Scientists Insights
” The findings recommend that although the procedure is silent and sluggish, coconut oil supplements for long periods can cause substantial metabolic alterations that add to the advancement of obesity and associated comorbidities,” stated Marcio Alberto Torsoni, a scientist in the Metabolic Disturbance Laboratory (LabDiMe) at the State University of Campinass School of Applied Sciences (FCA-UNICAMP) in São Paulo state, Brazil. He has a PhD in practical and molecular biology and has completed postdoctoral fellowships at UNICAMPs School of Medical Sciences and the University of Michigan in the US.
LabDiMe is linked to the Obesity and Comorbidities Research Center (OCRC), among FAPESPs Research, Innovation, and Dissemination Centers (RIDCs), and the Metabolic Programming and Perinatal Management Center (MPPM), a recipient of moneying from the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Dangers of Animal Fat and Coconut Oil
Extreme intake of animal fat is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, in addition to obesity and diabetes. One of the elements of this diet is cholesterol, but this kind of fat likewise includes saturated fatty acids, which can activate inflammatory procedures through the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) and might result in illness.
Saturated fatty acids can likewise be obtained from other sources, such as plants. They account for 90% of the lipids in coconut oil. Although short-chain fats comprise a large percentage, and these are helpful since they lower swelling, saturated fatty acids in coconut oil are enough to activate inflammatory paths and cause damage to various kinds of cells.
” Consumption of coconut oil as part of ones typical diet or as a food supplement has increased significantly in the population,” Torsoni said. The issue is that for the most part it is consumed without the guidance of a nutritional expert, who can adjust the daily dose in accordance with the needs of the specific concerned.
Speculative model
To find out whether day-to-day usage of coconut oil for extended periods could cause illness, the research group used an animal model involving healthy mice provided an everyday dosage of coconut oil for 8 weeks. This amount of coconut oil was comparable in calories to about a soup spoonful (13 g) each day, or 5% of the calories from hydrogenated fat in the diet of an adult individual of the ideal weight for their age and height.
Coconut oil should be used in small amounts as a spices or part of a sauce, ideally with fresh or minimally processed vegetables, Torsoni said. This is the guidance of the Health Ministrys Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population, which also suggests an “sufficient and healthy diet … harmonious in quantity and quality, meeting the needs of range, enjoyment, small amounts, and balance”.
” Coconut oil isnt recommended as a supplement to treat diseases or recoup excellent health,” stated Torsoni.
Reference: “Supplementation with CO induces lipogenesis in adipose leptin, tissue and insulin resistance in healthy Swiss mice” by Alana Carolina Costa Veras, Larissa da Silva Bruzasco, Ana Beatriz Profiro Lopes, Beatriz da Silva Franco, Alessandro Spencer de Souza Holanda, Andrea Maculano Esteves, Marciane Milanski, Adriana Souza Torsoni, Leticia Martins Ignacio-Souza and Marcio Alberto Torsoni, 4 June 2023, Journal of Functional Foods.DOI: 10.1016/ j.jff.2023.105600.
The study was funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation..
New research reveals considerable metabolic and health dangers related to long-term coconut oil supplementation, consisting of alterations in hormones, weight gain, and inflammation. Lead scientist Marcio Alberto Torsoni encourages against unguided coconut oil intake and suggests small amounts, aligning with dietary standards.
In try outs mice, scientists at the State University of Campinas observed changes in eating patterns, weight growth, indications of stress and anxiety, and heightened inflammation in the brain, fat tissue, and liver.
A post published in the Journal of Functional Foods reports on a research study where mice, after being administered an oral supplement of extra-virgin coconut oil, showed notable changes in their consuming practices, weight gain, stress and anxiety levels, and swelling in the main nerve system, fat, and liver.
The researchers likewise found that the capacity of key metabolic hormones leptin and insulin to activate cellular systems responsible for satiety and control of blood sugar levels suffered, which the biochemical mechanisms included in fat synthesis were stimulated.
