Mct Could Reduce Lactate Buildup In Athletes And Help Use Fat For Energy
During exercise, rising lactate levels can negatively impact exercise performance.
Interestingly, MCTs may help reduce lactate buildup.
One older study found that athletes who took 6 grams or about 1.5 teaspoons of MCTs with food before cycling had lower lactate levels and found it easier to exercise, compared to those taking LCTs .
Furthermore, the study found that taking the MCT oil before exercise may help you use more fat instead of carbs for energy.
Even though MCTs may help increase fat burning during exercise, study results are mixed as to whether MCT oil can help you exercise better .
One study showed it could improve swimming capacity in mice, but another human-based study found no improvement in endurance performance in runners (
Summary
MCT oil could potentially increase fat burning and reduce the need for carbs during exercise. However, its unclear whether this translates to improved exercise performance.
Is Mct Oil Beneficial To Digestion
Constipation is a common adverse effect of the ketogenic diet. Constipation can be caused by a variety of factors, including dehydration, a lack of fiber, and a bacterial imbalance in the gut.
Good news: constipation is only temporary, and there are several ways to reverse and prevent it while staying on the keto diet. A few are listed below.
When our bodies move from carbohydrates to ketones as their primary fuel source, we naturally lose electrolytes and water. Constipation can result from a lack of fluids in the body.
Make sure you drink enough water each day, and add 1-2 teaspoons of salt to a glass of water twice a day to ensure youre getting enough electrolytes.
When we eliminate carbohydrates, we also eliminate our main sources of fiber . Fiber aids in the growth and evacuation of healthy stools .
Low-carbohydrate fruits like avocados, tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives can help you get enough fiber in your diet. Include low-carb, high-fiber leafy greens like kale, spinach, and lettuce in your diet.
The oil MCT has a laxative effect. To relieve constipation, replace your coconut oil with MCT oil.
Make sure to gradually add MCT oil into your diet, as too much MCT might cause stomach cramping and other issues.
- Apple cider vinegar and herbal teas should be consumed: Tea with apple cider vinegar before each meal
Apple cider vinegar and other herbal teas are believed to help with digestion.
What Do I Need To Tell My Doctor Before I Take Mct Oil
- If you have an allergy to coconuts, coconut oil, medium chain triglycerides, or any other part of MCT Oil .
- If you are allergic to MCT Oil any part of MCT Oil or any other drugs, foods, or substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had.
This medicine may interact with other drugs or health problems.
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take MCT Oil with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.
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Should You Buy Mct Oil
So should you spend your money on MCT oil if you dont have a medical need for it? It likely wont hurt if youre only consuming a little, but MCT oils are high in saturated fat, so dont go overboard. Plus, theyre pricey.
I would not use them unless it was medically needed, says Salge Blake. They are very expensive. There is so much research that supports that poly- and monounsaturated fats, when used in place of saturated fats, can improve your heart health. These fats are well researched and inexpensive.
How Much Fat Should You Use In Bulletproof Coffee
That kind of depends upon personal preference. Most recipes Ive seen on the internet call for 8 ounces of coffee to 1 tablespoon of fat
The typical recipe for bulletproof coffee is 16 ounces of coffee, 1 tablespoon coconut oil + 1 tablespoon ghee. I find I like a higher coffee-to-oil ratio.
I do about 1 tablespoon of fat per 20 ounces of coffee and am super psyched with the result. You can play around with this for your optimal concoction!
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Bullet Proof Coffee Is It A Good Choice
The Bullet Proof coffee trend involves consuming only coffee for breakfast to which butter and MCT oil are added in order to cut hunger, promote weight loss, increase ones energy level and improve brain function. However, scientific evidence does not support the effectiveness of this practice and indicates that it may even be harmful. Its appetite suppressant effect can help reduce caloric intake and promote weight loss in some, but at the same time it makes you miss a nutritious breakfast that could be rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and fibers. Adding several spoonfuls of fat to your coffee may also have the opposite effect and help you gain weight, considering that a tablespoon of oil or butter contains about 130 calories. In addition, since butter and MCT oils are high in saturated fats, their consumption in large amounts can contribute to increasing bad LDL cholesterol levels in some people who are genetically susceptible to the damaging effects of saturated fat on the cardiovascular profile. It has also been observed that such a breakfast can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, a stomach ache and diarrhea. In short, if you want to consume high-fat foods for breakfast, it might be better to prioritize foods that are rich in healthy fats and nutrients such as avocados and smoked salmon.
How To Make Bulletproof Coffee 3 Ways
How to make Bulletproof Coffee! Three ways of boosting your morning beverage to make the ultimate delicious bulletproof coffee.
Everything you need to know about fats, adaptogens, and flavors for your coffee or matcha right here! If you dont do dairy, you can absolutely make bulletproof coffee without butter. Learn it all here!
Everything you could possibly want to know about making bulletproof coffee is contained right here in this post!
