In nature, the content of MCT oil is very small, mainly from coconut oil, palm kernel oil, breast milk, milk and its products. According to relevant data, coconut oil contains 58% MCT, palm kernel oil contains 54% MCT, shredded coconut contains 37% MCT, and raw coconut meat contains 19% MCT. The characteristic of MCT is that it directly enters the liver and is rapidly metabolized into energy to provide energy for the body. It can make your brain clearer, think more rationally, sleep better, and feel better.
Compared with long-chain triglycerides, medium-chain triglycerides(MCT) are hydrolyzed to form medium-chain fatty acids, which have small molecular weight and high water solubility. They can be absorbed directly by the villi of the small intestine and enter the liver through the portal vein. In hepatocytes, medium-chain fatty acids can enter the mitochondria through the two mitochondrial membranes independently of carnitine acylcarnitine transferase I (CPT-1) on the outer mitochondrial membrane, and undergo fatty acid oxidation to generate acetyl-CoA. It can also generate ATP for energy through the tricarboxylic acid cycle and electron transport chain, or produce ketone bodies for use by extrahepatic tissues.
Medium-chain fatty acids quickly supply energy, can reduce the demand for blood sugar, and are not easy to accumulate in adipose tissue. Numerous studies have shown that medium-chain fatty acids can control weight gain by increasing energy expenditure and suppressing appetite.
However, medium-chain fatty acids are not essential fatty acids, so dietary intake also needs to be supplemented with essential long-chain unsaturated fatty acids. The lipids in the body mainly include triglycerides, non-esterified fatty acids, total cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and phospholipids. As a saturated fatty acid, the metabolic pathway of medium-chain triglycerides in the body is different from that of general long-chain fatty acids, but its intake and decomposition also affect the synthesis and decomposition of lipids in the body.