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Has anyone taken MCT oil?

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
I was wondering if anyone has taken MCT oil (medium chain triglycerides) either in the liquid or pill form and if so, did you notice any benefit? My husband swears by it and takes it every day. He said that it increases energy and cognitive functioning because it is an alternative form of fuel that allows your body to utilize ketones.

My explanation may not be scientifically correct but very curious if any PWME have used it and to hear your experiences. When I first tried it about a year ago my stomach could not tolerate it and I had severe nausea/diarrhea but my stomach is so dramatically better now that I am thinking about trying it again.
 
Messages
97
Yes, I find helpful for the tired heart chest pains (not to be confused with the anxiety chest pains or the ?neuropathic? chest pains). It is similar to d-ribose for me in that regard.
Oh, forgot to add, I usually use 1-2 tsp x2 daily.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
Yes, I find helpful for the tired heart chest pains (not to be confused with the anxiety chest pains or the ?neuropathic? chest pains). It is similar to d-ribose for me in that regard.
Oh, forgot to add, I usually use 1-2 tsp x2 daily.

@stevesayshi I completely understand what you mean re: "tired heart/chest pains" and if MCT oil could help me with that, it would be amazing! I already take d-ribose 2x/day but can't say that I notice anything from it, good or bad.
 

Mr. Cat

Senior Member
Messages
156
Location
Nothern California
Hi Gingergrrl43. Someone I know who said they cured themselves of Lyme cited MCT oil as one of the helpful factors in their recovery. Supposedly, the optimum mixture is 16oz MCT oil to 12oz coconut oil, though that is just what my ex-lyme acquaintance said her doctor told her. It is supposed to burn fat and use this to create brain energy. When I first tried it, I seemed to notice some extra energy very soon after taking it. I would take 1-2 tbsp. 3x/day with meals. At first, it really sped up my metabolism - I could hardly keep weight on no matter what I ate. After a couple of months on it, however, my metabolism slowed down to approximately what it was before, and I was no longer convinced it was giving me a brain boost. I decided to test it by going off the MCT oil for a week - no positive or negative effect. Now I'm back on it for a week, with no positive or negative effect. I'm going to do some more experimenting with it. I may take a long period of time off it, then go back on, or just go off for good. I have kind of gotten used to the savory taste of coconut oil in everything I eat, though.

It may be like dozens of other things I've tried for ME/CFS that work well for a week or two, then mysteriously stop working, as if the CFS has found a way to work around it.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@ Mr. Cat Thank you for sharing your experience with MCT oil and I was wondering if you ever noticed if it helped your physical fatigue (or cardiac/autonomic symptoms- if you have them?) in addition to creating brain energy? Please keep me posted if you continue with it as I am very curious!
 
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14
It gave me diarrhea too, even only a few drops of it. I wasn't on it long and I didn't persevere with it because of that but don't think it was helping me particularly. I can tolerate coconut oil okay.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@MogMog I had the same experience but my stomach literally could not tolerate anything at that time including coconut oil.

Now that my stomach is better I am so curious to try it again and wanted to hear some other experiences first.
 
Messages
14
Yes, my gut isn't great these days but it just depends what it will tolerate at the moment. Good luck with trying it again. I've kept my bottle of MCT oil in case I need a constipation cure anytime!
 

optimist

Senior Member
Messages
434
Location
Norway
Since I can't tolerate most carbs very well, I've started eating more fat. A new problem that occurred on the scene from doing that was I would get nauseous, even sometimes vomit... for a few days now I've been taking turmeric with 95% curcumin, and it seems to have solved the problem. Apparently curcumin can stimulate gall production to increase by up to 130%, according to an online herb lexicon I read.

Just though to share it if anyone has a similar problem.
 

Mr. Cat

Senior Member
Messages
156
Location
Nothern California
@ Mr. Cat Thank you for sharing your experience with MCT oil and I was wondering if you ever noticed if it helped your physical fatigue (or cardiac/autonomic symptoms- if you have them?) in addition to creating brain energy? Please keep me posted if you continue with it as I am very curious!

It may have helped some with physical energy, but I don't remember it helping drastically. I think I'm going to go off it for a month or two while I experiment with other supplements, then experiment with it again. I certainly had no negative reactions to MCT oil. One more thing: I took it mixed with coconut oil in the ratio in my previous post. I tried pure MCT oil for a short while, and don't think it was as effective.
 

acer2000

Senior Member
Messages
818
Yeah I have tried using the NOW brand MCT oil. I found that it helped with energy and also made my blood sugar more even. It didn't cure me, but even a small amount helped some.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@Mr. Cat & @acer2000 The Now brand is what we have too. I am considering starting it next week. I am now up to the full dose of Monolaurin and my stomach is tolerating that so I am hoping that means it will tolerate MCT oil if I try it again.
 

acer2000

Senior Member
Messages
818
I noticed that it gave me a bit of reflux at first. I started small, taking 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp with a meal. I haven't ever taken the larger doses that some people mention.
 
Messages
2
Location
PennsylvaNIA
I believe MCT oil refers to coconut oil. I took it but then developed heart palpitations so I stopped. Coconut oil is suposed to stimuilate your thyroid function. I am hypothyroid and have taken thyroid most of my life. I know that when my dose needs adjustment downwards, I get heart palpitations. I assume that the reason why the coconut oil gave me heart palpitations is that it does indeed stimulate your thyroid., Presumably the thyroid dose I was then taking was correct and I did not need the added stimulation.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@123z I think that MCT oil is a component of coconut oil (so pure MCT oil is one product but coconut oil contains other additional elements.) That is very interesting that you had heart palpitations from it b/c I also am hypothyroid and have never heard that it stimulates the thyroid! I only tried MCT 3-4x total but had to stop b/c my stomach cannot tolerate it.
 
Messages
516
I tried MCT oil for half a year and occasionally still use it but not much. During the day the energy boost is hardly noticeable, but at night it improved dreams noticeably.

I mostly enjoy the taste; it's a bit like... popcorn? It was nice in warm drinks.

End up using coconut oil much more. But dislike the coconut in drinks.

Both disagree with my gut in excess of 2-3tbsp/day but that seems to be where benefits end anyhow (for non-keto diets).

Ray Peat claims coconut oil supports thyroid and prefers it over MCT oil: http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/coconut-oil.shtml
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
I am reviving this old thread and curious if anyone new to PR is using MCT oil or if people who had stopped decided to re-try it, etc. I never did try it again but my husband really thinks it can help me so I am debating.
 

halcyon

Senior Member
Messages
2,482
I used to use it before I was sick. I don't see any harm in trying it, it should be pretty benign. It could be helpful for you especially to boost your caloric intake a bit. The only thing I remember is that it didn't take much to upset the bowels. Perhaps start with small amounts to test your bowel tolerance.
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@halcyon I will definitely start with the lowest amount possible if I try it again. Why did you take it before you were sick and what benefit did you get from it? Do you still take it now?