Medium-chain Triglycerides

Why do people use medium-chain triglycerides?

People who self-experiment with medium-chain triglycerides often state they use it to improve their:

• Focus
• Mood
• Energy
• Physical performance

There is a lack of solid scientific evidence for the effectiveness of medium-chain triglycerides for any of these purposes, especially in healthy humans.

What science exists on medium-chain triglycerides for cognition enhancement?

There's a lack of research on the efficacy of medium-chain triglycerides for cognitive enhancement in healthy humans.

The one study examining MCTs for cognition in healthy humans that does exist showed no beneficial effects.

Do medium-chain triglycerides improve learning and memory?

Entrepreneurs, college students, and other people seeking to optimize their performance have started to use medium-chain triglycerides, commonly in the form of MCT oil, as a means to get an edge. The rumor is that it has recently gained a lot of popularity in the silicon valley. But is there any science to the hype?

There’s only one high-quality study [1] that aimed to figure out whether MCTs can enhance cognitive functioning in healthy humans. The study was conducted on elderly people with below-average memory performance. Various tests of learning and memory were administered to the participants. No benefits were found from using MCT oil when compared with the placebo.

But is this the full story?

Perhaps not. There's generally a lack of research on the efficacy on MCTs in healthy humans. Specifically, we are lacking in our understanding of what factors determine if someone responds well to MCT oil or not. Certain people may have a great experience when using it, while others will perform the same or worse. We need more data on the genes, lifestyle factors, and other circumstances in a persons' life that determine the efficacy of MCT oil for boosting their memory capacity and learning abilities.

For instance, MCT oil improved cognitive performance in people with Alzheimer's, but only if they had a specific gene variant. [2]

While there's a lack of research on the efficacy of MCT oil for cognitive enhancement in healthy humans, it is unlike many other substances lacking high-quality research not considered a high-risk nootropic.