It seems like nearly everyone these days is searching for the latest, greatest way to boost their energy, fire up their brainpower and maintain their healthy weight.
So, it’s no surprise that more and more people are turning to medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs.
MCTs have become especially popular as the word spreads about the many benefits of nutritional ketosis, or when you successfully burn fat as your primary fuel instead of glucose from carbohydrates.
But make no mistake… MCT oils aren’t all created equal, and many people may not be getting the full effects they expect.
When you use the right kind of MCT oil, you can potentially reap profound benefits:
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Provide support for your weight reduction efforts – MCT increases the feeling of fullness so you won’t be tempted to snack or overeat.*
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Feel more energetic quickly – MCT oil is easily absorbed and transported throughout your body, providing a clean, fast-acting source of fuel.*
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Help maintain and improve your cognitive function – the ketones produced by MCT oil support your brain cells and help them function better.*
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Support your heart health – MCT Oil supports the optimal production of HDL cholesterol.*
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Help maintain healthy blood sugar levels already in the normal range – reduces fat storage and increases fat burning.*
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Promote a healthy normal inflammatory response – improves antioxidant levels and upregulates certain genes.*
What are Medium-Chain Triglycerides?
Medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs, are a special type of fat that gets its name from their chemical structure, or their length or chain of carbon molecules.
They’re mostly extracted from coconuts, coconut oil and palm kernel oil, but small amounts of MCTs can be found in grass-fed butter and other dairy products.
There are four types of MCTs, ranging from 6 to 12 carbons long:
- C6: Caproic acid – Converts to ketones, or fuel, quickly but tends to cause digestive issues and smells and tastes unpleasant, even after processing.
- C8: Caprylic acid – The most effective and most ideal MCT, as it converts to ketones within minutes and is odorless, flavorless and may be easier on your digestive tract. C8 is the most valued and most expensive MCT. It’s also the rarest type.
- C10: Capric acid – Less efficient than C8 in converting to ketones in your liver, and because it is much more common than C8, it is less expensive to produce. This is the type of MCT found in most commercial brands.
- C12: Lauric acid – Very abundant in coconut oil, but lauric acid doesn’t really function as a true MCT. Behaving more like a long-chain fatty acid, C12 is more difficult for your liver to absorb and break down into ketones.
As a rule, shorter-chained MCTs are more readily converted into ketones, which are energy molecules that are created by your liver from fats.
Ketones are the ideal fuel for your cells’ mitochondria because they burn cleanly and produce far less reactive oxygen species (ROS) that damage your cells and promote aging.
Ketones are also your best friend when it comes to cravings and unwanted hunger pangs… They help suppress ghrelin – or your “hunger hormone” – and enhance another hormone that signals your brain when you're full.
How Coconut Oil Differs from MCT Oil
Some people believe coconut oil and MCT oil are interchangeable.
They’re not – they’re very different.
While MCT oil is derived from coconuts, it’s not the same thing as coconut oil.
Far more concentrated in medium-chain fatty acids, MCT oil contains 100% MCTs. MCT oil is made by refining coconut or palm oil to create pure MCT oil.
On the other hand, coconut oil contains about 90% saturated fat, and MCTs make up about 50% of that total.
While we don’t typically rely on coconut oil just for its MCT content, there are plenty of other very good reasons to add coconut oil to your diet. Like MCT oil, coconut oil is high in fat and contains no carbohydrates.
Coconut oil is a terrific source of high-quality fat, especially lauric acid, which makes up about 50% of the MCTs in coconut oil. Your body converts lauric acid into monolaurin that offers many protective and health-promoting properties.
I encourage the regular use of coconut oil, especially for high fat and low carbohydrate diets. While it may not be as effective as MCT oil for an energy boost, it is a great hunger-buster and a quick and easy way to get fat calories.
If weight loss support matters more to you, then I recommend using MCT oil.
MCT oil has a much greater effect on feelings of fullness, compared to coconut oil, because it is the MCT in the coconut oil that contributes to satiety or fullness.
A recent study looked at the effects on appetite and fullness by comparing MCT oil, coconut oil and vegetable oil.
The group consuming MCT oil at breakfast reported feelings of increased fullness over the three-hour period following breakfast as well as reduced food intake throughout the day, compared to the coconut and vegetable oil groups.
For cooking, coconut oil is a great choice. It is one of the most resistant oils to high-temperature stir-frying, unlike other popular oils.
Because coconut oil is so versatile with over a hundred different uses, I encourage you to learn more about it on our site.
You’ll find two exceptional coconut oil products in our online store: Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil for cooking, eating and beauty use, and my Coconut Oil Oral Rinse (with MCTs) for your oral health care.
4 Reasons Why C8 MCT Oil Stands Apart
Of the four different types of MCTs, C8 or caprylic acid is the most valuable.
C8 converts to ketones far more rapidly than the other types, is flavorless and odorless, and may be easier on your digestion.
