MCT9.0

MCT Oil Research

42 peer-reviewed studies · Evidence score: 9/10

Lipid emulsions for parenterally fed preterm infants

Kapoor V et al. • The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2019)

This meta-analysis examined the effects of MCT Oil.

Meta-analysis examining MCT Oil efficacy
Further research warranted to confirm findings

Meta-Analysisn=2,037

DOI

Outcomes with perioperative fat emulsions containing omega-3 fatty acid: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Bae HJ et al. • American journal of health-system pharmacy : AJHP : official journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (2017)

The results of the meta-analysis indicated that FO-containing IVFEs could improve infectious morbidity and LOS.

Relative to use of SO-based IVFEs, use of FO-containing IVFEs was associated with a significant reduction in hospital LOS (weighted mean difference, -2.70 days; 95% CI, -3.60 to -1.79 days; ; I2 = 0%).
The results of the meta-analysis indicated that FO-containing IVFEs could improve infectious morbidity and LOS.
The overall effect of reducing infectious morbidity and LOS was found to be the greatest in comparison with the SO-based IVFEs.

Meta-Analysisn=1,167

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The Efficacy of Ketogenic Therapies in the Clinical Management of People with Neurodegenerative Disease: A Systematic Review

Dewsbury LS et al. • Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) (2021)

Overall, 3/17 studies carried a low risk of bias.

Overall, 3/17 studies carried a low risk of bias.
Based on available evidence, exogenous ketogenic agents may be more feasible than dietary interventions in NDD from a compliance and adherence perspective; more research is required to confirm this.

Systematic Reviewn=979

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Clinical Benefits of Exogenous Ketosis in Adults with Disease: A Systematic Review

Mohib O et al. • Nutrients (2025)

Exogenous ketosis shows potential in neurological, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders, while evidence in psychiatric and inflammatory conditions remains scarce and preliminary.

Exogenous ketosis shows potential in neurological, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders, while evidence in psychiatric and inflammatory conditions remains scarce and preliminary.
Ketone esters appear preferable for effective and tolerable ketosis.
Future research should focus on identifying responsive patient populations, optimizing treatment regimens, and conducting long-term clinical trials with hard endpoints to validate these findings.

Systematic Review

DOI

AMPA Receptor Modulation Through Medium-Chain Triglycerides and Decanoic Acid Supports Nutritional Intervention in Pediatric Epilepsy

Falsaperla R et al. • Nutrients (2025)

The summarized findings reinforce the therapeutic potential of MCTs, highlighting both the beneficial seizure outcomes and the hurdles that remain to be addressed through future research.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted, including articles from January 2000 to January 2025, to explore the potential role of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) add-on to classic KD and as MCT supplementation in free diets in the management of pediatric drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE).
Results: Selected studies show how the action of MCTs, and decanoic acid in particular, is via negative modulation of AMPA receptors, with a positive impact on epileptic seizures.
Conclusions: This review discusses the complexities of implementing and sustaining KD in children and presents recent pre-clinical and clinical evidence, including trials where MCTs (often enriched in decanoic acid) serve as an add-on therapy in both ketogenic and free/unrestricted diets.

Systematic Review

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A systematic review and meta-analysis of medium-chain triglycerides effects on acute satiety and food intake

Maher T et al. • Critical reviews in food science and nutrition (2021)

Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms by which MCT reduce energy intake.

Seventeen studies (291 participants) were included in the systematic review, of which 11 were included in the energy intake meta-analysis.
The current evidence supports the notion that MCT decreases subsequent energy intake, but does not appear to affect appetite.
Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms by which MCT reduce energy intake.

Meta-Analysisn=291

DOI

Clinical characteristics, evaluation and outcomes of chylopericardium: a systematic review

Verma B et al. • Heart (British Cardiac Society) (2023)

CPE tends to develop in younger patients and may cause serious complications.

Patient demographics demonstrated male predominance (55%), with a mean age of 37±15 years.
Time from symptom onset to diagnosis was 5 (Q1 4.5, Q3 14) days, with 74% of patients symptomatic on presentation.
Idiopathic CPE (60%) was the most common aetiology.

