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 (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 it 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.
What Is It 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 It 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 used by your muscles. But other research shows it might not do that much to help get you through your workout. Study continues.
MCT can help your body make ketones, an energy source for your brain that doesn’t have carbs. Some say drinking it will make your mind sharper. But if you don’t have a cognitive disorder, you aren’t likely to get a long-lasting brain boost just by adding some MCT oil.
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, breaking down bacteria and virus walls to destroy them.