MCT oil has been called "rocket fuel." There are many names for this high-quality oil, and there's a lot of hype and controversy surrounding a product that's (still) relatively unknown to many people. In this article, you'll learn what MCT oil actually is, how it boosts your energy, and how you can use it for yourself.
Table of contents
1. What MCT oil is and what its benefits are
MCT oil has various effects that you can use to your advantage. MCT oil can increase your energy level , boost overall performance , and help you lose weight . Let's first look at the oil on a chemical level: MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides . These are naturally occurring fats found in only a handful of foods.
The difference between medium- and long-chain triglycerides lies in the number of carbon atoms in each molecule. There are four MCTs in total: caproic acid (C6), caprylic acid (C8), capric acid (C10), and lauric acid (C12).
Compared to the long-chain triglycerides in other vegetable oils, MCTs are smaller and can therefore form ketones in the liver . This makes them a very effective fuel . A natural source is coconut oil , but smaller amounts are also found in palm oil and high-fat dairy products like cheese and butter. Some MCT oils are labeled as "liquid coconut oil."
This is a somewhat misleading term, as all coconut fats become liquid at around 24 degrees Celsius and solidify at lower temperatures. Depending on the brand used, specially prepared MCT oil can contain up to 18 times more MCT fatty acids per serving than pure coconut oil .
Studies show that by far the best MCT fatty acid is C8 caprylic acid , as it produces the most ketones in the blood. This means that MCT oils consisting of 100% caprylic acid are the most effective . Some MCT oils contain a mixture of C8 caprylic acid and C10 capric acid, which therefore produce fewer ketone bodies and are therefore less effective.
BRAINEFFECT HACK : Our original ROCKET C8 is made from 100% caprylic acid, providing you with plenty of ketogenic energy. Alternatively, you can also opt for our MCT C8 OMEGA with Omega 7.
Discover high-quality MCT C8 oil
2. The effective ketogenic power for brain and body!
Because MCT oil can be processed particularly quickly in the liver and does not have to take the detour via the intestines, these oils can provide the body, and especially the brain, with particularly good power in the form of ketone bodies .
Your brain cannot store energy and requires a constant supply of energy, which is produced by glucose or carbohydrates in a normal diet.
Ketones were recently discovered as the brain's second energy source (alongside glucose). These are energy carriers that can easily cross the blood-brain barrier to effectively fuel the brain.
A study by the Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics in Washington demonstrates the accelerated metabolism in the brain caused by MCT oil . [1]
In addition to being quickly absorbed by the brain, MCT oil has the additional advantage of not affecting your blood sugar level , meaning it doesn't affect insulin secretion. A constant energy supply prevents performance slumps , allowing your body and mind to perform better .
Another advantage of MCT oils—compared to other oils—is that they aid weight loss . The medium-chain fatty acids cannot be stored as fat reserves . This means that the fatty acids in the oil are not stored in your body but are processed directly into fuel.
The Obesity Research Center at Columbia University in New York conducted a study to investigate the effect of MCT oil on diet success in overweight individuals.
The basal metabolic rate of subjects who consumed MCT oil was compared with those who received olive oil. The results showed a reduction in body fat in those who received MCT oil. [2] Therefore, MCT oil does not affect your blood lipid levels or cholesterol levels .
Another benefit of MCT oil: Part of it is converted into heat, which in turn increases body temperature and thus boosts your overall metabolism. You can supply your brain with powerful ketones through a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, known as ketosis or the keto diet .
3. The benefits of MCT oil at a glance
- Effective conversion into power
- No storage in the body's fat cells
- No effect on blood lipid or cholesterol levels
- Burning the body's own fat reserves
- The resulting heat increases the overall metabolism
4. The origin of MCT oil in medicine
The benefits of MCT oil have long been recognized in other areas, such as medicine. It has been used for decades to treat children suffering from epilepsy , as MCT oil is an easily absorbed energy source, especially for children. One of the most promising applications of MCTs is in the treatment of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
In the case of Alzheimer's disease, it is believed to be a type of diabetes of the brain in which brain cells lose the ability to absorb glucose and die as a result.
A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition focuses on the positive effects of ketones on a variety of diseases, including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
In addition to research into the disease, the positive influence of ketones on energy levels has been proven. [3] PET scans show that the areas of the brain affected by Alzheimer's disease easily absorb ketones from MCT fatty acids as an alternative energy source. This allows the brain to obtain its required fuel from ketones rather than carbohydrates.
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5. Ketogenic diet and how you can use MCT oil for yourself
MCT oil is now accessible to everyone and is available, for example, in our online shop . Many nutrition professionals rely on the valuable MCTs in combination with or as part of a ketogenic diet, the goal of which is ketosis . When in ketosis, the body relies solely on fat cells for energy .
This type of diet almost entirely avoids carbohydrates and focuses primarily on healthy fats . Ketone levels can be measured in the blood , and ketosis is said to begin at a level of 0.5 .
Medium-chain fatty acids are equally interesting for athletes and are often used in competitive sports to increase available power and reduce body fat percentage. As already mentioned, these healthy fats are extremely good for weight loss without losing muscle mass.
Numerous professionals and elite athletes already rely on ketone bodies as a fuel source. This includes basketball player LeBron James, for example, who avoids carbohydrates and relies instead on medium-chain fatty acids.
6. MCT oil for beginners or Bulletproof Coffee
Perhaps you've already heard of MCT oil as an ingredient in so-called Bulletproof Coffee ? This is a trendy, specialty coffee whose recipe consists of a mix of coffee, butter , and MCT oil . The effects of the coffee, enhanced by the MCT oil, will definitely give you a boost in the morning.
Dave Asprey, biohacker, author, and the drink's inventor, swears by adding butter and MCT oil to his morning coffee. Asprey says butter coffee is the best way to start the day with mental energy and lose weight.
He now has thousands of followers who follow his philosophy. Incidentally, the fat reduces some of the coffee's acidity. You'll certainly be pleasantly surprised by the taste. Here's how to prepare your Power Fat Coffee:
- 1 Brew coffee as strong as you like.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of MCT oil
- 1-2 tablespoons butter from pasture-fed cows
- Into the blender
- Enjoy and get started!
If you decide to use MCT oil and medium-chain fatty acids to produce your fuel, you should start with small amounts, about 1 teaspoon per day. Dosages in studies typically range between 5 and 50 grams per day.
For general purposes, 5 to 10 grams of medium-chain triglycerides is a reasonable starting point. However, your correct dosage also depends greatly on your individual goals and preferences.
The best thing to do is simply try out how much energy MCT oil provides. The evaluation is purely subjective, and that's a good thing. Ultimately, you alone should experience and evaluate the benefits of the oil and its beneficial fats!
BRAINEFFECT HACK : Choose the highest quality MCT oil. Avoid the cheaper C6 and C10 fatty acids. We only offer 100% C8 MCT oil . Alternatively, you can now also get it with Omega 7 in ROCKET C8 OMEGA .
7. Conclusion
MCT oil is an effective way to supply your body with ketone bodies during ketosis. The MCT fatty acid caprylic acid C8 is particularly effective at converting it into ketones.
The advantage of ketosis is that your body relies on fat as its energy source. No insulin is released, resulting in consistently more stable performance.
8. Sources
[1] http://www.coconutketones.com/pdfs/Veech%20 2004_therapeutic_implications.pdf
[2] http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/3/621.abstract
[3] http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v67/n8/full/ejc n2013116a.html#aff1
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