Coconut Oil And Mct Oil For Dementia
Coconut oil is composed predominantly of medium chain triglycerides . MCT oil is an easy way to get large concentrations of certain MCT. It usually contains C8, C10 or a combination of the two. The theory behind MCT potentially improving cognition is based on ketone bodies produced by metabolized coconut oil. Neurons in the brain use these ketone bodies for fuel, thus improving cognitive function.
Birdseye View: How Mcts Cause Dementia
Many people have come to me the past several years with one or another problem that can be directly attributed to MCT consumption. Truly, I would not have known to recognize their symptoms had I not experienced many of them first-hand. One thing is quite certain to me now : capric and caprylic acids, in any amount, can produce unpredictable and potentially dangerous effects in the gut, brain, and immune system and do not produce benefits that can justify their risks. To summarize, C8 and C10 triglycerides:
How To Use Coconut Oil For Dementia And Alzheimers
There are few people in the world who know more about how to use coconut oil for dementia and Alzheimers than Dr. Newport.
She recommends starting by taking one teaspoon of coconut oil 2-3 times a day with food, and working up to 4-6 tablespoons a day of coconut oil and MCT oil combined.
The onset of diarrhea or an upset stomach means that youve taken too much, too soon.
You can download a copy of her Coconut Oil Dietary Guidelines and learn more on her website CoconutKetones.com.
Its easy to get the impression that you must take coconut oil by the spoonful, like medicine, to get its benefits.
But the best way to use coconut oil is as a food since its a versatile culinary oil.
Swap it out for any unhealthy oils you may be using like canola, sunflower, or safflower oil.
You can use coconut oil anywhere you normally use butter, margarine, or nut butters.
You can bake, sauté, fry, and roast with it, or add it to smoothies.
The results will be delicious!
Coconut oil is unusual in that its melting point is room temperature 76° F/24° C.
So youll find that it alternates between being solid and liquid.
For that reason, dont drizzle coconut oil on foods that are cool or cold, like salads .
Use olive oil, another brain-healthy oil, for that.
Also Check: Etiology Of Alzheimer’s
Maintaining Brain Health To Prevent Dementia
Were always reading the latest tips on prevention eat right, reduce stress, get plenty of exercise and keep your brain engaged in challenging activities. As far as diet, coconut oil continues to receive a great deal of attention from advocates like Dr. Mary Newport.
In her 2011 book, Alzheimers Disease: What If There Was a Cure? The Story of Ketones, Dr. Newport fervently declares that her husband has shown clear improvement in his dementia with regular use of coconut oil. In some circles, the topic is rather controversial, but many of those with concerns about their cognitive future feel its worth a try.
Mcts May Disrupt The Circadian Clock
Another possibility for how decanoic acid may disrupt sleep is via its inhibition of the alcohol dehydrogenase that plays, in part, a role in retinol metabolism to retinoic acid. Inhibition of this reaction to any degree will reduce retinoic acid levels. Retinoic acid plays a major role in circadian rhythm by regulating hippocampal gene expression for the circadian clock, delta oscillations in slow-wave sleep via RAR-beta, and vasopressin neuronal activity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Unless you are consuming beta-Carotene , dietary transformation of dietary Vitamin A by alcohol and retinol dehydrogenases could potentially be limited by excess MCT consumption.335336
You May Like: Alzheimer’s Lack Of Neurotransmitter
Coconut Oil: Is It Effective In Treating Alzheimer’s Disease
There have been several claims that coconut oil reverses the symptoms of Alzheimers, or at least prevents symptoms from progressing. Is this true and proven per research? Or, does this claim provide false hope?
Why Is Coconut Oil Thought of as a Possible Treatment?
The interest in coconut oil as a treatment for Alzheimers disease increased in the last few years when a physician from Florida, Dr. Mary Newport, used it to treat her husbands dementia. Before she began the treatment, she had her husband try the clock-drawing test, and he performed very poorly. She began giving her husband coconut oil, and two weeks later, she noted dramatic improvement in his clock-drawing test. A few weeks later, after continued coconut oil use, he again improved significantly in his ability to draw the clock as well as his verbal expression, physical ability, and memory. He told his wife, Im back.
