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Lunch and Learn Lecture Series
The Benefits of Coconut Oil
Presented by Shannon Hendrix-Buxton, MA
What is Coconut Oil?
• Coconut flesh (obtained from the inside of the coconut) is the “fruit” of the palm tree
• The oil of the nut (fruit) is used to make a variety of different products
“Virgin” vs. “Cold-Pressed” • There is no industry standard
for “virgin” coconut oil – Generally, this means the oil is
unprocessed (i.e., bleached, deodorized, or refined)
• Cold-pressed coconut oil is obtained by extracting the oil from the nut in a manner that does not exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit
General Uses for Coconut Oil • Enter “uses for coconut oil” in to any internet search
engine and you’ll probably find at least 50 websites describing different ways to use this magical oil
• Are they are all scientifically proven? – No
• Do they all have their merits? – Possibly…but do your research!
• Keep in mind that MOST uses of coconut oil are in-home remedies and may need some personalized tweaking
Use #1: Conditioning Agent for Skin/Hair
• Dry skin – Mix a bit of coconut oil with your regular moisturizer, or simply
rub a bit a raw coconut oil on your skin • Leave-in hair conditioner
– Rub a small amount (about the size of a pea of bean) through the ends of your hair while its damp
• Make-up remover/facial cleanser – Rub coconut oil gently over skin for about a minute, or until all
make-up is removed. – Run a washcloth under hot water (but not so hot that it will burn
your skin), wring out the washcloth, then place the washcloth over your entire face until the cloth becomes cool
– Gently wipe away the coconut oil. No need to moisturize!
Use #2: Other Body Care
• Heal chapped lips • Heal open acne wounds/reduce scarring
– At night, place a bit of coconut oil on the healing skin and cover with a bandage. Repeat until healed.
• Eye cream/prevent wrinkles/premature aging – Replace your expensive eye cream with coconut oil (at least at
night) • Make a body scrub
– Mix together one cup of brown sugar and ½ cup of coconut oil. Scrub over skin while standing in shower, and rinse (no weird residue!)
• Use as a shaving cream or aftershave lotion • Use as toothpaste
– Mix a teaspoon of coconut oil with baking soda and scrub away
Use #3: Insect repellent
• Mix 2 tablespoons of coconut oil with 10-25 drops of lemon eucalyptus, regular eucalyptus, or citronella oil
• Is it as good as Deet products? Probably not, so use your best judgment!
Use #4: Cooking/Baking/Frying
• Use coconut oil as a substitute for shortening, butter, other oils
• Add it to sweet beverages (like hot chocolate or smoothies)
• Coconut oil has a higher smoke point, making it a good choice for frying foods (if you must)
Use #5 Improve Healing From Injury/Trauma
• Speed recovery time – Applying a thin layer of coconut oil helps speed the
recovery process and reduce scaring (attributed to the anti-inflammatory properties of coconut oil)
• Cuts • Scrapes • Burns (1st degree) • Sunburns • Bee/wasp stings
Use #6 Industrial/Home Uses
• Use as a leather softener • Condition wood cutting boards
– Simply rub a bit on dry wood and let it sit until dry
• Remove chewing gum from hair, carpet, clothing, or shoes
• Remove grease/oil from hands – Rub a tablespoon of coconut oil over your hands for 1-2 minutes,
then washing your hands regularly with soap and water
• Use as a lubricant for hinges
Why is coconut oil so unique?
• What gives coconut oil these unique properties? • Let’s start with a basic review of “FATS” • Fats are found in vegetable oils , meats, and
dairy products • The types of fat you typically hear about are:
– Unsaturated – Saturated – Transfats
A Brief Comparison of Saturated and Unsaturated Fats
Saturated Fats Unsaturated Fats
Type of chemical bond Single bond At least 1 double bond
Recommended consumption Not more than 10% of total daily calories
Not more than 30% of total daily calories
Health effects
Excessive consumption linked with atherosclerosis and heart disease
Considered good to eat if you are watching your cholesterol; high in antioxidants
Cholesterol Increase LDL (bad) Increase HDL (good)
Commonly found in
Butter, coconut oil*, peanut butter, fried foods, frozen dinners, whole milk, meat
Avocado, soybean oil, canola, olive oil, fish oil, walnuts, flaxseed
Melting point High Low
Physical state at room temp Solid Liquid
*Just wait for more information!