Our Biothin® Ketone Energy is made up of 95% C8 MCTs, making it a true C8 or caprylic MCT oil.
Four key points make Biothin® Ketone Energy stand apart from other types of fats and even some other so-called MCTs:
- It bypasses normal digestive processes and crosses your intestinal membrane directly to your liver to be used as a clean-burning fuel for your entire body.*
- Because of its water-solubility, it crosses your blood-brain barrier to provide your brain tissue with clean fuel, unlike other types of fat.*
- It’s a great way to get extra fat, and because it’s completely odorless and flavorless (and enhances flavor), you can add it to foods and beverages for extra fat calories.
- Because of its rapid conversion to energy, it helps squelch hunger pangs and boosts satiety and satisfaction when following a ketogenic or other low carb diet.*
Most commercial brands of MCT oil are usually 50/50 combinations of C8 and C10 fats. Some contain very little C8 because it is the most expensive MCT fat.
Unlike some other products, Biothin® Ketone Energy contains no trans fatty acids or GMOs, or genetically engineered ingredients.
How Biothin® Ketone Energy Supports Your Body and Brain
Biothin® Ketone Energy plays an essential role in not only ketogenic diets but any type of weight reduction plan. Most importantly, it allows your body to switch over to fat-burning more quickly.
By using fat as your primary energy source instead of carbohydrates, you shift your metabolism from burning glucose as your primary fuel to burning fat instead.
So, why would you want to burn fat instead of glucose to fuel your body?
When you use fat as your primary energy source, you potentially…
- Optimize your mitochondrial function.*
- Activate your body’s ability to burn body fat.*
- Help your metabolism run more efficiently.*
- Enjoy long-lasting energy and stamina.*
- Improve your athletic performance.*
- Focus and think more clearly.*
Because sufficient fats are needed to achieve nutritional ketosis – the goal of a ketogenic or low net carb (total carbs minus fiber) - Biothin® Ketone Energy can help you get enough quality fats.
Achieving ketosis can be challenging for some, so Biothin® Ketone Energy can help you get there faster and maintain your state of nutritional ketosis.
How does Biothin® Ketone Energy help make this happen? It’s a multi-stage process…
The caprylic acid MCTs in Biothin® Ketone Energy go directly to your liver and bypass your normal digestive processes, including bile and pancreatic enzymes.
Your liver converts the MCT oil into ketones, which are then released back into your bloodstream, where they are transported to your brain and throughout your body for fuel.
Unlike other fats, the MCTs in Biothin® Ketone Energy are water-soluble, so they have the unique ability to pass through your blood-brain barrier to supply your brain with energy.
Researchers have discovered that ketones are the preferred source of energy for your brain in general.*
Optimal cognitive function and mental clarity are among the first things people notice when they enter nutritional ketosis.
Complement Your Low-Carb Lifestyle with Biothin® Ketone Energy
While many people enjoy using caprylic acid MCT oil in their smoothies, food or even their coffee for its potential brain benefits, I like to use it to support my low-carbohydrate, high-fat program that I call Mitochondrial Metabolic Therapy, or MMT.
MMT is a system of eating that I introduce in my book, Fat for Fuel, which addresses how to optimize your mitochondrial health for total body well-being.
Biothin® Ketone Energy is completely tasteless and odorless, so you can add it to foods and beverages. Here are just a few ideas:
- Create a steaming cup of Pure Power Coffee by blending our Solspring® Biodynamic® Coffee, Biothin® Ketone Energy and a pat of grass-fed butter
- Add Biothin® Ketone Energy to smoothies, fresh-squeezed vegetable juice or your favorite Pure Power Whey Protein Powder shake
- Drizzle Biothin® Ketone Energy over sushi, salads, pasta or any other dish of your choosing – chefs claim it enhances flavor.
You can even cook with Biothin® Ketone Energy – just don’t expose it to temperatures above 325°F.
Once you start experimenting, you’ll find many delicious ways to use Biothin® Ketone Energy.
Experience Vitality and Reach Your Metabolic Goals Faster with Biothin® Ketone Energy
Please understand that while Biothin® Ketone Energy MCT Oil, in no way shape or form, is a “magic bullet” for weight loss, it is, however, an excellent addition to a healthy whole food diet.
And I believe Biothin® Ketone Energy offers exceptional value for 4 out of 5 adults.
If you’d like to…
- Turn on your body’s ability to burn fat instead of glucose*
- Help slim down and meet your weight and metabolic goals faster without excess food cravings*
- Nourish and optimize your mitochondria for total body health*
- Help reach nutritional ketosis faster*
- Boost your memory, focus and cognitive function*
- Have long-lasting energy that won’t be stored as body fat*
- Feel more energetic with greater endurance and stamina*
- Improve your athletic performance*
…then Biothin® Ketone Energy is for you.
Discover the difference that Biothin® Ketone Energy can make in your life. Take control of your metabolic health, and order your supply today.