Are you in a weight loss/ regain cycle?
Dr Harry is talking about switching on your metabolic furnace
As I have previously discussed, most diets fail in the long term because of one small problem…hunger. Of course, hunger is no small issue! It’s one of the most powerful drives that we experience. Think about the last time you were really hungry. Were you able to think, work or even play? I doubt it…
Unfortunately, the vast majority of diet programs out there today use caloric restriction (i.e. eating less) as the sole means of losing weight. Caloric restriction is very effective – and should be part of the armoury of weight management and health-promotion – but it invariably gives rise to hunger and the inevitable slippery slope of weight regain.
So what is the better option?
This is where intermittent fasting and high-fat diets come in – these dietary programs have provided people that were previously unable to sustainably lose weight with options that actually work. They work predominantly because they enable you to eat fewer calories without feeling hungry!
The classical ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-to-moderate protein, very low carbohydrate diet. As much as 90% of calories in a ketogenic diet come from fats such as olive oil, butter, avocado, cheese, fatty fish, etc.
Many, however, find such a high proportion of fat extremely difficult to achieve which is why a modified ketogenic diet (65% fat, 30% protein, 5% carbohydrates) often gives better success overall. In fact, many on a modified ketogenic diet with the addition of MCT oil, have a higher ketone level in their blood than if they were consuming the classical 90% fat diet!
To understand the significance of this, we first need to understand a little bit more about ketones and MCT oil.
Ketones and energy:
For those unfamiliar, you can think about ketones as a type of fuel that the body uses for energy. Other fuels you’d be familiar with are glucose (the simplest carbohydrate) and fatty acids. When glucose is available (either in the blood from a recent meal or from storage), it is the preferred fuel of pretty much every tissue in the body (especially the brain and skeletal muscles). A ketogenic diet deprives the body of glucose, so it is forced to use other forms of fuel (and though the liver continues to make glucose, this small amount is reserved for the brain) such as fatty acids and ketones. Fatty acids can’t enter the brain, but they are used by muscle and importantly, converted into ketones – which can be used by the brain!
It takes a few days on a ketogenic diet to build up the ability to make ketones from fatty acids, which is why many people experience a lack of energy and brain-fog in the initial period. But, once your liver is able to make ketones, you’re away – and you can then experience all of the fat-burning, bloat-reducing, mind-clarifying benefits of the ketogenic diet! The other ways to increase the number of ketones in the blood are to:
#1 consume ketones (so-called ‘exogenous’ ketones) and;
#2 consume MCT oil. More on MCT oil below.
Ketones and energy:
For those unfamiliar, you can think about ketones as a type of fuel that the body uses for energy. Other fuels you’d be familiar with are glucose (the simplest carbohydrate) and fatty acids. When glucose is available (either in the blood from a recent meal or from storage), it is the preferred fuel of pretty much every tissue in the body (especially the brain and skeletal muscles). A ketogenic diet deprives the body of glucose, so it is forced to use other forms of fuel (and though the liver continues to make glucose, this small amount is reserved for the brain) such as fatty acids and ketones. Fatty acids can’t enter the brain, but they are used by muscle and importantly, converted into ketones – which can be used by the brain!
It takes a few days on a ketogenic diet to build up the ability to make ketones from fatty acids, which is why many people experience a lack of energy and brain-fog in the initial period. But, once your liver is able to make ketones, you’re away – and you can then experience all of the fat-burning, bloat-reducing, mind-clarifying benefits of the ketogenic diet! The other ways to increase the number of ketones in the blood are to:
#1 consume ketones (so-called ‘exogenous’ ketones) and;
#2 consume MCT oil. More on MCT oil below.
MCT Oil
MCT stands for ‘medium-chain triglycerides’. Triglycerides are biochemical compounds comprised of 2 or 3 fatty acid chains. The fatty acid chains in MCT oils have between 6 and 12 carbon atoms (as compared with the well-known omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, which has 22 carbons in its chain). It is believed that the most physiologically beneficial MCT oil are C8 preparations, which, as the name suggests, have 8 carbon fatty acid chains.
MCTs have several properties that make them special. These are:
#1 They increase the production of ketones – MCT oil is used by the liver to make ketones which, in turn, can be used as fuel by many organs, including the brain. Taking MCT oil even increases blood ketone levels in people consuming diets containing moderate to high proportions of carbohydrates.
#2 They're absorbed directly into the blood, unlike other fatty acids which are absorbed via the lymphatic system. Furthermore, the absorption of MCT doesn’t require any modification, nor energy-consuming processes. This means you get more bang for your energy buck with MCT.
#3 MCT oil can pass across the blood-brain barrier, providing another source of fuel for the brain. Again, this is important in avoiding brain-fade and hunger when consuming low-calorie diets.
#4 They aren’t really stored as fat. Bonus! After consumption, MCT oil remains in the circulation and are almost always oxidised (used as fuel) or converted to ketones. They rarely end up on the hips or abdomen.
Quick note:
While I certainly advocate MCT oil for all athletes and people consuming a modified diet (or intermittent fasting), there are a couple of other things to know before you consider drinking them in place of your morning coffee!
#1 It takes a while for your gut to adapt to MCT oils. Most people can tolerate about 30ml per day of MCT oil to begin with. Any more than this can lead to loose stools and even diarrhoea. However, over time, the gut can be trained to absorb as much as 150ml per day without any symptoms.
#2 MCT oil is bland. Sorry. MCT oils basically have no taste, which makes them a bit hopeless as a salad dressing so don’t throw away your olive oil just yet! The upside of being so bland is that they really do go unnoticed in smoothies, coffee and just about any drink you can think of!
Truth Origins MCT oil is premium quality palm-free C8 MCT. If you haven’t already tried it, I recommend that you give it a go (slowly to begin) as part of modified ketogenic diet. Most people consuming this diet feel the benefits in terms of reduced brain fade and more mental clarity in the afternoon, decreased appetite and “hangriness” and of course, weight loss (typically around 0.5 to 1kg per week).
Try Truth Origins MCT oil today.
Thank you to our customer's question on weightloss.
We love hearing from you. If you EVER have any questions or topics of interest that you'd like to see covered here feel free to reach out to us!
talk@truthorigins.co.uk
Dr. Harrison Weisinger (MBBS, Ph.D.)
Dr. Harry is the Medical Director for Truth Origins, and a practicing medical doctor in Australia. Throughout his working career as medical doctor, university professor, and scientist, Dr. Harry has committed his life to improving human health. Each month he reads the various journals and studies being conducted across the world’s leading universities and research hospitals to bring you the latest research surrounding the truth about plant-based medicine.
LIKE THESE ARTICLES?
STAY UP-TO-DATE
Join the Truth Origins club to stay up-to-date on our latest articles, blog posts, updates and exclusive discounts. You'll also receive 10% OFF your first purchase for joining.