What Is MCT Oil? MCT & CBD – What You Need to Know

Are you curious about the relationship between MCT oil and CBD? This article provides more details about MCT oil and its interaction with CBD.

MCT, (medium chain triglycerides) are fatty compounds found in coconut or palm oils. MCT has gained popularity over the past decades as a supplement with numerous benefits. Using medium-chain triglycerides increases energy and regulates appetite levels. Medium-chain triglycerides have garnered attention lately due to the increased consumption of keto diets and the rise of studies to determine the benefits of coconut oil. This article explains what medium-chain triglyceride is, what it does, and what are its health benefits.

What Is MCT

Fats are created differently depending on the structure of the organic compound. Most fats are polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats and will not bring heart infections. Fats like omega-three fatty acids (the EPA and DHA) reduce the rate of inflammation in body tissues. Healthy fats can be sourced from sardines, avocado, ground chia, wild-caught salmon, flax seeds, avocado oil, and olive oil. Fats are all saturated or trans fats. Although MCT is a saturated fat manufactured from coconut or palm oil, it differs from other saturated fats. MCT consists of saturated fats, but it is considered heart-friendly. MCT has protective abilities that improve the production of liquid, thus increasing cardiovascular health. Kesl et al. (2016) explained that MCT does not affect cardiovascular levels but may increase the levels of triglycerides in one's bloodstream, which may lead to a high risk of contracting heart infections. Boys digest MCT quickly; hence it is readily available for energy use.

Most fatty compounds are long-chain and hence have thirteen to twenty-one carbon atoms in their structures. Short-chain fatty compounds have few carbon atoms, less than six. Medium chain fatty compounds like MCT have six to 12 carbon atoms in their structures. MCT is made of small molecules due to few molecules compared to long-chain fatty compounds. Therefore, it is easily absorbed into the liver, making it a readily available energy source whenever the body is needed.

The current diet regulations limit the consumption of saturated fats. It should not exceed ten percent of the daily calory consumption. Coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil are the highest sources of MCT and saturated fats; hence you are not recommended to use them regularly. Learn more about where to buy cbd oil?

Types of MCT Oils

The types of MCT oils are categorized according to the number of carbon atoms in the long chain, including:

• Six Carbon Atoms – Caproic Acid
• Eight Carbon Atoms – Caprylic Acid
• Ten Carbon Atoms – Capric Acid
• Twelve Carbo Atoms - Lauric Acid.

The carbon atoms in the long chain of triglycerides determine how long it takes for the body to digest them. If the chain of carbon atoms is long, the body finds it hard to digest. That’s why long chain fatty acids take long to be digested and vice versa. Learn more about when to take cbd oil for sleep?

MCT and CBD

Vajpeyi (2017) explained that MCT is a natural or synthesized medium chained oil with a neutral odor and a long half-life. It can be used as a carrier oil for CBD or other therapeutic benefits. It features anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory effects that make it mitigate related infections. MCT is a perfect oil used to raise the effects of CBD when paired. Moreover, it has become a highly sought-after supplement owing to the rise of CBD, which is used to produce related cosmetics and supplements.

Where Does MCT Come From?

MCT is mainly sourced from the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. It is commonly derived from palm or coconut oil. Oil is extracted from both sources through the fractionating process.

How Is MCT Used

Stella et al. (2021) explained that MCT has many applications, one of which is to the benefit of CBD industries when it acts as a carrier for CBD oil. It can also be used as a lone product or added to lotions, topical aerosols, cleansing oils, ointments, or bath scrubs.

Pairing CBD and MCT

CBD is one of the active organic chemical compounds produced from more than 100 cannabinoids in cannabis. Gardner (2018) explained that CBD could not unleash its effect unless it could be absorbed into the bloodstream. Therefore, carrier oil is essential in making CBD oil usable for humans. Oil also helps increase the bioavailability of CBD and its formulation stability, thus making it easy to produce high effects with low doses. For all CBD industries, whether food and beverage or perianal care, MCT is the best choice for carrier oil if they are looking for one. MCT easily mixes with organic compounds, and CBD is no less.

Why Is MCT Oil Used as CBD Carrier Oil?

CBD and MCT oil are like good friends. It is a perfect carrier oil that protects CBD from being completely broken down by the digestive enzymes before it is absorbed in the blood. CBD is a fat-soluble organic compound; hence its efficiency is increased. It is taken alongside saturated fats, and MCT oil is the best choice. It also increases the rate of absorption of CBD in the body, meaning it will not be wasted. MCT is absorbed in the body quickly because it is a medium chain of saturated fats; hence, CBD will achieve the same effects after mixing. After CBD has been taken, it gets absorbed into the liver and broken down into more than 100 compounds called metabolites. Only a small percentage of these metabolites are used by the body, while the rest goes to waste. Therefore, CBD's bioavailability is reduced by a great margin. However, using MCT oil as carrier oil reduces such effects. It helps CBD bypass the first metabolic process in the body, allowing most of it to be absorbed in the blood.

Conclusion

MCT is a natural or synthesized medium chained oil with a neutral odor and a long half-life. It can be used as a carrier oil for CBD or other therapeutic benefits. It features anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory effects that make it mitigate related infections. MCT is a perfect oil used to raise the effects of CBD when paired. CBD and MCT oil are like good friends. It is a perfect carrier oil that protects CBD from being completely broken down by the digestive enzymes before it is absorbed in the blood. CBD is a fat-soluble organic compound; hence its efficiency is increased. It is taken alongside saturated fats, and MCT oil is the best choice. It also increases the rate of absorption of CBD in the body, meaning it will not be wasted.

References

Gardner, L. (2018). SOCIAL MFA (Doctoral dissertation, University of Cape Town).

Kesl, S. L., Poff, A. M., Ward, N. P., Fiorelli, T. N., Ari, C., Van Putten, A. J., ... & D’Agostino, D. P. (2016). Effects of exogenous ketone supplementation on blood ketone, glucose, triglyceride, and lipoprotein levels in Sprague–Dawley rats. Nutrition & metabolism, 13(1), 1-15.

Stella, B., Baratta, F., Della Pepa, C., Arpicco, S., Gastaldi, D., & Dosio, F. (2021). Cannabinoid formulations and delivery systems: Current and future options to treat pain. Drugs, 81(13), 1513-1557.

Vajpeyi, S. (2017). Carbonaceous Resource Recovery Through Flexible Engineered Biological Systems and Platforms-Process Engineering and Systems Biology. Columbia University.