MCT oil — a special type of fat
MCT oil (medium-chain triglyceride) has no tendency to form a layer of fat around the muscle, the way other fats do. Unlike other fats, which consist of long fatty acid chains, the chains in MCT oil are of medium length. This structure indicates that this fat has a metabolism-stimulating and body-temperature-raising effect. MCT also contains fewer calories than ordinary fat, though not significantly fewer (8.3 kcal/g).
Why use this oil?
MCT oil does its job well during a diet, when few calories are consumed. A shortage of carbohydrates is especially harsh on muscle tissue during a diet, so a means of reducing muscle loss is more than welcome. MCT oil has been proven to have an anti-catabolic effect. One study took obese women as its target group and put them on a low-carbohydrate diet. The results showed that, compared with the usual outcomes, the group had retained more muscle mass, while fat tissue had decreased even faster than it otherwise would have. The idea is not to add MCT oil, but to replace other fats with it.
In one test lasting 12 weeks, 78 men and women were studied and divided into two groups. The diet of both groups contained equal amounts of fat, protein and carbohydrates. The only difference was that one group received MCT instead of ordinary fats. The daily amount of fat was 60 g. The MCT users lost 8½ pounds of body fat, which is 2½ pounds more than the other test group. Although the participants were not bodybuilders, they were not overweight either. This study has been checked very thoroughly, and the conclusion is that the results are 100% correct.
Another presumed effect of MCT is a thermogenic effect. That may well be so, since it raises body temperature, but MCT is still a fat and provides calories, which the body burns as energy instead of the fat tissue already stored. That is why there is no point in using MCT for this reason.
Use MCT while dieting, when the flow of carbohydrates into the body is limited, in place of other fats. It makes getting into shape considerably easier.
Doses and timing
To avoid possible stomach trouble, you should start taking MCT oil in small amounts (15 g per day). MCT can raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The oil works well in salads. Unfortunately, it is not advisable to fry foods in MCT oil, because the smoke it produces is suffocating. Loss of appetite has also been observed, which is a welcome side effect for anyone on a diet. MCT also helps preserve the body’s glycogen reserves, which contributes to more effective training in the gym.
Remember that to achieve the effect, you should replace almost all fats with MCT. Then the oil fully justifies itself and is a great aid when preparing for competitions.
Author: translated from FLEX` by Mikk-Alvar Olle
Source: WHO – physical activity.
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