How to Super-Charge Your Day

Get your writing buzz on with MCT oil.

Do you, like many folks want to have more energy, lose weight, gain more focus and feel like you’ve dropped a few years?

Great! I’ve got just the ticket. It’s called MCT (medium-chain triglyceride) oil and it’s extracted from coconut oil.

No doubt you already know, since its popularity has boomed, and jars of this stuff are flying off supermarket shelves, that coconut oil has a variety of uses: As a cooking oil, shortening, nutritional supplement, personal care ingredient, antimicrobial agent, and even biofuel.

A few months back, I wrote about how I beef up my morning cup of Joe in such a way that I’ve infused my skin with a youthful glow, loosened-up my joints, maintained my weight and gained more pep.

You can read about it here:

Well, now I have an additional add-in that has me rocketing through my morning — my entire day in fact — like a hummingbird on amphetamines. But it’s totally safe. And natural.

MCT oil is a huge component of the Keto diet. And even though I’m not following that regimen per se, I do eat low carb and in fact, have turned into an “intermittent faster,” largely because of my morning coffee.

Here’s a brief primer on what this stuff is, as well as what it does for our bodies:

MCT oil, which is also available in powder form (the one I use) is comprised of MCT fats or medium-chain triglycerides.

Without getting too scientific on you, fats themselves are made up of chains of carbon atoms. Most of the fasts in our diets are made up of thirteen to twenty-one of these atoms, which are called long-chain fatty acids.

Still with me? Good. There are also short-chain fatty acids. By contrast, this group is comprised of 6 or fewer carbon atoms.

As you might have guessed, MCTs sit somewhere in the middle. They are of medium-length and made up of six to twelve carbon atoms.

What makes MCTs unique is that they’re processed by our bodies differently. Unlike other fats, they go straight from our guts to our livers, where they’re either used as a source of energy or turned into ketones.

Simply, ketones are substances produced when our livers break down lots of fat and here’s the beautiful part: They can be used by our brains for energy, instead of glucose or sugar.

What’s more, we needn’t worry about their calories as our bodies used MCTs immediately, so they’re less likely to be stored as fat.

That, in a nutshell, is the basis of the ketogenic diet which again, I don’t follow. Instead, I’m a “picker.” I pick a little from this, a little from that…whatever ultimately works for me.

The touted health benefits of MCT oil are many, but, not all are supported by scientific evidence and, as with any supplementation, you should check with your doctor to before going hog-wild.

From Healthline, here are the reasons so many people are raving about MCT oil and it’s medium-chain triglycerides:

Weight loss: There are two hormones that promote the feeling of fullness in our bodies: Leptin and Peptide YY. MCT oil has been shown to increase these hormones, which is the primary reason this stuff is the bomb for dropping the excess baggage we all carry around from time-to-time.

Also, MCT oil (again, or it’s powdered derivative), can significantly reduce overall body weight and waist circumference.

And here’s a really cool benefit since apparently, we all suffer from “leaky gut syndrome.” MCT oil can help optimize the growth of good bacteria and support the gut lining, which also supports weight loss.

Rocket fuel for the brain and an instant energy source: Rocket fuel for the brain and an instant energy source: Since our bodies absorb MCTs more rapidly than long-chain triglycerides, MCT oil has been dubbed a “super fuel.” As they travel straight from the gut to the liver, they don’t require bile to break them down, as do longer-chain fatty acids. This results in an immediate source of energy for our bodies and our brain cells.

Lowered cholesterol: A 2009 study that looked at 40 women found that consuming coconut oil reduced bad types of cholesterol and improved good ones. Researchers compared MCT oil to soybean oil along with a calorie-controlled diet.

As MCT oil is high in the MCTs found in coconut oil, it is also likely to improve cholesterol levels. But keep in mind, as the study did not look at MCT oil specifically, this is an assumption.

Contains powerful fatty acids that fight yeast and bacterial growth: Who doesn’t want less of those nasties, right? MCT oil has been shown to have anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties because coconut oil, which contains large amounts of MCTs has been proven to reduce the growth of Candida albicans — a common yeast that can cause bacterial infections and thrush — by a respectable 25%.

In addition, in a test-tube study, coconut was shown to reduce the growth of disease-causing bacteria known as Clostridium difficile.

So, what’s the stuff that makes coconut oil such a potent defense against infection and a myriad of diseases? Three specific acids: Caprylic, capric and lauric. As good as they are for you internally, they also do wonders for when applied topically — especially on your hair and skin.

Think of MCT oil as coconut oil distilled down to its purest form. Much like ghee, which is clarified butter and a staple in “bulletproof coffee.” (Not for me, by the way.)

But before you get too excited, consider this: Even though our bodies use the fatty chain acids in MCT oil almost immediately, just like coconut oil, it does add extra fat and calories, so if you’re going to incorporate MCTs into your diet/lifestyle, make sure you keep track of what else you’re ingesting. You don’t have to go nuts, just be aware.

If you’re interested in giving MCT oil a shot, you can find it anywhere. Even your local market. I purchase the powdered form on Amazon and I mix it in my morning coffee along with protein powder and/or hydrolyzed collagen powder. On its own, the powder is virtually tasteless so you can use it in coffee, tea, yogurt, cereal — wherever you like.

For my cup of Joe, I use a drink frother, which whips everything up for a tasty, creamy cup of brain and body power.

The energy is real, guys. I have more focus when I write, my output has improved and I’m satiated for hours. In fact, I rarely eat anything until noon. But that’s me.

Gotta run. It’s burning daylight.

Sherry McGuinn is a longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.

As always, thanks for reading!

If you like the above stories, please check out the other great writers and stories in my pub, Rogues’ Gallery.