What are fatty acids? • All fatty acids are made of
a glycerol molecule and 3 fatty acid chains
• Saturated fats, unsaturated fats, and transfats differ in structure due to differences in their chemical bonding
• More compact & rigid • Solid at room temp • Produced by animals
(mostly)
• “Kinked” because of the double bonds (take up more space)
• Less compact • Liquid at room temp • Produced by plants
and fish • Can be in “cis” or “trans” configuration
Unsaturated bonds can be in Cis- or Trans- configurations
Saturated
Cis-‐unsaturated (the same side)
Trans-‐unsaturated (across)
All natural unsaturated fatty acids are in cis-configuration.
Cis-unsaturated (the same side)
Trans-unsaturated (across)
• Our bodies produce enzymes (aka., proteins) that naturally break down the double carbon bond in fatty acids that are in the cis configuration; this means that cis-unsaturated fatty acids can be metabolized
• Trans-unsaturated fatty acids are not found in nature, therefore, our bodies have no enzymes that can break these double bonds; this means they are NOT metabolized
Generally speaking… • Saturated fatty acids increase
levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and clog arteries – This occurs because of their “stacked” structure
• Unsaturated fatty acids increase levels of HDL (good) cholesterol by removing LDL from the body and taking it to the liver to be broken down – Mono = one double bond – Poly = multiple double bonds
• But if coconut oil is a saturated fat…then how could it be healthy?
Why all the fuss? • Unlike most other saturated fats, coconut oil is made
of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs; 8-10 carbons in their fatty acid chains)
• Other oils, like olive oil, are made of long chain triglycerides (LCTs; 16-18 carbons in their fatty acid chains)
• Because of this difference in molecular structure, MCTs work differently in our body
Major Differences for MCTs
• Compared to LCTs, MCTs are smaller and more water soluble, which means they are – Metabolized more rapidly – Used as an energy source in muscles at a rate
2-3 times faster – Can diffuse into the cerebrospinal fluid* – Are thought to enter the mitochondria of our cells
(mitochondria = energy center of cell) through a different mechanism
*Important implication for Alzheimer’s disease
Empirical Evidence
• A 27-day study comparing the consumption of MCT oil vs. LCT in obese women found that women with a high MCT diet had greater levels of energy expenditure and fat oxidation compared to those with a high LCT diet – Researchers concluded that substitution of MCT
for LCT in a targeted energy balance diet may prevent long term weight gain
St. Onge (2003)
Empirical Evidence (cont’d)
• A 12-week, double-blind, controlled study comparing two groups who consumed: – 2100 – 2400 calories per day, 65-73g of fat, and 5g per
day of MCT or LCT margarine – The group using MCT margarine had significantly lower
body weight (including subcutaneous and visceral fat), but had no differences in other blood measures (e.g., total cholesterol, glucose)
– Researchers concluded that substitution of MCT for LCT in a targeted energy balance diet may prevent long term weight gain Nosaka(2003)
MCT and Alzheimer’s Disease
• How is this related to Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease • Most common form of dementia (60-70% of dementia cases) • Most common neurological disorder in older adults • Senile dementia of Alzheimer type • Alois Alzheimer (1864-1915)
• Associated with decline of neurons in
the cerebral cortex – Neuritic plaques (ß-amyloid) – Neurofibrillary tangles (Tau)
• Hippocampus (why learning and memory are affected)
Alzheimer’s is “Type 3 Diabetes” Explosion of research into the relationship between AD and
brain glucose metabolism in 1990’s and beyond. De la Monte and Wands (2005) looked at brains of persons
with advanced AD who did not have type 1 or 2 diabetes: • Levels of insulin and factors related to making and using insulin
are greatly reduced. • All of the signalling pathways involved in the use of energy are
abnormal. • The functioning of mitochondria is abnormal. • Coined term “type 3 diabetes” to describe insulin deficiency and
insulin resistance in AD brain
FDG-PET scans show decreased glucose uptake
NORMAL BRAIN ALZHEIMER’S BRAIN
Alzheimer’s disease – Type III diabetes?
• Neuritic plaques build up between neurons. – Causes disrupted communication between the neurons – Also triggers the immune system which then attacks the neurons
• Tau helps transport food molecules, cell parts, and other items back and forth in the neuron.
– Tau protein collapses into twisted stands (causing the Neurofibrillary tangles) and the transport tracks can no longer transport needed items throughout the neuron (like oxygen!)
• In AD neurons don’t properly metabolize glucose: tend to starve and die! – Glucose is the primary and preferred fuel for most cells, including brain!
