Onnit MCT Oil Research
All the medium chain fatty acids normally found in coconut oil, including caprylic acid (C-8), capric acid (C-10), and lauric acid (C-12) are known to have the advantage of being easily transported into the mitochondria and therefore more immediately available for energetic use and resulting in a burst of energy and thermogenesis.
Unfortunately, most purified MCT oils on the market forget about the longest carbon chain fatty acid and do not contain lauric acid at all, which means you’re losing out on one of the better medium chain fatty acids that are normally found in coconut oil.
The Effect of Lauric Acid on Food Intake Satiety
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and cholecystokinin (CCK) mediate the feedback control of eating behavior. Lauric acid has a major effect on satiety and energy intake via CCK and GLP-1 (two gut hormones involved in satiety) by increasing their concentrations.
These two hormones increase satiety and reduce the desire to eat by slowing gastric emptying so you end up reducing food intake. This is not the case for capric or caprylic acids and so is a unique feature of lauric acid. There may also be an added benefit of lauric acid promoting insulin sensitivity via GLP-1, which is known to increase insulin-sensitivity in some cells types.
Lauric acid has been shown in studies to be a potent antimicrobial
We’re taking a cue from mother nature by adding lauric acid right into our purified MCT oil… because the richest source of lauric acid actually isn’t coconut oil or MCT oil… it’s actually human breast milk! In breast milk, lauric acid is found in its esterified form and is responsible for the antimicrobial nature of breastmilk.
While antibacterial activity is common among all medium chain fatty acids, lauric acid is especially good at it. To understand why this is, you first have to know what's special about lauric acid. Lauric acid is the longest medium chain fatty acid, it has 12 carbon chains while capric has ten and caprylic has eight. While capric acid also contains antimicrobial activity, lauric acid does it better at lower concentrations. This is what gives lauric acid the ability to kill microbes better.
Recognition to Dr. Rhonda Patrick at FoundMyFitness.com for assistance with the research.
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