She has written about his improvement and has also been interviewed, and attributes his improvement to the coconut oil. The 700 Club and several other media outlets produced lengthy segments on this doctors experience with her husband.
If an online search is conducted, youll find several websites outlining the story above. Theres also a blog that the physician writes that shares her experiences with coconut oil and her husbands response to it. Additionally, there are several websites that tout the benefits of coconut oil, citing personal experience and anecdotes to back up those claims.
What About The Study
The Indian study reported that virgin coconut oil has even more disease-fighting anti-oxidant potential if it is broken down with heat.This newly discovered mechanism increases the anti-inflammatory potency of virgin coconut oil, and is being touted as a treatment for systemic inflammation.
Researchers found that heating the virgin coconut oil in water broke down the protein bonds that hold the antioxidants in place, allowing more of them to be absorbed into the coconut oil.The Wet-milling process provided an extra 20% boost to the anti-oxidant potential of the newly created oil!The oil was then used to treat rats suffering from a form of induced inflammation and measurements were taken to determine if there was any benefit in using the oil in the fight against inflammation.
Don’t Miss: Does Prevagen Help Dementia
Dementia & Alzheimer’s Disease
On the quest to uncover options to cure and prevent dementia, numerous statements crop up one of them being about coconut oil and dementia.
Several studies suggest that people with dementia can use coconut oil to treat the illness.
The parties that brought this forward base this on the theory that the brain cells of persons with dementia cannot use glucose to produce energy resulting in the starvation of nerve cells effectively.
When the brain does not have enough energy, it will use energy from ketone bodies.
These bodies may offer an alternative energy source to the cells in the brain, moderating the damage that Alzheimers causes.
They believe that coconut oil can come in to help the brain with this alternative source of energy.
This is simply because the human body produces ketones by metabolizing coconut oil and other similar substances such as fatty acids.
The experts involved in explaining this connection between coconut oil and dementia have, however, not tabled adequate scientific evidence to back these claims.
This said it is not something that people should ignore. Especially if there is a possibility that the oil can be beneficial to individuals with dementia.
It Is An Amazing Lubricating Agent
Gout, a type of arthritis can cause severe pain in the joint sometimes that you can alleviate by massaging the joints.
Coconut oil has lubricating properties, meaning that you can use it as a long-term pain relief balm as a base or as a carrier oil. The oil also gives moisturizing effects on the skin.
Just apply the oil to the joint and gently massage to improve the blood circulation of your joints and get some relaxation from the pain.
You May Like: Neurotransmitter Related To Alzheimer’s
How To Use Coconut Oil
Coconut oil can be a healthy addition to your diet. However, coconut oil should still be treated like other fats or oils because it is, after all, high in fats. Its recommended to keep your total saturated fat intake from all food sources, including coconut oil, to under 10 percent of your total daily calories. That would amount to some 200 calories based on a typical 2,000-calorie diet.
One tablespoon of coconut oil provides about 117 calories, so its best to limit yourself to two tablespoons a day. However, keep in mind that this leaves little room for other food sources of saturated fat, such as butter.
In stores, youll usually see both virgin and refined coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil is less processed than refined coconut oil, which is why it has a sweeter and more tropical flavor.
You can easily substitute coconut oil for your current cooking oil when frying and baking. For some recipes, its best to warm coconut oil to its liquid state first to ensure precise measurements. If substituting coconut oil for solid fats like butter, use 1/4 less coconut oil than the recipe calls for because coconut oil has more fat solids.
Coconut oil benefits your brain in many ways because of its impressive MCT content. As such, using coconut oil instead of vegetable oil for cooking is one of the easiest lifestyle changes you can make to ensure a healthy brain.
The Stigma Against Saturated Fat
The steady increase in aging Americans over the coming decades threatens to cripple an already dysfunctional health care system. Researchers and public officials are calling for advancements in dementia care, and every major drug company is invested in developing curative and/or preventative treatments for Alzheimers disease and other types of dementia. So, why does it seem like no one is talking about coconut oil as a potential solution?
