Medium-chain Triglycerides

Last Updated: February 6, 2025

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are found in foods like coconut oil and dairy products. MCTs are claimed to improve muscle strength, cognitive performance, and body weight, but further research is needed to substantiate those claims.

Medium-chain Triglycerides is most often used for

What are medium-chain triglycerides?

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are a type of lipid (fat) composed of three medium-length fatty acids (6 to 12 carbon atoms in length) attached to a glycerol backbone.[17] There are four main types of MCTs, each with a different fatty acid chain length.[17]

  • Caproic acid (hexanoic acid) has a fatty acid length of 6 carbon atoms.
  • Caprylic acid (octanoic acid) has a fatty acid length of 8 carbon atoms.
  • Capric acid (decanoic acid or decylic acid) has a fatty acid length of 10 carbon atoms.
  • Lauric acid (dodecanoic acid) has a fatty acid length of 12 carbon atoms.

MCTs are found in high amounts (per serving size) in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and dairy products like butter. MCTs are also found in specialized MCT oil supplements.[17]

MCTs are rapidly digested and converted into energy, bypassing the usual fat digestion process (see How are medium-chain triglycerides absorbed?).[17] However, people with a rare genetic condition called medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency cannot break down MCTs effectively, which can lead to serious health issues.[18] See What is medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency? for more info.

What are medium-chain triglycerides’ main benefits?

Muscle strength and function

Evidence from some randomized controlled trials shows that daily supplementation with MCTs can boost exercise-induced increases in muscle strength and function in adults with or at risk of sarcopenia and frailty.[1][2][3]

Cognitive performance

Some observational studies have shown that a higher serum caprylic acid (a.k.a. octanoic acid) concentration in the body is associated with a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment.[19][20] Some small randomized controlled trials have shown that daily supplementation with MCTs can enhance cognitive performance (working memory and executive function) in adults without known health conditions,[4][11][5][6] and some evidence shows that daily supplementation with MCTs can improve cognitive performance in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.[7] However, this has only been observed in people with an APOE4-/- genotype (i.e., people who do not carry an apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, which predisposes people to a high risk of dementia).[7] Furthermore, meta-analyses of studies that examined the effects of MCTs on dementia show large heterogeneity in the effect size between the studies and do not currently support the use of MCTs in the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.[8][9][10] In general, studies in this field also have a high risk of bias due to poor study designs and conflicts of interest.[8][9][10]

Fat oxidation

Small randomized controlled trials have also shown that daily supplementation with MCTs can increase fat oxidation rates during a high-fat meal[12] and during low-intensity exercise in men without known health conditions.[13][14] However, these studies typically compare MCTs to carbohydrates or a calorie-free placebo rather than other types of fats (e.g., long-chain triglycerides). Consequently, the observed effects might not be specific to medium-chain triglycerides.

Body weight

Some research has also examined the effects of MCTs on body composition and body weight. Some meta-analyses have found that supplementation with MCTs can lower body weight,[15][16] but the effect is very small and variable among the studies.[15][16][21] Furthermore, the studies are small and few in number, and the majority of studies are affected by conflicts of interest from commercial bias.[15][16][21]

Energy intake

While MCTs do not appear to affect the appetite or circulating concentrations of gut hormones,[22][23] the potential effect of MCTs on body weight might be driven by the moderate decrease in daily energy intake that one meta-analysis found.[22] However, this effect was demonstrated by pooling diverse study types involving acute and chronic ingestion of MCT supplements as well as diets that contained different amounts of MCTs. Consequently, further high-quality trials and meta-analyses are needed to understand the effects of MCTs on body weight regulation.

What are medium-chain triglycerides’ main drawbacks?

Research into the long-term safety of and optimal dosing for MCTs in humans is limited, which emphasizes the need for further research.[17] However, MCTs are generally considered safe to consume, and toxicity is unlikely.[17][24][25][26][27] That said, some supplementation studies have reported side effects like nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort.[28][17]

The no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) for MCTs ranges from 3 to 5 grams per kg of body weight per day.[28] However, people who received MCTs via intravenous infusion (e.g., people who received total parenteral nutrition (TPN)) have tolerated dosages of 3 to 9 grams per kg of body weight (gram/kg) per day for several months without adverse effects.[28] To put this in context, a standard 2,500 calorie-per-day diet in which 30% of calories come from dietary fat would include about 80 grams of fat per day. If all 80 grams were derived from MCTs, then the daily MCT intake in a 70-kg person would be approximately 1.1 grams/kg, which is far lower than the NOAEL range. However, a typical daily intake of MCTs in the diet is only around 2 to 9 grams per day, and someone who takes a daily MCT supplement will likely only ingest 5 to 20 grams per day; these ranges are also much lower than the NOAEL of 210 to 350 grams per day for a 70-kg (154-lb) person.

