Medium-chain triglyceride

MCTs are found in palm kernel oil and coconut oil and can be separated by fractionation.{{Cite book | vauthors = Gervajio GC |chapter=Fatty Acids and Derivatives from Coconut Oil |doi=10.1002/047167849X.bio039 |title=Bailey's Industrial Oil and Fat Products |year=2005 |isbn=978-0471678496 |s2cid=98315975}}{{cite book | vauthors = Raymond ER, Kent JA | chapter = Soap, Fatty Acids, and Synthetic Detergents |title=Riegel's Handbook of Industrial Chemistry | edition = 10th |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j3AwCqvqIzEC&pg=PA1100 |access-date=20 October 2012 |year=2003 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-0-387-23816-6 |pages=1100–1117 | doi = 10.1007/0-387-23816-6_27 }}

They can also be produced by interesterification.{{cite journal | vauthors = Mensink RP, Sanders TA, Baer DJ, Hayes KC, Howles PN, Marangoni A | title = The Increasing Use of Interesterified Lipids in the Food Supply and Their Effects on Health Parameters | journal = Advances in Nutrition | volume = 7 | issue = 4 | pages = 719–729 | date = July 2016 | pmid = 27422506 | pmc = 4942855 | doi = 10.3945/an.115.009662 | doi-access = free }} Retail MCT powder is MCT oil embedded in starch and thus contains carbohydrates in addition to fats. It is manufactured by spray drying.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022|reason=Oil does not evaporate. How can it be spray dried?}}

==List of MCFAs==

With regard to MCFAs, apart from the above listed straight chain (unbranched chain) fatty acids, side chain (branched chain) fatty acids also exist.{{cite journal | vauthors = Chang P, Terbach N, Plant N, Chen PE, Walker MC, Williams RS | title = Seizure control by ketogenic diet-associated medium chain fatty acids | journal = Neuropharmacology | volume = 69 | pages = 105–114 | date = June 2013 | pmid = 23177536 | pmc = 3625124 | doi = 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.11.004 }}

A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis by Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition supported evidence that MCT decreases subsequent energy intake compared to Long-Chain Triglycerides (LCTs). Despite this, it does not appear to affect appetite, and thus the authors stated that further research is required to elucidate the mechanism by which this occurs.{{cite journal | vauthors = Maher T, Clegg ME | title = A systematic review and meta-analysis of medium-chain triglycerides effects on acute satiety and food intake | journal = Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition | volume = 61 | issue = 4 | pages = 636–648 | date = 2021 | pmid = 32212947 | doi = 10.1080/10408398.2020.1742654 | url = http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/89667/5/CRIFSAN.%20MCT%20and%20satiety%20-%20A%20systematic%20review%2010.3.20.pdf | access-date = 2021-06-24 | url-status = live | s2cid = 214683227 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210715214001/http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/89667/5/CRIFSAN.%20MCT%20and%20satiety%20-%20A%20systematic%20review%2010.3.20.pdf | archive-date = 2021-07-15 }}

Molecular weight analysis{{cite journal | vauthors = Breckenridge WC, Kuksis A | title = Molecular weight distributions of milk fat triglycerides from seven species | journal = Journal of Lipid Research | volume = 8 | issue = 5 | pages = 473–478 | date = September 1967 | pmid = 6049672 | doi = 10.1016/S0022-2275(20)38904-5 | doi-access = free }} of milk from different species showed that while milk fats from all studied species were primarily composed of long-chain fatty acids (16 and 18 carbons long), approximately 10–20% of the fatty acids in milk from horses, cows, sheep, and goats were medium-chain fatty acids.

