Health Effects of Coconut Oil-A Narrative Review of Current Evidence - PubMed (original) (raw)

Review

Health Effects of Coconut Oil-A Narrative Review of Current Evidence

Taylor C Wallace. J Am Coll Nutr. 2019 Feb.

Abstract

Coconut oil is a mainstream edible oil that is extracted from the kernel of mature coconuts harvested from the coconut palm. The two main types of coconut oil-copra oil and virgin coconut oil-have similar fatty acid profiles; however the latter contains higher amounts of some nutrients (e.g., vitamin E) and dietary bioactive compounds (e.g., polyphenols). There is increasing popularity for coconut oil products due to perceived health effects of certain medium-chain fatty acids; however, lauric acid (C12:0), the primary fatty acid found in coconut oil, has been suggested to behave as both a medium- and long-chain fatty acid from a metabolic standpoint. Furthermore, research on pure medium-chain fatty acids cannot be directly applied to coconut oil products since it encompasses a large profile of various fatty acids. This narrative review seeks to summarize the current peer-reviewed literature and mechanisms surrounding the health effects of coconut oil products. Limited but consistent evidence supports the topical use for prevention and treatment of atopic dermatitis, as well as in "oil pulling" for prevention of dental caries. Coconut oil products may also be useful in preventing hair damage due to protein loss during grooming processes and ultraviolet (UV) exposure; however, more studies are needed to confirm this effect. Limited evidence does not support use for prevention or treatment of Alzheimer's disease, bone loss, or glycemic control. Evidence on weight loss and cardiovascular disease warrants larger clinical intervention studies. Refined, bleached, and deodorized copra oil seems to have less of an impact on total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol as compared to butter fat, but not cis unsaturated vegetable oils. In many instances, human clinical and observational studies are needed to confirm many claims on coconut oil products, which are largely based on animal and/or in vitro studies or studies of purified medium-chain fatty acids.

Keywords: Virgin coconut oil; cardiometabolic health; copra oil; lauric acid; medium-chain triglycerides; nutrition; weight.

PubMed Disclaimer

Cited by

Coconut Oil Supplementation Does Not Affect Blood Pressure Variability and Oxidative Stress: A Placebo-Controlled Clinical Study in Stage-1 Hypertensive Patients.
Júnior FAO, Ruiz CR, de Oliveira Y, Barros MAV, Silva AS, Santos MSB, Martins VJB, Balarini CM, Braga VA. Júnior FAO, et al. Nutrients. 2021 Feb 28;13(3):798. doi: 10.3390/nu13030798. Nutrients. 2021. PMID: 33670999 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
Maternal diet associated with infants' intestinal microbiota mediated by predominant long-chain fatty acid in breast milk.
Xi M, Na X, Ma X, Lan H, Sun T, Liu WH, Hung W, Zhao A. Xi M, et al. Front Microbiol. 2023 Jan 6;13:1004175. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1004175. eCollection 2022. Front Microbiol. 2023. PMID: 36687649 Free PMC article.
Deciphering the Riddles in Nutrition and Cardiovascular Disease.
Carro A, Panisello JM. Carro A, et al. Eur Cardiol. 2019 Dec 18;14(3):141-150. doi: 10.15420/ecr.2019.07. eCollection 2019 Dec. Eur Cardiol. 2019. PMID: 31933681 Free PMC article. Review.
Prospective Efficacy and Safety Study of an Innovative Kerascalp Hair Growth Serum in Mild-to-Moderate Alopecia in India: Regrowth Study.
Kohli M, Ganjoo A, Sharma A, Patil CY, Sethi S, Patel B. Kohli M, et al. Cureus. 2023 May 8;15(5):e38742. doi: 10.7759/cureus.38742. eCollection 2023 May. Cureus. 2023. PMID: 37303414 Free PMC article.
The Pros and Cons of Low Carbohydrate and Ketogenic Diets in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer.
Elisia I, Krystal G. Elisia I, et al. Front Nutr. 2021 Feb 25;8:634845. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.634845. eCollection 2021. Front Nutr. 2021. PMID: 33718419 Free PMC article.

Health Effects of Coconut Oil-A Narrative Review of Current Evidence - PubMed (original) (raw)