fuel and are therefore unlikely to end up becoming fats.
Benefits of MCT oils
Although they are little known, MCT oils are playing an increasing role as supplements , especially in athletes or bodybuilders. This oil is sold in jars and is usually added to smoothies , coffee or as a dressing for salads . These are the main benefits attributed to it:
Helps in weight loss
According to a study from Columbia University (New York) published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, MCT oils improve thermogenesis – the body’s heat production process that burns calories – and increases the production of two hormones that promote the feeling of satiety, peptide YY and leptin. Additionally, triglyceride and glucose levels were lower when MCT oil was consumed compared to other foods. Another research found that this type of oil has approximately 10% fewer calories than long-chain oils, such as olive oil or avocados.
Fat reduction
It has been shown that MCT oils can be converted into ketones, which are the product of the breakdown of fats when there is a low carbohydrate intake. This type of oil could be a good option for ketogenic diets , in which few carbohydrates and many fats are taken , as it would help to remain in a state that burns fat, which is known as ketosis, as stated in a study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism.
Good source of energy
As we have said, since they are short-chain triglycerides, they travel faster from the intestine to the liver, without having to be broken down. This means that the liver can use it quickly as an immediate source of energy, as explained in a study in the Journal of Lipid Research . When converted to ketones, MCT oils can cross the blood-brain barrier, so it also serves as fuel for the brain.
Beneficial for athletes and sportsmen
When you perform physical exercise, levels of lactate, a glucose metabolite that is produced when there is little oxygen supply, increase, and taking MCT oil could help reduce accumulated levels, causing you to consume more fat instead of carbohydrates. According to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology , athletes who took 6 grams of MCT oil (1.5 teaspoons) before cycling had lower lactate levels and performed better in the exercise than those who took triglycerides. long chain.
Control of epilepsy , Alzheimer’s and autism
Research published in The Lancet has determined that MCT oil could help control conditions such as Alzheimer’s, epilepsy or autism. An in vitro study published in Neuropharmacology found that this type of oil, specifically C10 or decanoate, improved epilepsy seizures better than an antiepileptic drug.
Another paper, from Neurobiology of Aging , concluded that a single dose of MCT oil improved the short-term cognition of 20 people with Alzheimer’s disease. Finally, research from the University of Crete observed that following a ketogenic diet, with MCT oils, for six months promoted overall positive improvements in autism. Of course, all of them are pilot studies with very few individuals, so larger studies are required to associate their use with these benefits.
