John Myers
Slimming aids aids in digestion, performance boost for athletes: All this and more is attributed to MCT fats. We explain what the term actually means and what effects have been scientifically proven.
Medium chain fatty acids: MCT fats
MCT stands for “medium-chain triglycerides”, in German: medium-chain fatty acids. A distinction must be made between the LCT fats, which have a long-chain structure. These include the usual dietary fats such as margarine, butter, and oils such as sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, and olive oil. MCT fats are found naturally only in palm kernel oil, coconut oil, and, to a lesser extent, in milk fat. In order to treat certain diseases, MCT fats were extracted in pure form and incorporated into special MCT foods in the 1960s. MCT fats are easier to digest than LCT fats and are therefore better tolerated by people with intestinal disorders, diseases of the pancreas and bile ducts, and fat absorption disorders.
Do medium-chain fatty acids help you lose weight?
Since MCT fats also have a ten percent lower energy content than LCT fats and convert more energy into heat, they are also said to help with weight loss and are suitable for fat burner recipes. Among other things, their use is recommended as part of ketogenic diets: MCT fats are said to accelerate ketosis, i.e. the conversion of the metabolism to energy production from fats instead of carbohydrates. However, the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) does not consider medium-chain triglycerides to be recommended for losing weight. Reason: There are no long-term studies on the benefits and tolerability of MCT. In addition, they can only be used to a very limited extent in the kitchen, since they cannot be heated to high temperatures and develop a bitter taste when kept warm. Good fats such as high-quality oils are more versatile in use here.
MCT fats in sports
Since MCT fats provide the body with energy faster than long-chain fats, endurance athletes should benefit from them. During long training sessions and competitions, the notorious starvation threatens – feared as the “man with the hammer” at marathons. If the glycogen stores are empty, the body gets the energy from the fat cells. If this change has not been sufficiently trained, performance drops rapidly. The intake of MCT fats should prevent this. In practice, however, the theory did not work: no significant increase in performance could be recorded. Many athletes also did not tolerate the medium-chain fatty acids and reacted to them with diarrhea and stomach problems – just as high-fat foods are generally very difficult to digest under stress.
Conclusion: Unless you should consume MCT fats for medical reasons, you can do without them.
