MCTs and their Ketogenic effect on Metabolism
Medium Chain Triglycerides Modulate the Ketogenic Effect of a Metabolic Switch
Ketones provide an alternative brain fuel and may be neuroprotective in many cases. How to optimize the ketogenic effect of medium chain triglyceride supplements is now easy. Metabolic switching (MS) from glucose to ketones as a fuel may has many metabolic benefits. The objective of a recent study was to use an 8 h metabolic study day protocol to assess the influence of typical components of MS, including a MCT supplement, low-carbohydrate meal and meal timing, on blood ketones, glucose, insulin and free fatty acids (FFA).
The effect of age was also investigated. Over the 8h metabolic study day, two 10g doses of the MCT increased the plasma ketone response by 19% while reducing overall glycemia by 12% without altering insulin or FFA levels. Moreover, a single early meal (breakfast but no lunch) potentiated the ketogenic effect of MS over 8 h, compared to a single delayed meal (lunch but no breakfast). Age and the low carbohydrate meal did not affect the ketones response. We conclude that an 8-h test period can be used to assess metabolic changes during short-term MS. MCT’s provide a robust increase in ketones and enhance the metabolic effectiveness and/in intermittent fasting as a component of Metabolic switching.