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Why Are Mcts So Popular
One of the reasons MCT oil is so attractive for those that have adopted a ketogenic dietary template is that it can achieve ketosis without the higher 4:1 ratio of fat to protein / carbohydrate required with long-chain fats. The classic diet used nuts, cream, and butter, and for most people, it was difficult to eat enough of these food types to achieve the proper effects. Not only are MCTs more ketogenic, but they are not as caloric and, therefore, a greater variety in food selections can be made without restriction.45
Another reason medium-chain fatty acids are so popular is that instead of being stored in fat tissue, as is the case with long-chain fats, they are instead directly absorbed into the portal vein via the small intestine. Once in the bloodstream, they are metabolized in the liver to either produce ketones or generate ATP via beta oxidation.67
Because MCTs do not require bile salts for digestion, they are also an attractive option for individuals suffering from malnutrition or malabsorption. This is an especially important consideration for those that have compromised degradation of fat.1112
Tslp Master Allergy Inducer
TSLP is a master cytokine responsible for the induction of allergic responses.128129 It is produced primarily by epithelial cells and plays a critical role in the regulation of immune responses via the maturation and activation of dendritic cells, lymphocytes, basophil precursors, and fibrocytes.130131132133
It is common to see increased TSLP production at the sites of inflammation such as those seen in severe asthma, allergic rhinitis, and even atopic dermatitis.134135 In mice that are deficient in TSLP receptors, there is close to no incidence of asthma or allergic dermatitis. We can easily extend this to include the intestinal epithelium, which has already been demonstrated to express TSLP mRNA in the presence of antigen.136137
To put it simply, wherever there are epithelial cells, there is the potential for TSLP-induced allergic reaction. TSLP mRNA levels were shown to increase significantly, for example, by doing nothing more than painting caprylic acid on the ear lobes of mice.
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Carnitine Depletion In Ulcerative Colitis
Medium-chain fats and their metabolism have broad implications throughout the body, but their relevance in gastrointestinal health is of the highest importance. Changes in fatty acid metabolism in the gut can lead to a wide variety of diseases such as IBS, IBD and even ulcerative colitis. In models of GI disease, one of the most prominent triggers is carnitine depletion, which is shown to deprive mitochondria in colonocytes of their ability to oxidize and utilize their main fuel source, butyrate. In this way, carnitine is a rate-limited factor for butyrate oxidation in colonic cells. Butyrate, as a short-chain fatty acid, does not require carnitine as a shuttle and may enter mitochondria directly68, but as I will describe below, MCT accumulation is capable of disturbing butyrate metabolism and blocking its effects in colonocytes.
Carnitine is transported into colonocyte mitochondria by organic cation transporters , and issues with these transporters has been directly correlated with risk for inflammatory bowel disease . When there is a decrease in the number of carnitine transporters or slowdown in their activity, carnitine uptake is impaired leading to less fatty acid oxidation and greater potential for injury to intestinal epithelial cells.697071
How Mct Could Help Weight Loss
There are various ways that MCTs could contribute to weight loss. These include effects on satiety and cravings, hormones, and energy balance. For example:
- A 2019 study found that MCTs were more satiating than long-chain triglycerides , especially when consumed in liquid form , as they led to lower food intake over a 24-hour period .
- Another study found that, compared with LCTs, MCTs cause greater increases in the appetite hormones peptide YY and leptin, which in turn increase feelings of fullness .
- MCTs also have a lower caloric value than LCTs. Though we dont recommend hyper-focusing on counting calories , calorie reduction can be important for weight loss. MCTs may help here, as they contain about 10% fewer calories than LCTs .
- MCTs also increase the amount of calories used in the processing and digestion of food . A 2016 systematic review and meta-analysis found that meals containing MCT oil resulted in higher energy expenditure than those containing LCTs .
- MCT oil may also help keep the gut lining healthy and encourage a more optimal balance of good bacteria. This can also help with managing weight .
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Potential Health Risks Of Coconut Oil
Its a common belief that coconut oil can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, but is this true?
The American Heart Association said in 2017 that coconut oil may increase the risk for heart disease because evidence shows that coconut oil reliably raises LDL cholesterol which the AHA believes is a cause of cardiovascular disease similarly to butter, beef fat, and palm oil .
A recent high-quality systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 clinical trials agreed. It found that coconut oil consumption resulted in significantly higher LDL cholesterol than did non-tropical vegetable oils, such as olive, canola, peanut, or high-oleic safflower [49
Trusted SourcePubMedGo to source].
As in many cases, the science isnt yet clear. Perhaps the best policy is a moderate use of virgin coconut oil along with a diversity of other types of fats and cooking oils, including fish oils, and plant-based oils like olive oil or avocado oil.
What Is Mct Oil And How Does It Work
Medium Chain Triglyceride Oil doesnt have much of a ring to it, so its frequently abbreviated to MCT Oil.
To get a better understanding of what MCT Oil is, it’s helpful to understand the following terms:
1) Free Fatty AcidsFat molecules that contain chains of carbon atoms. Fatty acids are categorized based on how long their carbon chain is.
2) Medium Chain Fatty Acids
Fatty acids that are 6-12 carbons in length.