Alternative Fuels for AD • Humans are programmed by evolution to switch to use of
alternative fuels during starvation when glucose stores have been used up – Amino acids (Gluconeogenesis) – Fatty acids – Ketones (starvation) – Lactate
• Supplying an alternative fuel could bypass problem of insulin deficiency and insulin resistance in AD brain – Coconut oil or other medium-chain-tricylercide oil – Mild ketosis produced by conversion of medium chain fatty acids to
ketones in liver may be adequate to produce cognitive improvement in insulin resistant Alzheimer’s brain
Diseases With Decreased Glucose Uptake into Brain/Nerve Cells
• Alzheimer’s disease • Parkinson’s disease • Multiple sclerosis • Huntington’s chorea • ALS/Lou Gehrig’s
disease • Duchenne muscular
dystrophy
• Some forms of autism • Down’s syndrome
(develop Alzheimer’s in middle age)
• Acute brain injury, accompanied by lack of oxygen
• Type I and Type II diabetes
Summary of MCT Therapy for AD * Previous studies using 20 grams of MCT oil have shown improved cognition in nearly half of people with probable Alzheimer’s type dementia and mild cognitive disorder (Reger, 2004; Henderson, 2009).
Similar improvement may occur using an equivalent amount of medium chain fatty acids as coconut oil, more widely available to world populations.
Clinical trials should be conducted to confirm whether coconut oil may be useful in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders that involve decreased glucose uptake. http://health.usf.edu/NR/rdonlyres/869C1700-2471-4BFE-A488-1639B26792CF/45683/CoconutOilStudyFlyer62013.pdf
Clinical Trial at Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute
• Clinical trail at the Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute at the University of South Florida (one of many current clinical trials)
• Results TBD!
Sounds Like Great Stuff!
• What can I do to incorporate it in my diet? – Remember, all fats should be consumed in
moderation (1tbsp coconut oil = ~100 kcal)! – Use coconut oil (or MCT oil) instead of your current oil
for cooking – Add a tablespoon of coconut oil or MCT oil to
smoothies, yogurts, oatmeal, or take a tablespoon just like you would cough medicine.
– Supplements ARE available, but read the concentration carefully
Foods with Medium Chain FAs
• Coconut oil is made of ~57-60% MCTs, which equals 8.5 grams MCTs per tablespoon.
• The following coconut foods contain the equivalent of 1 tablespoon of coconut oil: • Coconut milk (undiluted): 4½ tablespoons • Coconut meat: 2-inch x 2-inch x ½-inch piece • Coconut grated: 1/3 cup • Coconut oil capsules (1 gram): 14 capsules
Other Foods with Medium Chain FAs
Food Grams Palm kernel oil 8 gm per 15 ml Goat butter 2.4 gm per 15 ml Cow butter 1.6 gm per 15 ml Goat milk 1.7 gm per 240 ml Infant formula 1 gm per 240 ml Cow milk (full fat) 0.9 gm per 240 ml Human breast milk 0.78 gm per 240 ml Goat cheese 2 gm per ounce Feta cheese 1.4 gm per ounce Heavy cream 1.3 gm per ounce American cheese 0.78 gm per ounce
According to USDA Na7onal Nutrient Database (www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata ) Available on Amazon.com
Fats with No MCTs • Canola oil • Cod liver oil • Corn oil • Fish oil • Flaxseed oil • Margarine • Olive oil • Peanut oil • Sunflower oil • Soybean oil
References De la Monte SM, JR Wands. (2005). Review of insulin and insulin-like growth factor expression, signaling, and malfunction in the central nervous system: Relevance to Alzheimer’s disease. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 7. 45-61 Jiang, Z. et al. (1993). A comparison of medium-chain and long-chain triglycerides in surgical patients. Annals of Surgery, 217(2). 175-184. St.Onge, MP et al. (2003). Medium- versus long-chain triglycerides for 27 days increases fat oxidation and energy expenditure without resulting in changes in body composition in overweight women. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 27(1). 95-102. Reger MA, ST Henderson, et al. (2004). Effects of b-Hydroxybutyrate on cognition in memory-impaired adults. Neurobiology of Aging, 25. 311-314 Henderson, S. et al., (2009). Study of the ketogenic agent AC-1202 in mild tomModerate Alzheimer's disease: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. Nutrition and Metabolism, 31(6). 1-25.
Lunch and Learn Lecture Series
Questions? Email
The slides and recording for this webinar will be available on the Health YOUniversity website: http://s52794.gridserver.com/wellpoint-hyou/