It is also important to note that, in general, the evidence underpinning the benefits of MCTs has a moderate to high risk of bias because there are few studies with small sample sizes and/or poor methodological quality (e.g., lacking a control group) and were funded/authored by manufacturers of MCT-containing supplements.

How do medium-chain triglycerides work?

Cognitive performance

Under fasting conditions, ingesting MCTs rapidly increases the serum concentrations of ketone bodies (beta-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, and acetone).[29] Similarly, regular supplementation of MCTs also increases serum ketone body concentrations.[30] Because ketone bodies serve as an alternative energy source for the brain when glucose availability is low,[31] it is plausible that providing the brain with a source of ketone bodies — as shown in some studies[4][11][5][6][7] — is the mechanism by which MCTs might enhance cognitive function. Preclinical studies in rodents support this concept,[32][33][34] and some clinical trials have indeed found that supplementation with exogenous ketones can improve aspects of cognitive function in people under conditions of metabolic stress (e.g., fasting, hypoxia, or exercise)[35][36][37][38][39][40] and in people with neurodegenerative conditions.[41] However, the effects are highly variable, and several clinical trials do not find a benefit of exogenous ketones on cognitive function.[42][43][44]

Muscle strength and function

The mechanism by which MCTs can augment exercise-induced increases in muscle strength[1][2][3] is not completely understood but might involve blocking the expression of MuRF-1 (and thereby stimulating muscle protein synthesis while inhibiting muscle protein breakdown),[45] increasing the concentration of plasma acyl-ghrelin (thereby stimulating growth hormone secretion),[46] or activation of the sympathetic nervous system and upregulation of peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha, which promotes mitochondrial biogenesis).[46]

Body weight

The mechanism by which MCTs influence body weight[15][16] might involve changes in appetite hormone secretion,[47] reductions in energy intake,[47][22] or increases in fat oxidation rates,[47][12][13][14] but not all the studies confirm these effects.[47][22][23] Evidence from rodent studies and in vitro experiments also shows that MCTs might promote the browning of white adipose tissue, which would enhance lipolysis (fat breakdown) and energy expenditure.[48] However, such mechanisms are poorly understood and require more research.

What are other names for Medium-chain Triglycerides?
Note that Medium-chain Triglycerides is also known as:
  • MCTs
  • MCT oil
  • Medium-chain fatty acids
  • Caproic acid (hexanoic acid)
  • Caprylic acid (octanoic acid)
  • Capric acid (decanoic acid)
  • Lauric acid (dodecanoic acid)
Medium-chain Triglycerides should not be confused with:
  • Coconut oil (a food product that contains medium-chain triglycerides)
Dosage information

Formulation:

MCT oil, powder, or gel/jelly. Most studies use an MCT oil or jelly product.

Range of dosages studied:

2 to 80 grams per day.

Effective Dosages:

Muscle size and strength

Adults: The effective dosage for improving muscle strength and function in adults with or at risk of sarcopenia and frailty is 6 grams/day of octanoic acid and decanoic acid by mouth for 12 weeks.[1][2][3]

Special considerations: There are very few studies in this field. Due to a lack of dose-response and time-course studies, it is unclear whether other doses and durations are also effective. It is also unclear whether individual MCTs have the same effect on this outcome.

Cognitive improvement

Adults: The effective dosage for improving cognitive performance (working memory and executive function) in generally healthy adults is in the range of 6 to 40 grams/day of octanoic acid and decanoic acid by mouth for 2 weeks to 6 months.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10] One study has shown that a single dose of 20 grams of octanoic acid and decanoic acid can also be effective.[11]

Special considerations: The optimal dose and time course are unclear because a meta-regression analysis has not been performed. It is also unclear which MCT has the highest efficacy or whether the combination of octanoic and decanoic acid is best. Many of these studies were funded and authored by a company that manufactures an MCT product, so an important conflict of interest exists.

Fat oxidation

Adults: The effective dosage for increasing fat oxidation rates during a high-fat meal and low-intensity exercise is 2 grams/day of octanoic acid and decanoic acid or 6 grams/day of either octanoic acid or decanoic acid by mouth for 2 weeks.[12][13][14]

Special considerations: Very few studies have examined the effect of MCTs on fat oxidation rates, and it has only been studied in men without known health conditions. Furthermore, these studies compare MCTs to carbohydrates or a calorie-free placebo rather than other fats, so the effects might not be specific to medium-chain triglycerides. It is also unclear whether other doses and durations are also effective due to a lack of dose-response and time-course studies. Additionally, it is unclear whether individual MCTs have the same effect on this outcome.