Systematic Reviewn=98

DOI

Medium-chain triglycerides and energy metabolism

Mumme K, Stonehouse W • Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (2015)

MCT consumption increases energy expenditure and may reduce body fat compared to LCTs.

Modest increase in energy expenditure
May support weight management
Effects on satiety variable

Meta-Analysisn=749

DOI

Influence of Carbohydrate Intake on Caprylic Acid (C8:0)-Induced Ketogenesis-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Frenser M et al. • Nutrients (2024)

Limitations include heterogeneous intervention conditions, such as different types of dispersions, caffeine intake, limited number of studies and variability in study design.

Forest plot analysis showed heterogeneous data.
The data suggest a non-linear relationship between C8, carbohydrate intake and ketone production.
Further studies are needed to investigate the influence of different carbohydrates on C8-induced ketogenesis.

Meta-Analysis

DOI

The impact of medium-chain triglycerides on weight loss and metabolic health in individuals with overweight or obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis

He H et al. • Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) (2024)

Hence, the authors recommend incorporating pure MCTs in dietary interventions for individuals with overweight and obesity, particularly those with comorbidities such as dyslipidemia and impaired glucose metabolism.

However, our subgroup analysis indicates that an MLCTs-enriched diet did not significantly reduce weight loss.
Additionally, MCTs-enriched diets were associated with significant reductions in blood triglyceride levels and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) scores, compared to LCTs-enriched diets.
Hence, the authors recommend incorporating pure MCTs in dietary interventions for individuals with overweight and obesity, particularly those with comorbidities such as dyslipidemia and impaired glucose metabolism.

Meta-Analysis

DOI

Effect of the ketogenic diet as a treatment for refractory epilepsy in children and adolescents: a systematic review of reviews

Díez-Arroyo C et al. • Nutrition reviews (2024)

KD can be an effective treatment for RE, with a more than 50% reduction in the frequency of seizures and cognitive improvement being achieved in half of the pediatric patients.

In terms of effectiveness, the considered systematic reviews reported reductions in the frequency of seizures greater than 50% in about half of the patients.
Reviews without systematic methodology reported that 30%-60% of the children showed a 50% or greater reduction in seizures.
The effectiveness of the various types of KD is comparable, and the KD can be adapted to the needs of the patient.

Systematic Review

DOI

Ketogenic diets: A systematic review of current scientific evidence and possible applicability in dogs and cats

Vendramini THA et al. • Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition (2024)

All cohort and case-control studies were included, and all articles were exported to Mendeley® citation manager, and duplicates were automatically removed.

All cohort and case-control studies were included, and all articles were exported to Mendeley® citation manager, and duplicates were automatically removed.
Seven articles and three conference abstracts conducted with dogs were included in the present study.
There is evidence that the consumption of diets with medium-chain triglycerides increases the concentration of circulating ketone bodies and improves epilepsy signs, although these diets have higher carbohydrate and lower fat content when compared to the classic KD.

Systematic Review

DOI

Outcomes of Chylothorax Nonoperative Management After Cardiothoracic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Santos LLD et al. • Brazilian journal of cardiovascular surgery (2023)

Nonoperative treatment for chylothorax after cardiothoracic procedures has significant hospital stay, morbidity, mortality, and reoperation rates.

The incidence of chylothorax in cardiothoracic surgery was 1.8% (95% CI 1.7 - 2%).
The mean time of maintenance of the chest tube was 16.08 days (95% CI 12.54 - 19.63), and the length of hospital stay was 23.74 days (95% CI 16.08 - 31.42) in patients with chylothorax receiving nonoperative treatment.
Among patients that received conservative treatment, the morbidity event was 0.40 (95% CI 0.23 - 0.59), and reoperation rate was 0.37 (95% CI 0.27 - 0.49).

