Frosty
05-31-2009, 10:58 PM
This is an interesting topic for me since many low carb advocates are against coconut oil for fat loss, yet there seems to be evidence that it may be supportive of fat loss. Mauro DiPasquale is against it because it bypasses normal "processing" of fats and not beneficial for the Anabolic Diet style of diet. However a discussion on this topic may be quite interesting. I haven't found any hardcore evidence of coconut oil or MCTs affecting thyroid function, so if anyone knows of evidence for this input would be greatly appreciated.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9806312
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of overfeeding on a high fat diet, enriched in coconut oil, and the influence of food restriction on the uncoupling protein (UCP1) expression and on body fat content.
DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: In experiment I, female Wistar rats were fed ad libitum either a normal-fat diet (control group, C) or a high-fat diet (HF), enriched in coconut oil, for 7 weeks. In experiment II, HF rats after finishing experiment I were fed (for 3 weeks) either the normal-fat diet (group CAHF, Control After High Fat) or food restricted diets which provided 60% of the energy intake of group CAHF: a group fed a low-energy, normal-fat diet (LENF) and another fed a low-energy, high-fat diet (LEHF).
MEASUREMENTS: Body and fatty depot weights. Food intake. Protein and UCP1 levels of interscapular brown adipose tissue.
RESULTS: High-fat diet feeding promoted an increase in body fat content, body weight and UCP1 levels. Energy restriction induced similar body weight reduction in groups LENF and LEHF. However, some adipose depots were more strongly reduced in the rats fed the high-fat diet enriched in coconut oil (group LEHF) than in the rats fed the normal-fat diet (Group LENF). Specific UCP1 was 2.0 (group LENF) and 3.4 (group LEHF) times higher than in controls (group CAHF).
CONCLUSION: The coconut-oil enriched diet is effective in stimulating UCP1 expression during ad libitum feeding and in preventing its down regulation during food restriction, and this goes hand in hand with a decrease of the white fat stores.
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Résumé / Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of medium chain triglycerides (MCT) vs long chain triglycerides (LCT) feeding on exogenous and endogenous oxidation of long chain saturated fatty acids (LCSFA) in women.
SUBJECTS: Twelve healthy female subjects (age 19-26y, body mass index (BMI) 17.5-28.6 kg/m2)
DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: In a randomized cross-over design, subjects were fed weight maintenance diets providing 15%, 45% and 40% of energy as protein, carbohydrate and fat, respectively, with 80% of this fat comprising either a combination of butter and coconut oil (MCT) or beef tallow (LCT). Following 6 days of feeding, subjects were given daily oral doses of 1-13C labelled-myristic, -palmitic and -stearic acids for 8 days. Expired 13CO2 was used as an index of LCSFA oxidation with CO2 production assessed by respiratory gas exchange.
RESULTS: No difference in exogenous LCSFA oxidation was observed as a function of diet on day 7. On day 14, greater combined cumulative fractional LCSFA oxidation (16.9 ±2.5%/5.5 h vs 9.1 ± 1.2%/5.5 h, P < 0.007), net LCSFA oxidation (2956±413 mg/5.5 h vs 1669±224 mg/5.5 h, P<0.01), and percentage dietary LCSFA contribution to total fat oxidation (16.3±2.3%/5.5 h vs 9.5±1.5%/5.5h; P< 0.01) were observed in women fed the MCT vs LCT diet. With the MCT diet, but not the LCT diet, combined cumulative fractional LCSFA oxidation (P< 0.03), net LCSFA oxidation (P< 0.03), and percentage dietary LCSFA contribution to total fat oxidation (P<0.02) were increased at day 14 as compared to day 7. Day 14 results indicated increased endogenous LCSFA oxidation during MCT feeding.
CONCLUSION: The capacity of MCT to increase endogenous oxidation of LCSFA suggests a role for MCT in body weight control over the long term.
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This one compares olive oil to MCT oil (which is the vast majority of the composition of coconut oil). This is surprising.
http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v11/n3/abs/oby200353a.html
Objective: The objectives of this study were to compare the effects of diets rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) or long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) on body composition, energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, subjective appetite, and ad libitum energy intake in overweight men.
Research Methods and Procedures: Twenty-four healthy, overweight men with body mass indexes between 25 and 31 kg/m2 consumed diets rich in MCT or LCT for 28 days each in a crossover randomized controlled trial. At baseline and after 4 weeks of each dietary intervention, energy expenditure was measured using indirect calorimetry, and body composition was analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging.
Results: Upper body adipose tissue (AT) decreased to a greater extent (p < 0.05) with functional oil (FctO) compared with olive oil (OL) consumption (-0.67 http://www.nature.com/__chars/plus/special/plusmn/black/med/base/glyph.gif 0.26 kg and -0.02 http://www.nature.com/__chars/plus/special/plusmn/black/med/base/glyph.gif 0.19 kg, respectively). There was a trend toward greater loss of whole-body subcutaneous AT volume (p = 0.087) with FctO compared with OL consumption. Average energy expenditure was 0.04 http://www.nature.com/__chars/plus/special/plusmn/black/med/base/glyph.gif 0.02 kcal/min greater (p < 0.05) on day 2 and 0.03 http://www.nature.com/__chars/plus/special/plusmn/black/med/base/glyph.gif 0.02 kcal/min (not significant) on day 28 with FctO compared with OL consumption. Similarly, average fat oxidation was greater (p = 0.052) with FctO compared with OL intake on day 2 but not day 28.
