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How To Use MCT Oil While Intermittent Fasting
Updated on
- Written by Jennifer Anyabuine, Former Health Writer
Medically reviewed by
Gopal Ramakrishnan, Ph.D.
The intermittent fasting lifestyle restricts your eating to a limited window daily and is increasing in popularity for its weight loss effect.
Your fasting duration can extend from 12 to 24 hours. To help you make it across your fasting periods, you might need a little help. Using the right supplements before and during your fast could be essential to attaining your fat loss goals.
MCT oil, popular among people on a ketogenic diet, might help you get better results from intermittent fasting.
How to Use MCT Oil While Intermittent Fasting
To use MCT oil while fasting, you can take it just before your fast begins or during your eating period. Start with one teaspoon daily and increase your dose if you have minimal side effects. MCT oil could help keep you filled through your fasting window.
Intermittent fasting narrows your eating period and extends your fast to at least 12 hours. Getting yourself to stay through the fasting period and do intermittent fasting right can be a challenge for some people.
You can take drinks like bulletproof coffee to keep you hydrated in between your eating window because you should drink plenty fluids during this period.
On the other hand when MCT oil comes in, It becomes a high-calorie food and it can break a fast. Therefore, unlike drinks with near zero calories such as black coffee or tea that you can take during your fasting period, taking MCT oil during your fasting period breaks your fast.
If you are on a fat fast, however, consuming MCT during your fasting window is fine.
How much MCT oil should you take?
Consider starting with small doses because your gut might react adversely to it. Taking 1-2 teaspoons[1] of MCT directly or adding it to food or drinks such as coffee is a fair starting point.
Fat fasting might not offer quite the same benefits as a traditional fast. That is because it could potentially reduce its autophagy[2] effects on possibly harmful cells.
Nevertheless, fat fasting has other benefits. For instance, you can go long hours without food. The calories supplied by the fat such as MCT oil can help you stay without food for longer.
MCT comes as oil, pills, and powder. MCT oil is the purest form and is a popular choice. Some find the oil to be messy and would prefer the MCT powder or pills instead.
Before you go out to buy MCT oil, it is essential to understand the importance of purity. Higher quality MCT oils should not have fillers, artificial sweeteners, or additional ingredients that could compromise their effectiveness.
Before taking your MCT oil, you could blend it with coconut oil.
What Is MCT Oil
MCT oil, medium chain triglycerides, are pretty popular supplements for people on Keto diets.
MCTs typically contain a medium chain of 6-12 carbon atoms and are metabolized differently than other fats.
When you consume MCT oils your body converts them directly to ketones. Examples of MCT oils include:
- Caproic acid (C6)
- Caprylic acid (C8)
- Capric acid (C10)
- Lauric acid (C12)
Your body most easily uses Caprylic and capric acid for energy.
Coconut oil is an excellent source of MCT oils because it contains Lauric acid. If you want the best MCT oil, consider going for products manufactured from organic sources which do not have filler ingredients.
Benefits of MCT Oil
There are lots of health benefits of MCT oil for intermittent fasting. Knowing how MCT oil can help you get better results from your intermittent fasting diet can help you decide if it is something you want to incorporate into your diet.
It Helps You Extend Your Fasting Period
If you find that you can barely stay through 12 hours of fasting without reaching for a snack, you might need some help to make it through.
Each teaspoon of MCT oil you take charges you with 121 calories[3]. If you take it right before you begin your fasting period, it could help you stay satisfied for longer.
Therefore, it reduces your need for snacks before your fasting window is up. If you are struggling with sticking to your intermittent fasting diet, you might benefit from the energy boost from MCT oil.
You could also experience less fatigue and hunger with MCT oil supplements therefore, you could have an easier time engaging in physical activity.
MCT oil could technically break your fast. Nevertheless, If you are on a fat fast that lets you take healthy fats during your fasting period, incorporating MCT oil into other low calorie drinks like tea or taking it directly can help you extend your fasting period even longer.
MCT Oil Could Promote Weight Loss
If you are on an intermittent fasting diet to lose weight, then you might benefit more from including MCT oil.
One way that MCT oil helps you lose weight is by keeping you full for longer[4]. Therefore, you can fast for longer.
If you are the kind to overeat after your fasting period, MCT oil could help you cope with this tendency. Some people that incorporate MCT oil in their breakfast eat less for lunch.
So, when you use an MCT oil supplement, you are less likely to overeat[5] and you can watch your calorie intake during your eating periods.
