What Should I Do If I Have Diarrhea From MCT Oil?
MCT oil, or medium-chain fatty acid, is a fat supplement found in many bulletproof coffees and meal replacements. Its characteristic is that it can be directly metabolized, helping the body enter the ketogenic state quickly.
However, some of my friends have reported that after drinking MCT oil, they keep running to the toilet and have uncomfortable diarrhea, why is this so? Today, let’s talk about MCT oil. First, let’s introduce you to the different kinds of fats.
Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA): Fatty acids with less than 6 carbon atoms.
Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCT): fats with 6-12 carbon atoms.
Long Chain Fatty Acids (LCFA): fatty acids longer than 12 carbon atoms.
Medium-chain triglycerides are a healthy intermediate between short and long chains and are a very popular supplement. They provide effective fuel for the body and brain, and most people who take MCT oil, especially the elderly, experience a significant increase in their physical and mental strength.
Types of MCT Oil
Most people believe that all MCT oils are the same and contain the same amount of MCT, however, there are several different types of MCT:
→ C6 (caproic acid)
C6 is the shortest of the medium-chain fatty acids and converts into ketone bodies the fastest, but is rarely used in MCT oil formulas because it has a strong flavor and when consumed, it can create a burning sensation in your throat or internal organs, most likely leading to gastrointestinal distress.
→C8 (Caprylic acid)
C8 Caprylic Acid is known for its antimicrobial properties and is thought to be more effective than Lauric Acid in this regard, improving intestinal flora.C8 does not need to be broken down by the liver and can be converted directly into ATP (cellular energy).
→C10 (Caprylic acid)
C10 (caprylic acid) is the second shortest and is not as abundant in coconut oil as the long-chain C12 (lauric acid), and when used as an MCT it is not metabolized as quickly as C8.
It is estimated that about 10% of the MCT in coconut oil is C10, and because of the relatively high cost of obtaining it, most high-quality MCT formulations consist of C8 and C10, with some MCTs using a combination of C12 and C10 and a small amount of C8 to reduce the price of the product.
→C12 (lauric acid)
This is the most popular of the 4 manufactured medium-chain triglycerides. Lauric acid is a major component of coconut oil and accounts for more than half of the MCT in coconut oil. Lauric acid has antimicrobial properties and other uses include the preservation of food and other nutraceuticals.
Benefits of MCT Oil
MCT oil has many benefits including: helping with appetite control, enhancing weight loss, antimicrobial effects (against Candida) and helping with cognitive function to name a few. It is also used to control epilepsy, which is a great source of fat when the patient is unable to metabolize other types of fat.
Although MCT has a lot of benefits, it should be consumed correctly, and there are a lot of eager peeps who want to get into ketosis fast and start taking a lot of MCT oil.
However, the eagerness to eat hot tofu, a large number of taking MCT oil after the body appeared diarrhea, nausea, hot flashes, stomach feel bloated, abnormal bowel movements, headache, irritability, throat irritation, fatigue and a series of side effects. These side effects are very common and many people who consume it for the first time also experience these types of conditions.
Reasons for MCT Oil Causing Side Effects
MCT oil causes side effects for 2 reasons:
1, The oil is absorbed too quickly
When you eat coconut, there are a variety of nutrients in abundance, most of which require enzymes to cleave hydrogen bonds to simplify metabolism. When eating MCT oil, 8 and 10-chain fatty acids can immediately undergo beta-oxidation, and cells can break them down for energy without the help of the liver. Therefore, when MCT oil is eaten in large quantities, it irritates the gastrointestinal tract and triggers a physiological mechanism to flush the intestines.
Secondly, C8 (caprylic acid) is highly antimicrobial, which prevents exposure to a wide range of yeast and bacteria, which will crack and overflow when exposed to caprylic acid, resulting in an immune response that stimulates the intestinal tract.
2, Glycerol is a laxative
Glycerol is a so-called hypertonic laxative that has the ability to draw water from the surrounding tissues into the colon, thereby softening the stool and increasing peristalsis.
MCT oil is rich in glycerin, which also has the ability to promote bowel movements, giving you diarrhea and constipation guys, it’s really worth trying. Overall, MCT gives you diarrhea, which isn’t a bad thing, and may have some benefits, so don’t be afraid. Of course, there are things you can do to stop diarrhea from happening.
How to avoid MCT diarrhea?
If you want to take MCT oil and don’t want diarrhea, try the following：
→ Start with a small dose
The best way to avoid stomach pain and bowel movements is to start slowly with a small dose. You can start with ½ teaspoon and see how you feel after 45-60 minutes, then gradually increase the dose until you reach a maximum of 2 teaspoons per week.
During this time, new enzymes will be produced in the body to help process the increased intake of medium chain triglycerides while you check your body’s response to MCT oil and you can find your body’s maximum tolerance for MCT oil.
→ Avoid taking it on an empty stomach
Most MCT supplements, and medical guidelines, recommend that MCT should be used with food, however many people sharing their stories of diarrhea episodes also mention that MCT oil is worse when taken on an empty stomach.
Research has found that the oil is better tolerated when taken with food, and in one study, 31 men and women aged 19-50 with a body mass index of 27-33 completed a 16-week weight loss program.
The study compared the effects of mct and olive oil on weight loss. The 2 oils were each mixed into muffins and in the end, the study found that the group taking 18-24 grams of MCT oil per day lost weight and had no adverse effects. And many have found that taking MCT with food reduces most of the adverse effects.
→ Avoid MCT that contains too much lauric acid
The cheapest MCT oils contain lauric acid, which has 12 carbon atoms, which is almost LCT (long-chain triglyceride) and can’t be digested by the liver as quickly as MCT. Caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acids are the main reasons for the health benefits of MCT.
Although coconut oil is the largest source of MCT, most of it is lauric acid, and generally producing pure Oil that contains only C8 and C10 will be more expensive than pure MCT oil that contains lauric acid.
→ Try MCT powder
Some people with MCT indigestion tolerate powder supplements better. Due to the processing, the powder is a slightly diluted version of the oil, but it will still provide plenty of high-quality MCT, making it a good choice for some people with digestive problems.
→ Don’t forget to replenish electrolytes
Due to the side effects of MCT, you will lose a lot of water and electrolytes. Therefore, you should make sure that you drink plenty of water and other fluids to replenish your electrolytes and keep them balanced in your body, for example, light saline water, fresh coconut water, and lemonade are all good options.
If you experience diarrhea after taking MCT oil, you can avoid the following foods：
Lots of bulletproof coffee
Fried foods
Caffeine
Spicy foods
Garlic and onions
Processed foods
Raw vegetable smoothies and salads
Milk-based protein powders
But if the effects of MCT oil are severe, it’s best to just skip it, because no one wants to sit on the toilet for hours for MCT… Of course, if you don’t have a serious problem, you’ll be fine once you’ve acclimated to it for a while.