Caprylic Acid (C8 MCT): Powerful Gut Health and Keto Benefits 

Caprylic Acid (C8 MCT): Powerful Gut Health and Keto Benefits 

Are you looking for simple yet powerful antimicrobial and ketogenic benefits? You need to add Caprylic Acid to your diet. Caprylic Acid or C8 MCT is a type of beneficial saturated fatty acid, a form of medium chain triglycerides, or MCTs with countless health benefits.

It is one of the main fatty acids found in coconut and coconut oil, however, it may also be found in palm kernel oil, human breast milk, cow’s milk, goat milk, and the milk of other mammals. It is commonly used by those who are following a ketogenic, or keto diet, eating a high-fat diet, practicing intermittent fasting, wanting to increase their energy levels, aiming to fight microbes, or hoping to lower inflammation in their body.

Caprylic Acid has been used for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. It is often recommended by holistic and functional health practitioners, such as myself.  It has countless health benefits, including lowering inflammation, increasing fat burn, providing quick energy, fighting bacteria, yeast, and viruses, improving mental clarity, helping blood sugar stability, helping digestion issues, decreasing cravings, and enhancing the benefits of ketosis.

In this article, you will learn what MCTs are and what are the different forms of MCTs before we dive into more details about Caprylic Acid, a specific form of MCT. You will learn about all the powerful antimicrobial and ketogenic benefits of Caprylic Acid. You will also learn how to use it and the best Caprylic Acid product on the market I recommend.

What Are MCT’s 

To understand how you may benefit from Caprylic Acids, first, you have to understand what medium chain triglycerides or MCTs are. MCTs or MCT oils are unique fatty acids that are found naturally in coconut, palm kernel oils, and dairy.

These oils have an exceptional ability to stabilize your blood sugar levels and enhance ketone production in your body. As a result, MCTs may help to lower inflammation, boost metabolism, and enhance cognitive function (1).

MCTs have the ability to cross the double mitochondrial membrane very rapidly and unlike other fatty acids, they don’t require L-carnitine to enter the mitochondria. As a result, they are able to provide your body with immediate energy (2). 

MCT’s Produce Instant Ketones

This process results in excess acetyl-CoA production which breaks down into ketones. The rapid formation of ketones results in immediate energy, enhanced brain function, and higher athletic performance.

Ketones feed the cells of your body, and they are also the preferred energy source of your brain. They fuel your cells with energy without raising your blood sugar levels or increasing insulin levels that relying on carbohydrate energy would (3, 4, 5).

One of the things I love about MCTs the most is that they are easily digested and do not require the production and utilization of bile like most oils. As a result, MCTs are perfect for those with a sluggish liver, gallbladder issues, not enough bile, malnutrition issues, or malabsorption syndromes, such as people with Crohn’s disease, pancreatitis, and cystic fibrosis. MCTs are also slightly lower in calories than the typical long-chain fatty acids (LCFA), making them a good option if you are looking to lose weight (6, 7).

Types of MCTs

You may wonder why are MCT’s called medium chain triglycerides. When it comes to oils, there a short, medium, or long chains, most oil have a combination of all three. The term “medium” in MCTs simply refers to the length of the chain of fatty acids in MCTs.

Medium chain fatty acids contain between 6 to 12 carbon chains. Different forms of MCTs include (8):

C6 – Caproic Acid

Caproic Acid is the smallest chain of MCTs with only 6 carbon chains. Since there is only a very small amount of them in our normal food supply, it may lead to digestive issues.

C8 – Caprylic Acid

Caprylic Acid is an 8 carbon MCT. Though it’s only found in only 6 percent concentration in coconut oil, it is considered a powerful cellular fuel that is highly antimicrobial and antifungal. It turns into cellular energy (ATP) very quickly, in 3 steps only, compared to 26 steps for sugar. Among other benefits that you will learn about in this article, Caprylic Acid may also strengthen your mitochondria (9).

C10 – Capric Acid

Capric Acid is a 10 carbon chain fatty acid with powerful antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory benefits. They are particularly beneficial for your bones and may help to prevent bone loss and osteoporosis (10, 11, 12, 13).

C12 – Lauric Acid

Lauric Acid is a 12 carbon chain fatty acid that is responsible for around 50 percent of the fatty acids in coconut oil. Though it is still considered an MCT, it acts more like long-chain fatty acid and needs liver bile to be effectively metabolized (6).

To learn more about MCTs and their benefits, I recommend that you read this article. In the current article, I will focus on the specific benefits of Caprylic Acid. Once you learn about its benefits, you will understand why Caprylic Acid is often referred to as the gold nugget of MCTs.

Caprylic Acid Benefits

Caprylic Acid has countless health benefits, including improving energy, providing blood sugar stability, and helping fat burn. Let’s take a look at these benefits in more detail.

Turns Into Instant Ketones

While most people depend on glucose for primary energy, using fats for energy on a keto diet is much more efficient and healthier. Relying on fats as fuel may help to stabilize your blood sugar levels, boost your mental clarity, and help you lose weight faster.

Using MCTs, such as Caprylic Acid on a ketogenic, or keto diet, may help you to get into and stay in ketosis much easier. Ketones are unique energy producing molecules that are made from fatty acids, including stored fat or from MCTs. MCTs, such Caprylic Acid may convert into ketones quickly providing instant energy and feeding all cells of your body without blood sugar or insulin level changes (2). 

To learn more about the importance and benefits of ketones and ketosis, read this article.

