Does MCT Oil Give You Energy? Here’s How to Superfuel Your Brain & Body
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Parris Kidd

The human brain requires lots of energy to function.

Though only 2% of the body’s total weight, the brain uses at least 20% of the body’s total energy.

The brain and body derive energy from many sources. One of the most potent sources of energy are the medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) from coconut oil.

You’ll find high-quality, ultra-pure MCTs in BrainMD’s new quick energy supplement…

Brain MCT Energy: Organic MCT Oil

Brain MCT Energy is an oily dietary supplement that provides biochemical superfuels which rapidly boost the body’s energy generation, especially in the brain. These are “good fats” that pose no threat to our health.

MCTs are easily digested in the intestine to make small fatty acids, which are efficiently absorbed. The liver readily converts these fatty acids from MCT into even smaller molecules called ketones, which all our cells can easily use for energy.

Our cells get the bulk of their energy from biochemical “fires” stoked by mitochondria, tiny energy generators. The mitochondria use oxygen to convert nutrients from our foods into energy. Of all the nutrients the mitochondria burn, the easiest are ketones – small molecules derived from fatty acids (think of ketones as the kindling for our life energy).

MCT are small natural fat molecules (triglycerides) of two kinds: caprylic acid triglyceride, consisting of fatty acids 8 carbons long (“C8”) combined with glycerol; and capric acid triglyceride, which has fatty acids 10 carbons long (“C10”) combined with glycerol. When taken by mouth, both are efficiently digested into their free caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) fatty acids, which are then readily absorbed.

These small fatty acid molecules rapidly cross the intestinal lining and reach the large portal vein, which quickly delivers them to the liver. There, instead of being packaged into LDL particles along with cholesterol like larger fatty acids, they’re converted into ketones. These small molecules are then released into the circulation, to be picked up and burned in the mitochondria of any of our cells.

MCT Oil and Brain Health

The brain relies almost 100% on glucose (“blood sugar”) for energy generation, because that’s typically what it’s fed. But the brain is also capable of making energy from ketones, and even from the C8 and C10 molecules, that aren’t broken down in the liver. For people who struggle to get blood sugar into their brain, these MCT derivatives are a tremendous boon.

Clinical research strongly suggests the brain loses its capacity to utilize glucose over time; this process may even begin for some in their youth. Fortunately, the brain seems to retain its full capacity to make energy from the C8 and C10 fatty acids, and especially the ketones produced from them, across the entire lifespan.

In 2020, U.S. government researchers published a meta-analysis from 13 clinical studies with MCT. They concluded that MCT improved cognition, including memory. They noted that the higher the blood ketone level achieved, the greater the degree of cognitive benefit.

MCT Oil and Exercise

Taking an MCT supplement one or two hours prior to a workout supplies the skeletal muscles with ketones to help meet their increased energy needs. As the workout progresses and the muscle mitochondria burn ketones, the body may mobilize additional ketones from adipose tissue or other fat stores. As the ketone blood levels rise, some will be “pushed” into the working muscles and the brain.

Findings from a recent controlled clinical trial suggest that taking MCT while on a moderate aerobic exercise program could be a useful tool for achieving higher blood ketone levels. Also, taking MCT lessened the blood sugar spike after consuming carbohydrates, which is consistent with clinical findings that suggest MCT may assist with blood sugar balance.

MCT Oil and Appetite

Satiety occurs when a person starts to feel full while eating a meal. A dietary supplement that promotes satiety is useful for those who want to reduce their caloric intake by consuming less food. MCT has shown promise for increasing satiety and lowering appetite, which can help reduce caloric consumption.

And while MCT can lessen appetite, they also can increase the body’s burning of fat.

The body must use energy to process food once it’s consumed. This process is called diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT). Clinical trials spanning more than 30 years have now clearly established that taking MCT increases DIT, mainly by increasing the body’s rate of fat-burning.

Though the MCT acceleration of fat-burning and DIT hasn’t been shown to translate directly into weight loss, some of the clinical trials suggest that supplementing with MCT can assist with maintaining a stable weight. By enhancing satiety, MCT can be helpful for curbing unhealthy eating and stabilizing body weight.

Clean MCT Oil for Your Brain & Body

Besides its benefits for promoting mental performance – including memory, learning, and focus – Brain MCT Energy may help those who tire easily when doing mental work and need more mental energy. It may also benefit individuals who have trouble maintaining a stable blood sugar supply to their brain.

MCTs are also valuable for whole-body health and overall vitality. The clinical research with MCT has opened new vistas of brain benefits for people of all ages.

Superfuel for a Super You

Brain MCT Energy supplies biochemical superfuels for an optimal brain and body.

This natural supplement may help people who tire easily when doing mental work, or who have trouble maintaining a stable blood sugar supply to their brain.

It also enhances satiety to assist with weight management, improves the brain benefits of aerobic exercise, and supports cognitive and memory function.

Brain MCT Energy is a clean and fast-acting energy source for peak brain and body performance.

At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients and standardized herbal ingredients to support your overall well-being. For more information about Brain MCT Energy and our full list of supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.

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Keith Rowe

Keith has been a member of the BrainMD team for several years, providing his research and writing talents. Keith is grateful to have the opportunity to write about supplements since many of them have made a dramatic difference in his life. He is often heard around the office saying, “We have supplements for that.”

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