Some studies have shown that MCTs can help in the process of excess calorie burning, thus weight loss.{{cite journal | vauthors = St-Onge MP, Jones PJ | title = Greater rise in fat oxidation with medium-chain triglyceride consumption relative to long-chain triglyceride is associated with lower initial body weight and greater loss of subcutaneous adipose tissue | journal = International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders | volume = 27 | issue = 12 | pages = 1565–1571 | date = December 2003 | pmid = 12975635 | doi = 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802467 | s2cid = 21935201 | doi-access = free }}{{cite journal| title=Medium-chain triglycerides | vauthors = Marten B, Pfeuffer M, Schrezenmeir J |journal= International Dairy Journal |volume=16| issue=11| year=2006| pages=1374–1382 |doi=10.1016/j.idairyj.2006.06.015 |pmc=2020023}}{{cite journal | vauthors = St-Onge MP, Jones PJ | title = Physiological effects of medium-chain triglycerides: potential agents in the prevention of obesity | journal = The Journal of Nutrition | volume = 132 | issue = 3 | pages = 329–332 | date = March 2002 | pmid = 11880549 | doi = 10.1093/jn/132.3.329 | doi-access = free }} MCTs are also seen as promoting fat oxidation and reduced food intake.{{cite journal | vauthors = Clegg ME | title = Medium-chain triglycerides are advantageous in promoting weight loss although not beneficial to exercise performance | journal = International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition | volume = 61 | issue = 7 | pages = 653–679 | date = November 2010 | pmid = 20367215 | doi = 10.3109/09637481003702114 | s2cid = 6128370 }} MCTs have been recommended by some endurance athletes and the bodybuilding community.{{cite book |author1=Talbott, Shawn M. |author2=Hughes, Kerry |year=2006 |title=The Health Professional's Guide to Dietary Supplements |publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=hV2_TdmoDo8C&pg=PA60 60–63] |isbn=978-0781746724}} While health benefits from MCTs seem to occur, a link to improved exercise performance is inconclusive. A number of studies back the use of MCT oil as a weight loss supplement, but these claims are not without conflict, as about an equal number found inconclusive results.{{cite journal | vauthors = Rego Costa AC, Rosado EL, Soares-Mota M | title = Influence of the dietary intake of medium chain triglycerides on body composition, energy expenditure and satiety: a systematic review | journal = Nutricion Hospitalaria | volume = 27 | issue = 1 | pages = 103–108 | year = 2012 | pmid = 22566308 | doi = 10.3305/nh.2012.27.1.5369 }}

MCTs can be used in solutions, liquid suspensions and lipid-based drug delivery systems for emulsions, self-emulsifying drug delivery systems,{{cite journal | vauthors = Banov D, Liu Y, Ip K, Shan A, Vu C, Zdoryk O, Bassani AS, Carvalho M | title = Analysis of the Physical Characteristics of an Anhydrous Vehicle for Compounded Pediatric Oral Liquids | journal = Pharmaceutics | volume = 15 | issue = 11 | pages = 2642 | date = November 2023 | pmid = 38004620 | pmc = 10674891 | doi = 10.3390/pharmaceutics15112642 | doi-access = free }} creams, ointments, gels and foams as well as suppositories. MCTs are also suitable for use as solvent and liquid oily lubricant in soft gels. Brand names of pharma-grade MCT include Kollisolv MCT 70.{{Cite web |title=Kollisolv MCT 70 |url=https://pharma.basf.com/products/kollisolv-mct-70 |access-date=2021-04-27 |website=pharmaceutical.basf.com |language=en}}

MCTs passively diffuse from the GI tract to the hepatic portal system (longer fatty acids are absorbed into the lymphatic system) without requirement for modification like long-chain fatty acids or very-long-chain fatty acids. In addition, MCTs do not require bile salts for absorption. Patients who have malnutrition, malabsorption or particular fatty-acid metabolism disorders are treated with MCTs because MCTs do not require energy for absorption, use, or storage.

Medium-chain triglycerides are generally considered a good biologically inert source of energy that the human body finds reasonably easy to metabolize. They have potentially beneficial attributes in protein metabolism, but may be contraindicated in some situations due to a reported tendency to induce ketogenesis and metabolic acidosis.{{cite journal | vauthors = Wanten GJ, Naber AH | title = Cellular and physiological effects of medium-chain triglycerides | journal = Mini Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry | volume = 4 | issue = 8 | pages = 847–857 | date = October 2004 | pmid = 15544546 | doi = 10.2174/1389557043403503 }} However, there is other evidence demonstrating no risk of ketoacidosis or ketonemia with MCTs at levels associated with normal consumption, and that the moderately elevated blood ketones can be an effective treatment for epilepsy.