Dr. Dean feels that many people are hesitant to give coconut oil serious consideration because it is high in saturated fat. Coconut oil is often lumped into the same category as artery-clogging foods, such as butter, beef, lard and full fat dairy products. Saturated fatty acids have been tied to elevated cholesterol and heart disease, but Dr. Dean maintains that just because something contains saturated fat doesnt necessarily mean its bad for you. All of these traditional foods and oils have benefits, she says. The body and the brain, need a variety of oils and fats to function properly.
You May Like: Alzheimer’s Disease Neurotransmitters
Caprylic Acid Excess Can Induce Coma
Claims have even been made that C8 oil is superior for the brain, given its higher ketogenic capability. At high levels, however, it has been shown to induce coma, in both human and animal studies.23 It has long been known that another C8 medium-chain fatty acid by the name of valproic acid, used commonly in children with convulsive disorders, can induce a coma if overdosed, especially when combined with phenobarbital. One study aimed to produce the same effect with C8 / octanoic acid and discovered that mole for mole, C8 was far more toxic than valproic acid in this respect.24
Valproic acid, when administered along with phenobarbital, significantly elevates brain ammonia levels. Ammonia is highly neurotoxic, and octanoic acid was shown to increase its toxicity by 12%. As a matter of fact, caprylic acid in the presence of ammonia is capable of inducing a deep coma with lower ammonia levels than valproic acid.
Comas are described in multiple stages with the last stages being characterized as being fully unconscious, with Stage V demonstrating complete unresponsiveness. Valproic acid can achieve these stages in 50% tested cases at 1.06 mmol in only 5-10 minutes. Octanoic acid, on the other hand, can do the same at only 0.6 mmol, a quantity 43% less than that of valproic acid.
Frequently Asked Questions About Coconut Oil
As a newer breakthrough, there are many swirling questions about coconut oil. Here are some of the most common.
Does coconut oil cross the blood-brain barrier? Coconut oil does not cross the blood-brain barrier, at least not directly. It is broken down during digestion into smaller molecules, including ketones. Then, the ketones cross the blood-brain barrier and are used as an energy source.
How does coconut oil improve memory? Coconut oil improves memory by supporting the health of the neurons in your brain. It provides energy to neurons so they can function. Coconut oil also helps protect neurons by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
What are the benefits of coconut oil for dementia? The benefits of coconut oil for dementia are:
- Providing ketones the brain needs for energy
- Reducing oxidative stress that can make dementia symptoms worse
- Improving insulin resistance, which makes it easier for neurons to get the energy they need
To maximize the effects of coconut oil, try virgin coconut oil if you can find it. Virgin coconut oil has been through fewer refining processes, so its purer.
What is the recommended dosage of coconut oil for memory? The recommended dosage of coconut oil for memory varies by patient, and should be discussed with a qualified healthcare provider. C
Don’t Miss: Neurotransmitters Involved In Alzheimer’s
Lack Of Natural Sources
In nature, medium-chain triglycerides are not found in great quantity, with only a few exceptions. Coconut oil is the most common source, at around 60%, but MCT content in Bacuaçu palm oil has been shown to be as high as almost 80%. Such oil is not a frequent commodity, even in developed countries, but its cousin, palm kernel oil is well known, with an MCT content of around 50%. All other sources, such as goat and sheep milk, cows milk, butter, ghee, etc. all have only 10-20% MCT content.
Even human breast milk contains anywhere from 10-17% MCTs, depending on pregnancy term, with preterms being on the higher end. Once we go outside the realm of dairy and coconut / palm oils, incidence of MCTs in nature are quite scarce, indeed, with beef and chicken containing not much more than 0.15%. It is also important to note that these natural sources of MCT do not contain large amounts of C8 and C10 fatty acids. Coconut oil, for example, is 45-52% lauric acid, with only 10% caprylic / C8 and 8% capric / C10. Therefore, consumption of only C8 or C10 in large amounts would not be possible without human industrial intervention.
