Certain types of oils come with important nutrients and benefits of their own. It is important to conserve these nutrients and their adequate presence is of much importance to the human body. One such type of oil is MCT oil about which we will cover today. It has several benefits for us and is considered to have healthier effects on us. The oil has recently started gaining traction among the bodybuilding and athlete community but does one really understand what is MCT oil and what are MCT oil benefits? Let’s get to know this supplement better to enhance your health, physique and overall performance.
What is MCT Oil?
MCT, which is short for medium-chain triglyceride, contains medium-length chains of fats which are called triglycerides. As compared to longer-chain fatty acids, they are easily digested mainly because of their short length. It is most commonly extracted from coconut oil as more than half of the fats in coconut oil comes from MCTs. There are four different types of MCTs out of which capric and caprylic acids are the most commonly used in MCT oil. MCT is an oil supplement that recently has become popular among athletes. Let’s now understand more about MCT oil benefits.
MCT Oil Benefits
1. Could potentially promote the loss of weight
MCT oil has been known for the release of two hormones that can uplift the feeling of fullness in the body, these are leptin and peptide YY. It has been found through research that those people who took two spoons of MCT oil as a supplement ate less food for lunch.
Some older studies have also proven that taking MCT oil helps in reducing waist circumference and thus body weight. It could also help in maintaining a good environment for the gut lining, which may also help in weight loss.
2. A good energy source
Because of the short-length chains in MCTs, they are not required to be broken down with the help of bile juice and travel quickly and directly to the gut from the liver. Now, fats are broken down to be either stored or used as fuel in the liver.
As MCTs are easily transferred without being broken down, they can be used as an immediate source of energy. It is both easily absorbed and transferred in the whole body which is another one of the MCT oil benefits.
3. Could help reduce the buildup of lactate in athletes and use fat for energy
While performing exercises or athletics, lactate buildup can have a negative impact on the body, and MCT oil could help in reducing lactate buildup in the body. It has been proven with research and examples too. Also, taking MCT oil before exercising could help you to use fats for energy, instead of carbs. It also increases fat burning.
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4. Contains fatty acids which fight yeast and growth of bacteria
MCT oil has also proven to have antifungal and antimicrobial effects. Coconut oil which has numerous MCTs has shown to be effective against common yeasts that cause skin problems. Also, it avoids bacteria and fungus.
5. May reduce heart disease factors – MCT oil benefits
Several pieces of research have shown that MCT oils help to prevent certain factors for heart diseases which could prove to be fatal. These include high cholesterol, high or low blood pressure, inflammation, body mass index and smoking. It also facilitates the production of good cholesterol in the body leading to a healthier heart.
6. Could help in managing blood sugar levels
Another one of the MCT oils benefits is its efficiency for people with diabetes. They reduce the storage of fats and facilitate fat burning which aids in managing the condition. Several studies have proven that it also helps in managing the blood sugar levels in the body.
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So, this was all you need to understand what is MCT oil and MCT oil benefits. While there are tons of great things about this supplement there are also some important things that one needs to keep in mind while consuming MCT oil. High doses of this oil can lead to fat buildup in the liver which is not an immediate side effect but rather something that develops over time. All in all, reach out to your nutritionist or doctor to understand whether or not you should be consuming MCT oil in the first place to avoid any problems in the future.