It seems that recently they published a text criticizing the use of coconut oil, supposedly based on a single scientific study, “concluding” that its use is just a “fad” and not something healthy.
I reiterate that this “conclusion” seems to me to be hasty, undue and even a little biased, something that I explain briefly here.
Learn about the benefits of using coconut oil correctly, both ingested and used externally (on the skin and in general cosmetic use).
Here are some useful and educational links:
🔗 https://icaro.med.br/oleo-de-coco-beneficios/
🔗 https://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/amazing-coconut-oil-health-benefits.html
🔗 https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/18/coconut-oil-uses.aspx
Having said that, let's take a look at the text that was sent to me “for analysis and comment”:
I emphasize that I'm not sure whose words these are, but I'd like to highlight them:
“A recent study published in November 2016 offered four different types of diet:
1️⃣ Low in lipids (20% of total calories in fat and olive oil).
2️⃣ Hyperlipidic with omega 3 (35% of total calories, with 0.5% of calories coming from omega 3).
3️⃣ Hyperlipidic with omega 6 (35% of total calories, 7% of which come from omega 6).
4️⃣ Hyperlipidic with saturated oil (35% of total calories, 15% of which come from saturated fat).
The results showed that the fourth meal test:
- It increased endotoxin levels up to 180 minutes after the meal test compared to the meal containing omega 3.
- It increased the levels of non-esterified fatty acids compared to the other meals.
The third meal test:
- It increased triacylglycerol concentrations compared to the meal containing omega 3.
The main conclusion and discussion of the study (according to the author of this text):
It seems that a diet containing saturated fat (16 g of coconut oil) in a single meal can increase endotoxin and non-esterified fatty acids when compared to a meal containing omega 3. Furthermore, for healthy individuals, it seems that the consumption of omega 3 is the most beneficial.
My comments (author of the text):
It seems that consuming coconut oil (even though it is a vegetable oil, 92% of its composition is saturated fat) is not a healthy option for your intestinal microbiota. Why? Consuming oil rich in saturated fat increases concentrations of endotoxin (also known as lipopolysaccharides or LPS). This LPS induces intestinal dysbiosis; in other words, it can leave your intestinal flora with a higher proliferation of pathogenic bacteria and a lower proliferation of beneficial bacteria.
What's more, can modify intestinal permeability and increase weight gain, increase the inflammatory profile (because it activates the toll-like receptors) and favor the development of diabetes.”
- There's no point in using coconut oil (or any other oil) without adopting good lifestyle habits at the same time: the results will be non-existent, scarce or poor, more because of poor lifestyle habits than because of the substance itself.
- The “study” advocates the harm of overloading on coconut oil in a single meal. Who usually eats that amount in one meal? Or who recommends it? It sounds like a “study” designed to “detonate” something specific, doesn't it?
- How and where were the “endotoxins” dosed? Because, depending on the answer, they wouldn't necessarily be inside the cells, and we know that one of the roles of coconut oil is to help with detoxification - in other words, “pulling” toxins from the tissues to facilitate excretion is a good thing, isn't it? Always together with good lifestyle habits, of course, so that they are effectively eliminated!
- The most common Western diet is very low in omega-3s, and every human being needs specific omega-3s, such as EPA and DHA. When you eat ALA (the most common, from plants), less than 20% of it is actually converted (at most) into these. In other words, it's not enough to fill up on omega 3 without worrying about what it is and balancing it with the dosages of omega 6 from the same source. Understand the issue better here: https://icaro.med.br/omega3/
- Any excess fat consumed disturbs the intestinal bacterial flora, as this tends to increase the proliferation of “bad” bacteria, not just the fat in coconut oil, which is one of the types of saturated fat (which is not a villain in itself). Understand: https://icaro.med.br/?s=gordura.
For this reason, any diet with a higher amount of fats must necessarily also have a higher amount of fiber, pre and probiotics, so that intestinal function is not significantly impaired. In other words, what can modifying intestinal permeability and inflaming (and thus increasing weight gain and even the development of symptoms and diseases) is anything that disturbs the balance of bacteria and intestinal functioning - and not “primarily” the use of coconut oil (because it is saturated fat), as the text seems to imply.
- In my practice, I have hundreds of patients using coconut oil several times a day, away from or alongside meals, and the results are excellent, with very few drawbacks or associated undesirable effects. I have never observed an increase in inflammatory parameters (and I monitor these closely), and proper use helps rather than hinders when it comes to rebalancing and optimizing gastrointestinal function.
It's worth noting that some of the recognized benefits of coconut oil include helping with:
- Detoxification
- Heart health
- Weight loss
- Immunity
- Optimization of metabolism
- Energy levels
- Skin health
- How the thyroid and its hormones work
- Coadjuvant in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's treatment
- It's worth remembering that rarely does a supplement or nutrient work “alone” (not least because, in nature, they are not usually found in isolation, which proves the need for synergy in order to function properly in living organisms). For this reason, many studies present limited or even mistaken conclusions when they insist on studying them in isolation.
In addition, it is always essential, when the evaluation is carried out on humans, to adapt the lifestyle habits of those being tested: after all, those who have bad lifestyle habits (these..: https://icaro.med.br/15habitos/) can even “nullify” or compromise the effect of substances you use.
Is that clear?
Get quality information and critical judgment, do your part and be well looked after. Your health depends on it!
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