What is bulletproof MCT oil?

In this brief guide, we will answer the query, “What is bulletproof MCT oil?” and will discuss some benefits of MCT oil.

What is bulletproof MCT oil?

Bulletproof MCT oil is also called Brain Octane C8 MCT Oil, derived only from coconuts, is a fat-burning ketone fuel for the brain. Maintaining a high level of mental alertness is one of the benefits of this supplement. You may use Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil in smoothies, salad dressings, Bulletproof Coffee, and more.

It is an important ingredient of a diet called The Bulletproof Diet, which has recently become more popular for both lifestyle and weight loss. The Bulletproof Diet was created by Dave Asprey. The premise is by eating cleaner, healthier foods and minimizing certain toxins, you can lose weight and increase focus and energy (1).

What is MCT oil?

An increasing number of athletes and bodybuilders are turning to MCT oil as a source of nutritional support. Due to its high concentration of MCTs, coconut oil is increasingly being used.

Triglycerides, the fat molecules that makeup triglycerides, are found in medium-chain triglyceride oil (MCT oil). MCTs are more readily absorbed than long-chain fatty acids present in many other meals because of their shorter lengths.

Coconut oil is the most prevalent source of MCT oil since it contains more than half of its fat in the form of MCTs. Other foods, such as palm oil and dairy products, also include these fats. Most frequently, caprylic and capric acids make up the bulk of MCT oil, however, there are four other forms of MCTs.

Medium chain triglycerides are often referred to by the number of carbon elements they contain. MCTs are therefore composed of triglycerides ranging in size from 6 carbons (C6) to 12 carbons (C12). Commercial MCT preparations usually contain various concentrations of the different length MCTs from concentrated MCT Oil and coconut oil (1).

Benefits of MCT oil

MCT oil has the potential to aid in the reduction of body fat.

MCT oil may be good for weight reduction, despite a lack of conclusive evidence on the subject. Peptide YY and leptin are two hormones that boost the sense of fullness in the body, and MCT oil has been proven to stimulate their release.

It has been observed that consuming 2 tablespoons of MCT oil for breakfast reduces the number of calories you consume at lunch compared to ingesting coconut oil, according to research. The same research revealed that MCT oil had a reduced increase in triglycerides and glucose, which may also have an impact on the sense of fullness.

Medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT) composed of medium-chain fatty acids such as octanoic and decanoic acids, are readily hydrolyzed by lingual and gastric lipases. The medium chain fatty acids formed are absorbed through the portal system without resynthesis of triacylglycerol in intestinal cells, are subjected predominantly to oxidation in the liver, and are not stored as fat. Consequently, MCT constitutes a good energy source for patients with pancreatic insufficiency and fat malabsorption. MCT are oxidized more than long chain triacylglycerols and could be useful for the dietary treatment of obesity. Many studies support the positive effect of MCT ingestion on body fat loss and weight loss, as well as in lowering blood glycemic levels (2).

Studies from the 1970s and 1980s have shown that ingesting MCT oil may help people lose weight and decrease their waistlines. It has been suggested by some researchers that it may be useful in the fight against obesity.

Also, keep in mind that some of these studies fail to account for things like physical activity and other sources of calories consumed. There’s still work to be done. Long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which are present in foods like olive oil, almonds, and avocados, have around 10% fewer calories than MCT oil.

When carbohydrate consumption is minimal, MCTs may also be turned into ketones, which are formed from the breakdown of fat. Taking MCT oil may help you remain in the fat-burning state of ketosis if you’re on a ketogenic diet rich in fat and low in carbohydrates.

When it comes to your weight, your gut environment is critical. MCT oil may aid in weight loss by enhancing the development of beneficial bacteria and supporting the gut lining.

MCT oil is a useful source of energy

Long-chain triglycerides (LCTs), which include more carbons in their fatty acid chains, are more slowly absorbed by the body than MCTs. Unlike longer-chain lipids, MCTs do not need bile to break down in the intestines because of their shorter chain length.

During the breakdown of fats in the liver, they may either be utilized for energy or stored as body fat. It is possible to employ MCTs right away as a source of energy since they may reach your cells without being broken down.

MCTs may also be turned into ketones in the liver when on a ketogenic diet. Because they can cross the blood-brain barrier, ketones are now a viable energy source for your brain cells. Lactate accumulation in athletes might be reduced by using MCTs, which help the body burn fat for energy.

Ketones (acetone, acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB)) are produced endogenously under conditions of reduced glucose availability, primarily from Beta oxidation of fatty acids. Therapeutic levels of BHB (for treatment of medical conditions such as epilepsy and obesity) require a very low calorie, or very low carbohydrate, ketogenic diet to be maintained long term. A very low calorie ketogenic diet, requires strict medical supervision and is unsustainable in the long term because of compliance and biochemical side effects. A very low carbohydrate, ketogenic, iso caloric diet is more sustainable. Other methods of nutritional ketone generation such as MCT oil supplementation may serve as possible solutions, either alone or as an adjunct to ketogenic diets (3).

Rising lactate levels during exercise might have a detrimental influence on exercise performance. MCTs, it turns out, may aid in the reduction of lactate accumulation.

MCTs have been shown to reduce lactate levels and make exercise simpler for athletes who consume 6 grams or around 1.5 teaspoons of MCTs with the meal before cycling, compared to those who consume LCTs.

In addition, ingesting MCT oil before exercise may help you burn fat for energy rather than carbohydrates, according to the research. There are conflicting studies on whether or not MCT oil may improve your workout performance, even though it has been shown to promote fat burning during exercise.

In mice, one research indicated that it increased swimming capacity, while in humans, another study revealed no benefit in endurance performance in runners. It seems that MCT oil may not have a deleterious effect on exercise performance in another animal investigation (4). 

However, although there is some evidence that caprylic acid may be neuroprotective, and may reduce seizure incidence as part of the MCT Ketogenic Diet, its use must be done with care and medical advise, since there is lack of scientific evidence of the safety of the use of MCT-oil as a long-term supplement. Reported side effects of its use are mainly gastrointestinal, with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. It was reported that a single dose of three table-spoons of Brain Octane Oil led to the development of epigastric and periumbilical abdominal pain associated with abdominal cramping that lasted 45 minutes (1).

Other FAQs about Oils that you may be interested in.

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Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the query, “What is bulletproof MCT oil?” and discussed some benefits of MCT oil.

References

1. Reid, William, and Balbir Brar. Ingestion of Brain Octane Oil. Proceed UCLA Health, 2018, 22.
2. Tsuji, Hiroaki, et al. Dietary medium-chain triacylglycerols suppress accumulation of body fat in a double-blind, controlled trial in healthy men and women. J nutr, 2201, 131, 2853-2859.
3. Juby, Angela G., et al. Assessing the Impact of Factors that Influence the Ketogenic Response to Varying Doses of Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Oil. J Prev Alzheimer ‘s Dis, 2021, 8, 19-28.
4. Murray, Andrew J., et al. Dietary long-chain, but not medium-chain, triglycerides impair exercise performance and uncouple cardiac mitochondria in rats. Nutr metab, 2011, 8, 1-9.