3) Triglycerides
Molecules with 3 fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone. This is typically how fats are naturally found in food. The digestive system breaks apart the free fatty acids from the glycerol backbone so that you have glycerol and 3 free fatty acids ready for absorption by the small intestine.
4) Medium Chain Triglycerides Triglycerides that specifically have three medium-chain fatty acids attached to them.
In addition, it’s helpful to understand that the number of carbons has an impact on how the fatty acid is absorbed and used by the body.
Most commonly, this highly beneficial supplement is derived from coconut oil. However, MCTs are also found in other foods, including dairy products and palm oil.
Now, youre probably wondering what sets MCT Oil apart from other fats that are commonly found in your favorite foods.
While long-chain fatty acids are typically made of 14 to 24 carbon atoms, medium-chain fatty acids are made up of just 6 to 12 carbon atoms.
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By Whole Foods Market Mct Oil
I like the convenience of this product and how it has a very short ingredient list, says Elizabeth Gunner, RD, a registered dietitian in New York City. I also love that there are different flavors available since I mainly use MCT oil to play around with various recipes in the kitchen.
via amazon.com
Mct Powder Vs Mct Oil: Which One Should You Choose
There are some potential benefits to MCT powder, but theres no research yet that proves its benefits over regular MCT oil.
At best, its a convenient way to add some healthy fats to your diet. At worst, your MCT powder could contain starches and other additives you dont need. Be sure to check the ingredients list before you make any purchases and in the meantime, stick to pure, high-quality MCT supplements you can trust.
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Mct Oil And Brain Health
While I, and many others, experience a noticeable cognitive boost from supplementing with MCTs, what about the medical literature? Are there studies which back up this effect?
I couldnt find many .
There is this study which looked at the ability of MCT oil to increase ketones levels in the brain of Alzheimers patients as a way to make up for impaired glucose metabolism.
The study found that MCT use doubled consumption of ketones in the brains of Alzheimers patients. For more on Alzheimers and diet, see this blog post.
Caprylic Acid Induces Chronic Gluconeogenesis
Gluconeogenesis is a metabolic pathway that generates glucose when there is either insufficient carbohydrate in the diet, during fasting, or as a result of intense exercise. It catabolizes proteins to form glucogenic amino acids and breaks down triglycerides, both of which may be used for glucose production. Many individuals on a low carb, high fat diet or even those that replace breakfast with MCT-infused coffee for the purpose of intermittent fasting, are often driving blood glucose levels low enough to chronically invoke gluconeogenesis.
The problem here, as you might have guessed, is the means by which gluconeogenesis is invoked. While it can be stimulated by glucagon, growth hormone, adrenaline, and cortisol, chronic activation tends to prefer cortisol. This happens because of consistent and increasingly more severe drops in blood sugar . The lower blood sugar goes, the greater the emergency stress response is generated. In the early stages, cortisol is mobilized to provoke gluconeogenesis but, over time, the HPA-axis becomes less efficient and asynchronous, leading to more regular release of adrenaline. Again, complications are less frequent in athletic people that engage in resistance training, but I have seen this problem even in that subset, especially those that overtrain, such as the CrossFit group.
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The Final Say On Mct Oils
- MCT oil is extracted from natural food sources of medium-length triglycerides usually coconut oil
- Our bodies usually use MCTs as quick-energy, as they can be absorbed and converted into energy faster than long-chain triglycerides
- People use MCT oils to help them maintain a healthy weight, support them on a keto diet, support their gut health, and so much more
- MCT oil is usually added to foods and drinks like coffee, but can also be taken in capsule and powder form
- There have only been a few minor reported side effects of MCT oil, and it is not known to interfere with any medications, but always check with your healthcare provider before incorporating it into your daily life
The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
: 3 September 2021
Ways Coconut Oil Can Heal Leaky Gut
Genetics, diet, and lifestyle choices may lead to the development of leaky gut and related problems. Crohns disease, Celiac disease, IBS, and food allergies all have connections to digestive issues and an out-of-control gut microbiome. However, coconut oil can slowly heal and restore a troubled intestinal tract. Consider the following ways coconut oil has a positive impact on gut health.
- Coconut oil has properties that treat bacteria, parasites, and fungi that trigger digestive disorders.
- Taking coconut oil helps increase levels of certain healthy bacteria in the gut.
- Consuming coconut oil helps reduce bloating and symptoms of IBS.
- Coconut oil helps improve the bodys ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins.
- Adding coconut oil to your diet helps reduce body fat, gut-related weight gain, and health problems.
A poor diet, chronic stress, or persistent disease can increase bacteria, fungi, and parasites taking over the digestive tract. MCTs and laurides in coconut oil help dispel these problems and restore balance to the gut microbiome.
It is vital to maintain a level of healthy bacteria in the gut, which is one reason eating foods that include vitamins, nutrients, or probiotics is beneficial. Taking coconut oil helps increase certain bacteria that keep the gut microbiome in check. A healthy, balanced gut reduces stress, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and painful gas.
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