Mcts Encourage Memory Loss
Recent clinical trials have demonstrated that frontotemporal dementia is characterized by a wide array of changes in neurotransmitter systems such as serotonin, dopamine, GABA, and glutamate. Of these, glutamate is considered to be a critical player in its development240 Hypofunction in N-methyl D-aspartate and -amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors has been shown in animal models, and in humans, we have seen a loss of glutamatergic pyramidal neurons across the brain, especially in the frontal and temporal cortices.
Frontotemporal dementia is characterized by multiple abnormalities in behavior along with impairments of language and executive function. It is one of the most common neurodegenerative conditions after Alzheimers disease, although both pathologies could potentially be combined into a single category due to the similar way in which they develop.241
One viable therapeutic approach might involve scavenging of anti-GluA3 antibodies, but in my opinion, it would not be effective without first understanding the original triggers for autoimmunity that are at the root of those antibodies in the first place.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Color For Dementia Awareness
Why Your Brain Needs Dietary Fats
First, lets discuss why your brain needs dietary fats to keep it healthy.
Of all your organs, your brain especially needs dietary fat.
Its largely made of fat, 60% by weight.
Your brain cell membrane integrity largely depends on the quality of the fats you eat.
And healthy brain cell membranes are critical for brain health and function.
They control whats allowed in and what is pushed, or kept, out .
When unhealthy trans fats get integrated into brain cell membranes, they become less efficient.
Trans fats even condemn your brain cells to shorter lives.
Its not an exaggeration to say that the quality of your brain cells depends on the quality of the fats you eat.
NEED A MENTAL PERFORMANCE LIFT?
Does this sound like you?
Fuzzy thinking, foggy focus, forgetfulness?
Lack of energy and drive?
Struggle to learn and make decisions?
A quality brain supplement can make a big difference.
- obesity
Trans fat consumption has even been linked to significant increased risk of death.
There are many foods that contain fats which are actually good for your brain, including avocados, nuts, fatty cold-water fish, and olive oil.
But when it comes to healthy brain fats, coconut oil is in a category by itself.
Coconut Oil For Serious Memory Loss
One of the most exciting uses of coconut oil is as a potential treatment for dementia and Alzheimers disease.
Some experts now consider Alzheimers a form of diabetes of the brain, known as type 3 diabetes.
In this disease, brain cells become insulin-resistant, cant absorb the glucose they need, and subsequently die.
The medium-chain triglycerides in coconut oil bypass glucose metabolism, delivering energy directly to the brain cells that need it.
PET scans show that the areas of the brain affected by Alzheimers that cant take up glucose readily take up ketones.
Dr. Newport wrote a detailed account of her husbands progress and her struggle to get the medical establishment to consider using coconut oil as a treatment in her book Alzheimers Disease: What If There Was a Cure?.
Studies show that coconut oil works by reducing the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques that is thought to cause Alzheimers and that ketone bodies hold promise as a therapeutic tool.
Currently, Alzheimers patients can receive a prescription-only medical food called Axona that contains a proprietary formulation of MCTs.
You May Like: Did Ronald Reagan Have Alzheimer In Office
Mayo Clinic Minute: Why Coconut Oil Is Bad For Your Heart
You may have heard the claims that coconut oil is good for your health. A quick internet search reveals articles that recommend coconut oil for everything from boosting memory to improving heart health. Mayo Clinic experts say buyer beware, especially when it comes to coconut oil and your heart.
Journalists: A broadcast-quality video package is available in the download. Read the script.
Is coconut oil healthy?
Good for your skin, not good in your body.
Cardiologist Dr. Stephen Kopecky says coconut oil is not good for your heart health, because it raises bad cholesterol.
Forty years ago, a study was done looking at butter, lard, beef suet or coconut oil. Which one raised your bad cholesterol the most? And guess what? It was the coconut oil.
How can a plant be worse for you than animal fat?
We know that the coconut oil is a very saturated fat. Even though it does grow from the ground, and nothing that grows from the ground has cholesterol in it. It is a saturated fat that turns into cholesterol.
Dr. Kopecky says coconut water is OK, and so are occasional flakes on salads or treats. But avoid coconut oil.
Dont eat it. It really does raise your bad cholesterol.