Meta-Analysis

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Medium Chain Triglycerides induce mild ketosis and may improve cognition in Alzheimer's disease. A systematic review and meta-analysis of human studies

Avgerinos KI et al. • Ageing research reviews (2020)

In this meta-analysis, we demonstrated that MCTs can induce mild ketosis and may improve cognition in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

In this meta-analysis, we demonstrated that MCTs can induce mild ketosis and may improve cognition in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.
However, risk of bias of existing studies necessitates future trials.
Further research warranted to confirm findings

Meta-Analysisn=422

DOI

Safety and efficacy of a new parenteral lipid emulsion (SMOF) for surgical patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Tian H et al. • Nutrition reviews (2013)

The quality of evidence from the RCTs evaluating SMOF20% versus Lipoven20% was moderate, while most of the evidence from RCTs of SMOF20% versus ClinOleic20% and MCT/LCT20% lipid emulsions was low.

To assess the comparative safety and efficacy of a new parenteral lipid emulsion containing soybean oil, medium-chain triglycerides, olive oil, and fish oil (SMOFlipid20%) for postoperative patients, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted.
Compared with a soybean-based (Lipoven20%) and a soybean- and olive oil-based (ClinOleic20%) lipid emulsion, SMOFlipid20% was associated with lower levels of hepatic enzymes, suggesting less toxicity.
Changes in low-density lipoprotein triglyceride and C-reactive protein levels were also lower with SMOFlipid20% compared with Lipoven20%.

Meta-Analysisn=306

DOI

Medium-Chain Triacylglycerols (MCTs) and Their Fractions in Drug Delivery Systems : A Systematic Review

Zulfakar MH et al. • Journal of oleo science (2024)

The review also highlights that the usage of MCTs in DDS results in a better transportation of drugs into the human body.

The synonyms of the words were also used to extend the search.
A total of 17 articles that met the inclusion criteria were identified.
Findings from this review have identified the several MCTs and their fractions used in DDS that employed the oral/enteral, topical, transdermal, parenteral, and pulmonary routes of drug delivery.

Systematic Reviewn=17

DOI

High versus low medium chain triglyceride content of formula for promoting short-term growth of preterm infants

Perretta L et al. • The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2021)

We found evidence of very low to low certainty suggesting no differences among short-term growth data for infants fed low versus high MCT formulas.

We found evidence of very low to low certainty suggesting no differences among short-term growth data for infants fed low versus high MCT formulas.
Due to lack of evidence and uncertainty, neither formula type could be concluded to improve short-term growth outcomes or have fewer adverse effects.
Further studies are necessary because the results from included studies are imprecise due to small numbers and do not address important long-term outcomes.

Meta-Analysis

DOI

Medium-chain triglycerides may improve memory in non-demented older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Giannos P et al. • BMC geriatrics (2022)

MCT supplementation may enhance working memory in non-demented older adults.

MCT supplementation may enhance working memory in non-demented older adults.
These effects may be more prominent in individuals with lower baseline scores, from short and long-term supplementation.
Further studies are warranted to confirm these findings in terms of optimal dose and MCTs composition, which may protect from memory decline during aging.

Systematic Review

DOI

Ketogenic therapy for Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and synthesis without meta-analysis of animal and human trials

Grammatikopoulou MG et al. • Maturitas (2022)

Although animal studies indicate promising results, research on the effect of ketogenic therapy in PD is still in its infancy, with RCTs conducted on humans being heterogeneous and lacking PD-specific outcomes.

Although animal studies indicate promising results, research on the effect of ketogenic therapy in PD is still in its infancy, with RCTs conducted on humans being heterogeneous and lacking PD-specific outcomes.
More studies are required to recommend or refute the use of ketogenic therapy in PD.
Further research warranted to confirm findings

Meta-Analysis

DOI

Medium-Chain Triglyceride Oil and Blood Lipids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

McKenzie KM et al. • The Journal of nutrition (2021)

MCT oil does not affect total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, or HDL cholesterol levels, but does cause a small increase in triglycerides.

MCT oil does not affect total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, or HDL cholesterol levels, but does cause a small increase in triglycerides.
Further research warranted to confirm findings

Meta-Analysis

DOI

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