Weight loss and maintenance

Adults: The effective dosage for reducing body weight is in the range of 4 to 54 grams/day of MCTs by mouth for 4 to 16 weeks.[15][16]

Special considerations: Many studies in this field have an important conflict of interest because they are funded and authored by a company that manufactures an MCT product. The effect on body weight is also very small and highly variable among the studies. It is also unclear which MCTs are most effective or whether a combination of MCTs is optimal.

Other Considerations:

It is unclear whether MCTs should be taken with food or not because their efficacy on various outcomes has not been thoroughly examined in the presence vs. the absence of food.

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Update History
2025-02-06 00:30:03

All new FAQs were added to this page.

major

This page had no existing FAQs, so the following standard FAQs were added:

What are medium-chain triglycerides?

What are medium-chain triglycerides’ main benefits?

What are medium-chain triglycerides’ main drawbacks?

How do medium-chain triglycerides work?

The following additional FAQs were also added:

How are medium-chain triglycerides absorbed? What is medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency?

We added 4 new meta-analyses and 8 new randomized controlled trials to the Examine database. These additions caused the following changes:

“Total cholesterol” has been changed from “small decrease (improvement)” to “no effect”.

“LDL” has been changed from “small decrease (improvement)” to “no effect”.

“HDL” has been changed from “small decrease (detriment)” to “no effect”.

“Energy intake” has been changed from “no effect” to “small decrease (improvement)”.

“Muscle mass” has been changed from “no effect” to “small increase (improvement)”.

“Lower body strength” has been changed from “no effect” to “small increase (improvement)”.

“Upper body strength” has been changed from “no effect” to “small increase (improvement)”.

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References
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Examine Database References
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  2. Metabolic Rate - A A Papamandjaris, M D White, P J JonesComponents of total energy expenditure in healthy young women are not affected after 14 days of feeding with medium-versus long-chain triglyceridesObes Res.(1999 May)
  3. Total cholesterol - Han JR, Deng B, Sun J, Chen CG, Corkey BE, Kirkland JL, Ma J, Guo WEffects of dietary medium-chain triglyceride on weight loss and insulin sensitivity in a group of moderately overweight free-living type 2 diabetic Chinese subjectsMetabolism.(2007 Jul)
  4. Total cholesterol - Karen Mumme, Welma StonehouseEffects of medium-chain triglycerides on weight loss and body composition: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsJ Acad Nutr Diet.(2015 Feb)
  5. Total cholesterol - The impact of medium-chain triglycerides on weight loss and metabolic health in individuals with overweight or obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis .()
  6. Fat Oxidation - Effect of Continuous Ingestion of 2 g of Medium-Chain Triglycerides on Substrate Metabolism during Low-Intensity Physical Activity .()
  7. Fat Oxidation - Short-Term Ingestion of Medium-Chain Triglycerides Could Enhance Postprandial Consumption of Ingested Fat in Individuals with a Body Mass Index from 25 to Less than 30: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Crossover Study.()
  8. Food Intake - Tyler Maher, Miriam E CleggA systematic review and meta-analysis of medium-chain triglycerides effects on acute satiety and food intakeCrit Rev Food Sci Nutr.(2021)
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  10. Fat Oxidation - Papamandjaris AA, White MD, Raeini-Sarjaz M, Jones PJEndogenous fat oxidation during medium chain versus long chain triglyceride feeding in healthy womenInt J Obes Relat Metab Disord.(2000 Sep)
  11. Ketone Bodies - Carolina B Castro, Cintia B Dias, Heidi Hillebrandt, Hamid R Sohrabi, Pratishtha Chatterjee, Tejal M Shah, Stephanie J Fuller, Manohar L Garg, Ralph N MartinsMedium-chain fatty acids for the prevention or treatment of Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysisNutr Rev.(2023 Jan 12)
  12. Ketone Bodies - Meer N, Fischer TMedium-Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) for the Symptomatic Treatment of Dementia-Related Diseases: A Systematic Review.J Nutr Metab.(2024)
  13. Ketone Bodies - Konstantinos I Avgerinos, Josephine M Egan, Mark P Mattson, Dimitrios KapogiannisMedium Chain Triglycerides induce mild ketosis and may improve cognition in Alzheimer's disease. A systematic review and meta-analysis of human studiesAgeing Res Rev.(2020 Mar)
  14. Muscle Mass - Medium-chain triglycerides (8:0 and 10:0) increase muscle mass and function in frail older adults: a combined data analysis of clinical trials.()
  15. Walking Ability - A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial Assessing If Medium-Chain Triglycerides in Combination with Moderate-Intensity Exercise Increase Muscle Strength in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults .()
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