Due to their ability to be absorbed rapidly by the body, medium-chain triglycerides have found use in the treatment of a variety of malabsorption ailments. MCT supplementation with a low-fat diet has been described as the cornerstone of treatment for Waldmann disease.{{cite journal | vauthors = Vignes S, Bellanger J | title = Primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (Waldmann's disease) | journal = Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases | volume = 3 | pages = 5 | date = February 2008 | pmid = 18294365 | pmc = 2288596 | doi = 10.1186/1750-1172-3-5 | doi-access = free | type = Free full text }} MCTs are an ingredient in some specialised parenteral nutritional emulsions in some countries.{{cite journal | vauthors = Waitzberg DL, Torrinhas RS, Jacintho TM | title = New parenteral lipid emulsions for clinical use | journal = Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition | volume = 30 | issue = 4 | pages = 351–367 | date = July–August 2006 | pmid = 16804134 | doi = 10.1177/0148607106030004351 | s2cid = 24109426 }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Krohn K, Koletzko B | title = Parenteral lipid emulsions in paediatrics | journal = Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care | volume = 9 | issue = 3 | pages = 319–323 | date = May 2006 | pmid = 16607135 | doi = 10.1097/01.mco.0000222118.76536.ad | s2cid = 27961868 }} Studies have also shown promising results for epilepsy through the use of ketogenic dieting.{{cite journal | vauthors = Neal EG, Cross JH | title = Efficacy of dietary treatments for epilepsy | journal = Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics | volume = 23 | issue = 2 | pages = 113–119 | date = April 2010 | pmid = 20487176 | doi = 10.1111/j.1365-277X.2010.01043.x }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Liu YM | title = Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) ketogenic therapy | journal = Epilepsia | volume = 49 Suppl 8 | pages = 33–36 | date = November 2008 | pmid = 19049583 | doi = 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2008.01830.x | doi-access = free }}

Orally ingested medium chain triglycerides would be very rapidly degraded by first-pass metabolism by being taken up in the liver via the portal vein, and are quickly metabolized via coenzyme A intermediates through β-oxidation and the citric acid cycle to produce carbon dioxide, acetate and ketone bodies. Whether the ketones β-hydroxybutyrate and acetone have direct antiseizure activity is unclear.{{cite journal | vauthors = Chang P, Augustin K, Boddum K, Williams S, Sun M, Terschak JA, Hardege JD, Chen PE, Walker MC, Williams RS | title = Seizure control by decanoic acid through direct AMPA receptor inhibition | journal = Brain | volume = 139 | issue = Pt 2 | pages = 431–443 | date = February 2016 | pmid = 26608744 | pmc = 4805082 | doi = 10.1093/brain/awv325 }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Viggiano A, Pilla R, Arnold P, Monda M, D'Agostino D, Coppola G | title = Anticonvulsant properties of an oral ketone ester in a pentylenetetrazole-model of seizure | journal = Brain Research | volume = 1618 | pages = 50–54 | date = August 2015 | pmid = 26026798 | doi = 10.1016/j.brainres.2015.05.023 }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Rho JM, Anderson GD, Donevan SD, White HS | title = Acetoacetate, acetone, and dibenzylamine (a contaminant in l-(+)-beta-hydroxybutyrate) exhibit direct anticonvulsant actions in vivo | journal = Epilepsia | volume = 43 | issue = 4 | pages = 358–361 | date = April 2002 | pmid = 11952765 | doi = 10.1046/j.1528-1157.2002.47901.x | s2cid = 31196417 }}{{cite journal | vauthors = Ma W, Berg J, Yellen G | title = Ketogenic diet metabolites reduce firing in central neurons by opening K(ATP) channels | journal = The Journal of Neuroscience | volume = 27 | issue = 14 | pages = 3618–3625 | date = April 2007 | pmid = 17409226 | pmc = 6672398 | doi = 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0132-07.2007 }}

MCTs are bland compared to other fats and do not generate off-notes (dissonant tastes) as quickly as LCTs. They are also more polar than LCTs. Because of these attributes, they are widely used as carrier oils or solvents for flavours and oral medicines and vitamins.{{cite book | vauthors = Akoh CC |title=Handbook of Functional Lipids |publisher=Taylor & Francis |location=Washington, DC |year=2006 |isbn=978-0849321627 }}

{{Portal|Food|Chemistry}}

• List of carboxylic acids
• Ketogenic diet
• List of saturated fatty acids

{{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Medium-Chain Triglycerides}}

Category:Triglycerides

Category:Medical food