Discussion: Consumption of a diet rich in MCTs results in greater loss of AT compared with LCTs, perhaps due to increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation observed with MCT intake. Thus, MCTs may be considered as agents that aid in the prevention of obesity or potentially stimulate weight loss.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9806312
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of overfeeding on a high fat diet, enriched in coconut oil, and the influence of food restriction on the uncoupling protein (UCP1) expression and on body fat content.
DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: In experiment I, female Wistar rats were fed ad libitum either a normal-fat diet (control group, C) or a high-fat diet (HF), enriched in coconut oil, for 7 weeks. In experiment II, HF rats after finishing experiment I were fed (for 3 weeks) either the normal-fat diet (group CAHF, Control After High Fat) or food restricted diets which provided 60% of the energy intake of group CAHF: a group fed a low-energy, normal-fat diet (LENF) and another fed a low-energy, high-fat diet (LEHF).
MEASUREMENTS: Body and fatty depot weights. Food intake. Protein and UCP1 levels of interscapular brown adipose tissue.
RESULTS: High-fat diet feeding promoted an increase in body fat content, body weight and UCP1 levels. Energy restriction induced similar body weight reduction in groups LENF and LEHF. However, some adipose depots were more strongly reduced in the rats fed the high-fat diet enriched in coconut oil (group LEHF) than in the rats fed the normal-fat diet (Group LENF). Specific UCP1 was 2.0 (group LENF) and 3.4 (group LEHF) times higher than in controls (group CAHF).
CONCLUSION: The coconut-oil enriched diet is effective in stimulating UCP1 expression during ad libitum feeding and in preventing its down regulation during food restriction, and this goes hand in hand with a decrease of the white fat stores.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Résumé / Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of medium chain triglycerides (MCT) vs long chain triglycerides (LCT) feeding on exogenous and endogenous oxidation of long chain saturated fatty acids (LCSFA) in women.
SUBJECTS: Twelve healthy female subjects (age 19-26y, body mass index (BMI) 17.5-28.6 kg/m2)
DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS: In a randomized cross-over design, subjects were fed weight maintenance diets providing 15%, 45% and 40% of energy as protein, carbohydrate and fat, respectively, with 80% of this fat comprising either a combination of butter and coconut oil (MCT) or beef tallow (LCT). Following 6 days of feeding, subjects were given daily oral doses of 1-13C labelled-myristic, -palmitic and -stearic acids for 8 days. Expired 13CO2 was used as an index of LCSFA oxidation with CO2 production assessed by respiratory gas exchange.
RESULTS: No difference in exogenous LCSFA oxidation was observed as a function of diet on day 7. On day 14, greater combined cumulative fractional LCSFA oxidation (16.9 ±2.5%/5.5 h vs 9.1 ± 1.2%/5.5 h, P < 0.007), net LCSFA oxidation (2956±413 mg/5.5 h vs 1669±224 mg/5.5 h, P<0.01), and percentage dietary LCSFA contribution to total fat oxidation (16.3±2.3%/5.5 h vs 9.5±1.5%/5.5h; P< 0.01) were observed in women fed the MCT vs LCT diet. With the MCT diet, but not the LCT diet, combined cumulative fractional LCSFA oxidation (P< 0.03), net LCSFA oxidation (P< 0.03), and percentage dietary LCSFA contribution to total fat oxidation (P<0.02) were increased at day 14 as compared to day 7. Day 14 results indicated increased endogenous LCSFA oxidation during MCT feeding.
CONCLUSION: The capacity of MCT to increase endogenous oxidation of LCSFA suggests a role for MCT in body weight control over the long term.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This one compares olive oil to MCT oil (which is the vast majority of the composition of coconut oil). This is surprising.
http://www.nature.com/oby/journal/v11/n3/abs/oby200353a.html
Objective: The objectives of this study were to compare the effects of diets rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) or long-chain triglycerides (LCTs) on body composition, energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, subjective appetite, and ad libitum energy intake in overweight men.
Research Methods and Procedures: Twenty-four healthy, overweight men with body mass indexes between 25 and 31 kg/m2 consumed diets rich in MCT or LCT for 28 days each in a crossover randomized controlled trial. At baseline and after 4 weeks of each dietary intervention, energy expenditure was measured using indirect calorimetry, and body composition was analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging.
Results: Upper body adipose tissue (AT) decreased to a greater extent (p < 0.05) with functional oil (FctO) compared with olive oil (OL) consumption (-0.67 http://www.nature.com/__chars/plus/special/plusmn/black/med/base/glyph.gif 0.26 kg and -0.02 http://www.nature.com/__chars/plus/special/plusmn/black/med/base/glyph.gif 0.19 kg, respectively). There was a trend toward greater loss of whole-body subcutaneous AT volume (p = 0.087) with FctO compared with OL consumption. Average energy expenditure was 0.04 http://www.nature.com/__chars/plus/special/plusmn/black/med/base/glyph.gif 0.02 kcal/min greater (p < 0.05) on day 2 and 0.03 http://www.nature.com/__chars/plus/special/plusmn/black/med/base/glyph.gif 0.02 kcal/min (not significant) on day 28 with FctO compared with OL consumption. Similarly, average fat oxidation was greater (p = 0.052) with FctO compared with OL intake on day 2 but not day 28.
Discussion: Consumption of a diet rich in MCTs results in greater loss of AT compared with LCTs, perhaps due to increased energy expenditure and fat oxidation observed with MCT intake. Thus, MCTs may be considered as agents that aid in the prevention of obesity or potentially stimulate weight loss.