Improves Energy and Mental Clarity

Your body absorbs MCTs, such as Caprylic Acid much more rapidly than long-chain fatty acids. They go straight from your gut to your liver without requiring bile to break them down. Since Caprylic Acid enters your cells so easily without needing to being broken down, they become an immediate energy source. 

Caprylic Acid may also be converted into ketones in your liver, especially if you are following a keto diet. Ketones are the ideal energy sources for your body that pass through the blood-brain barrier becoming an easily accessible energy source for your brain cells. As a result, Caprylic Acid may improve your energy levels, cognitive function, and mental clarity (14).

Caprylic Acid and Blood Sugar Stability

By raising ketone levels and lowering blood sugars naturally, Caprylic Acid may help to stabilize your blood sugar levels. This is very important for reducing inflammation in the body and boosting brain function.

Caprylic Acid may also decrease the liver’s glucose output, increase its ability to utilize glucose, improve carbohydrate tolerance, and inhibit fatty acid production in the adipose (fat) tissue (15, 16, 17).

Reduces Hunger and Cravings

Adding Caprylic Acid to your routine may be a good idea if you are looking to lose weight or improve your diet. It may help you with strong cravings and overeating by suppressing appetite. 

Caprylic is also much lower in calories than other oil and fat sources, hence may be an appropriate substitute for those who want to lose weight. Research has shown that overweight and obese individuals have been able to lose more weight more effectively, have more energy, and consume fewer calories once put on a higher MCT diet rich in Caprylic Acid (18, 19, 20).

Promotes Fat Burning

If you are looking to have a healthy body that’s functioning optimally, fat burning is more important than simple weight loss. You want to burn and lose fat, instead of losing muscle. 

The good news is that research shows that MCT oil, such as Caprylic Acid may be able to alter your body weight and waist circumference at the same time. Caprylic Acid becomes an instant source of energy making it unnecessary to store fat for future energy needs. If you are following a keto diet, Caprylic Acids may be converted into ketones for energy keeping you at a fat-burning state called ketosis (21, 22, 23).

Caprylic Acid Kills Bacteria and Yeast

Caprylic Acid is a natural immune booster that may help to reduce yeast and bacteria growth in your gut without the toxic risks of antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals. Coconut oil, which is high in Caprylic Acid, for example, may be used topically and internally to fight infections and other invaders.

Caprylic Acid may be beneficial for fighting Candida overgrowth, and other viral and fungal infections. As a result, Caprylic Acid may help fight headaches, bloating, digestive problems, vaginal yeast infections, fatigue, depression, skin infections, acne, and other issues that may be connected to a gut flora imbalance (24, 25).

How To Use Caprylic Acid

It is very important that you start taking Caprylic Acid gradually. While most people tolerate MCT oil and Caprylic Acid well, starting too quickly with a larger dose may result in gastrointestinal issues, such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting some. 

You may easily reduce or eliminate the risk of these unwanted symptoms by starting with a small dose at a time. I recommend that you begin with ½ tablespoon and see how well you tolerate it. Slowly, you can work up to consuming 1 to 2 tablespoons daily. If you run into a gastrointestinal issue, don’t panic, just back up your dose.

Ways to Use Caprylic Acid

Caprylic Acid is a versatile MCT that you can use in a variety of ways. You can, of course, just consume it straight of the teaspoon, however, adding it to your recipes may be more pleasurable and convenient.

Unlike coconut oil, caprylic acid is liquid at room temperature so it is easy to mix into various recipes.  Let’s look at some popular ways I love to use Caprylic Acids.

In Coffee or Tea

Caprylic Acid is fantastic for thickening up your coffee or tea. You get a nice texture with added health benefits in one cup.

Smoothies and Shake

Add 2 tablespoons of Caprylic Acid to any of your smoothies or shakes to curb hunger and keep you satisfied longer.

Salad Dressing 

Combine Caprylic Acid with some vinegar and herbs for a simple and delicious salad dressing.

Cooking Oil 

Similarly to coconut oil, Caprylic Acid is highly stable under heat, but without the coconut flavor.

Best Caprylic Acid Product on the Market 

There are so many products on the market that you may be confused about which one is the best. To experience the best Caprylic Acid benefits, I recommend Keto Brain. I personally use Keto Brain and recommend it to my patients and friends.

Keto Brain is a pure 8 carbon chain Caprylic Acid free of lauric and capric acid. It turns into ketones in your body very quickly, which means instant fuel for your brain. It also helps our body to make the switch from burning sugar to ketones as a primary fuel source simply and effectively.

Keto Brain is a powerful supplement that is extracted with coconut oil through a careful and time-consuming process without the use of metal catalysts, heavy metals, or other toxins. In other words, you can be sure that Keto Brain is one hundred percent pure!

If you are tired of constantly craving sugar or caffeine, and looking for natural energy and immune boost, Keto Brain is for you. It works directly in your cells to give you the extra boost you need to maximize your performance and improve your energy levels throughout the day. Be sure to try Keto Brain to see significant improvements in your health and quality of life quickly.

Final Thoughts on Caprylic Acid

Caprylic Acid is a medium chain triglyceride or MC’s with countless health benefits. It is one of the main fatty acids found in coconut and coconut oil. Caprylic Acid has been used for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties by many.

It may improve ketosis, increase energy, curb hunger, aid fat burning support blood sugar stability, and fight bacteria and yeast. Using a quality Caprylic Acid product, you may see amazing results yourself soon. Improve your health and energy levels with Caprylic Acid following my tips in this article.

If you want to work with a functional health coach, I recommend this article with tips on how to find a great coach.  We do offer long-distance functional health coaching programs with our world class team of health coaches. For further support with your health goals, just reach out and our fantastic coaches are here to support your journey.

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