Some studies find MCT oil to be beneficial for promoting weight loss and preventing obesity. You could also discuss with your doctor other supplements that can promote weight loss. For instance, using a CBD product might be the weight loss boost you need.
MCT Oil Is Great For Your Gut
MCT oil is relatively easy on your gut. Unlike with long-chain triglycerides, your body absorbs MCT oil and sends it up to your liver much faster.
The digestion process proceeds more quickly than with long chain triglycerides to release energy.
When you use MCT oil, it might affect your gut bacteria. It could encourage the growth of good bacteria which might also promote weight loss.
However, you could experience some side effects of taking MCT oil in your gut depending on your body composition. Possible side effects include stomach irritation and diarrhea.
Consider starting with a low dose and work your way up if your body does not respond adversely.
Improve Blood Sugar Level
MCT oil could help you keep your blood sugar level within the normal range. It could also contribute to weight loss and reducing your waist circumference[6].
When it comes to maintaining your blood glucose levels, MCT oil could help improve your insulin levels and sensitivity.
If you want to use MCT oil to manage your blood glucose levels, you should discuss it with your doctor first.
Improve Your Overall Health
MCT oil could be beneficial for your overall health because of its effect on chronic disease such as:
- high cholesterol
- smoking
- inflammation
- body mass index
- blood pressure
Research[7] shows that MCT oil combined with phytosterols and flaxseed oil could help reduce your total cholesterol.
It could also encourage the production of good cholesterol, HDL[8].
Therefore, MCT oil may reduce your risk of heart disease.
Conclusion
Want to increase your Intermittent fasting benefits?
Consider using MCT oil which has between 6-12 carbon atoms.
You could use MCT oil before your fasting period begins by taking it directly or adding it to your food. One or two teaspoons of MCT oil might be all you need to enjoy its significant benefits.
You could add MCT oil to your morning coffee or tea during the fasting period of your intermittent fasting to help prolong your fast if you are on a fat fast.
Some benefits of MCT oil include:
- Helps you extend your fasting period
- Promotes weight loss
- It is great for your gut
- Improves your blood sugar level
- Improves your overall health
+ 8 sources
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- Does MCT Oil Break A Fast? | Deer Lake Lodge Spa Resort (2020). Deer Lake Lodge Spa Resort. [online] Deer Lake Lodge Spa Resort. Available at: https://deerlakelodge.com/blog/o2mjg6982xtlzf6cn0d0w4t37pixqt
- mindbodygreen. (2019). mindbodygreen. [online] Available at: https://amp.mindbodygreen.com/articles/what-actually-breaks-a-fast-according-to-intermittent-fasting-experts
- Nutritionix.com. (2021). {{MetaTags.title || “Nutritionix”}}. [online] Available at: https://www.nutritionix.com/food/mct-oil
- Kinsella, R., Maher, T. and Clegg, M.E. (2017). Coconut oil has less satiating properties than medium chain triglyceride oil. Physiology & Behavior, [online] 179, pp.422–426. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938417302111
- St-Onge, M-P., Mayrsohn, B., O’Keeffe, M., Kissileff, H.R., Choudhury, A.R. and Laferrère, B. (2014). Impact of medium and long chain triglycerides consumption on appetite and food intake in overweight men. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, [online] 68(10), pp.1134–1140. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4192077/
- Han, J.R., Deng, B., Sun, J., Chen, C.G., Corkey, B.E., Kirkland, J.L., Ma, J. and Guo, W. (2007). Effects of dietary medium-chain triglyceride on weight loss and insulin sensitivity in a group of moderately overweight free-living type 2 diabetic Chinese subjects. Metabolism, [online] 56(7), pp.985–991. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17570262/
- Rudkowska, I., Roynette, C.E., Nakhasi, D.K. and Jones, P.J.H. (2006). Phytosterols mixed with medium-chain triglycerides and high-oleic canola oil decrease plasma lipids in overweight men. Metabolism, [online] 55(3), pp.391–395. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16483884/
- Cardoso DA;Moreira AS;de Oliveira GM;Raggio Luiz R;Rosa G (2015). A COCONUT EXTRA VIRGIN OIL-RICH DIET INCREASES HDL CHOLESTEROL AND DECREASES WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE AND BODY MASS IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE PATIENTS. Nutricion hospitalaria, [online] 32(5). Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26545671/
Written by:
Jennifer Anyabuine, Former Health Writer
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
