Lauric acid in coconut oil seen delivering smack-down blow to bacterial cell membrane
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FAT SOURCE WITH A DIFFERENCE: Coconut oil is 100% fat.
But it’s fat with a difference. Coconut oils, consumed in most tropical
countries for centuries, are known as key sources of medium-chain
triglycerides (MCTs). The main medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) in
fractionated coconut oil (C8, or caprylic acid or octanoic acid, and
C10, or capric acid or decanoic acid) are metabolized differently than
other fats. They're transported directly to the liver from the digestive
tract, where they may be used as a quick source of energy.
Image Credit: Gulf News / Jay Hilotin [Source: NIH]
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Image Credit: Gulf News/Jay Hilotin [Source: NIH]
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2013 STUDY: A 2013 study published by PubMed (US
National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health) confirmed
the smack-down effect on bacterial cell membrane by virgin coconut oil
(VCO) and select fatty acids. Using a method known as “live/dead
staining”, the study showed the VCO’S “growth inhibition effect” on C.
difficile (an antibiotic-resistant hospital-acquired bacteria seen as
the leading cause of diarrhea globally) mediated by medium-chain fatty
acids. Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24328700
Image Credit: Getty Images
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COCONUT MILK: STAPH KILLER: Coconut oil is up to 49%
lauric acid, making it one of the best natural sources of this fatty
acid. The Journal of Bacteriology published in 2000 a study showing
that at certain concentration in vitro (test-tube) glycerol monolaurate
(GML), coupled with lauric acid, inhibit the expression of virulence
factors in Staphylococus aureus and the crushes the resistance in
Enterococcus faecalis. Staphylococcus aureus causes a common source of
yeast infections in humans. A conclusion of this study states:
"...lauric acid and GML have identical effects on the production of
staphylococcal exoproteins: some proteins are inhibited, while others
are overproduced compared to those of untreated cells." Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC111339/
Image Credit: Gulf News/File
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LAURIC ACID IN FOCUS, 2009 STUDY: Photo shows
nutrition facts in a virgin coconut oil bottle. Note the FDA
(Philippines) license of the manufacturer. The results of a 2009 study
published by Elsevier (Journal of Investigative Dermatology) also found
that lauric acid (predominant substance found in coconut oil) helps
reduce inflammation and bacterial growth. Lauric acid was found to have
worked even better than benzoyl peroxide, a common acne treatment.
Furthermore, a 2016 study also reconfirmed the acne-fighting properties
of lauric acid. At that time, the researchers used pure lauric acid and
suggested that it could be developed into an antibiotic therapy for acne
in the future. (Sources:
https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022202X15340859;
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/8/9/321/htm)
Image Credit: Jay Hilotin / Gulf News
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FRACTIONATED COCONUT OIL: Fractionated coconut oil is
tasteless, odorless, and usually more expensive than regular coconut
oil. It's very similar or identical to medium-chain triglycerides (MCT)
oil. Due to their shorter chain length, MCT oils are more rapidly broken
down and absorbed into the body. This makes them a quick energy source
and less likely to be stored as fat. Souce:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mct-oil-101#what-it-is
Image Credit: Jay Hilotin / Gulf News
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WHAT IS “VIRGIN COCONUT OIL” (VCO)?: Coconut oil is
made by pressing fresh coconut meat or dried coconut meat, called
“copra”. Virgin coconut oil, on the other hand, uses fresh meat, while
refined coconut oil typically uses copra. If using a “dry” method, the
fresh coconut meat of mature coconuts is dried quickly with a small
amount of heat, and then pressed with a machine to remove the oil. If
using a “wet” method, a machine presses fresh coconut meat to yield milk
and oil. The milk is separated from the oil by fermentation, enzymes,
or centrifuge machines.
Image Credit: Supplied
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LAURIC ACID: Coconut oil contains mostly lauric acid
(known as LAH). In November 2019, the Journal of Animal Science
Biotechnology investigated coconut oil as anti-microbial agent. In
particular, researchers saw the efficacy of medium-chain fatty acid
(MCFA) salts distilled from coconut oil with a lauric acid content
against two pathogens — Salmonella and Escherichia (E) coli. Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31728192
Image Credit: Pexels
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LIPOLISED COCONUT OIL: Researchers have found that the
proliferation of Clostridium difficile bacteria was inhibited when
bacterial cells were exposed to 0.15-1.2% lipolyzed coconut oil.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24328700
Image Credit: Supplied
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ANTI-MICROBIAL EFFECTS:A man climbs up a coconut free.
A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food on December 13, 2013
shows the anti-microbial effects of virgin coconut oil. In particular,
scientists using transmission electron microcopy (TEM) have seen an
interesting result: lipolysed coconut oil had “disrupted” the integrity
both of the cell membrane (semipermeable “shell” of a cell) and
cytoplasm (the material within a living cell) of Clostridium difficile
(an antibiotic-resistant, hospital acquired strain of diarrhea). Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24328700
Image Credit: AP
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COCONUT OIL TRASHED. Coconut oil has been trashed in
many studies, especially in the US. For the last 50 years, they had been
branded by non-palm oil industry as “unhealthy sources of highly
saturated fats,” vilified as “atherogenic” agent (promoting the
formation of fatty deposits in the arteries). Detractors dismiss palm
oils as supposed trigger for coronary heart disease. The result: A
massive drop in coconut prices. Followers of fad ketogenic and Paleo
diets, however, think nothing of it. They have made it popular once
more. The global virgin coconut oil (VCO) market is projected to reach
approximately $5 billion by 2024, according to Market Research Future.
[Source: https://bit.ly/3e1XX9I]
Image Credit: File
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CAUSING SPIKE IN BLOOD CHOLESTEROL?: In recent years,
coconut oil has been branded as “unhealthy sources of highly saturated
fats.” A common trashing of coconut oil is that its consumption
purportedly raises the risk of coronary heart disease. The result: a
massive drop in coconut prices and a spike in consumption of vegetable
oils. Now, a study concludes blaming coconut oil consumption in the West
is misplaced. An abstract from a 1991 study published by the US
National Center for Biotechnology Information and the National
Institutes of Health states: “The tropical oils and palm oil in
particular, have been cast as major villains in the U.S.A., despite the
fact that palm oil consumption there is negligible.” Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1836037
Image Credit: Agency
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WHY IT'S WRONG TO BLAME COCONUT OR TROPICAL OIL ALONE
FOR BAD CHOLESTEROL BUILD-UP: Moreover, a 1992 study stated there’s no
proof consuming coconut oil or tropical oils in general makes Western
bulk up bad cholesterol among Western consumers. It stated: “The
saturated fatty acid-rich tropical oils, coconut oil, hydrogenated
coconut oil, and palm kernel oil, raise cholesterol levels; studies
demonstrating this effect are often confounded by a developing essential
fatty acid deficiency.” The study concluded: “This review does not
support claims that foods containing palm oil have no place in a prudent
diet.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1345319
Image Credit: Agency
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PATHOGEN ZAPPER: A study published by the NIH explains
that when our body digests lauric acid (a chemical present in virgin
coconut oil), it forms a substance called monolaurin. Both lauric acid
and monolaurin are known to kill harmful pathogens, such as bacteria,
viruses, and fungi. (Source:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC444260/).
Image Credit: Getty Images
COCONUT OIL TESTED AGAINST COVID-19: The main facade
of the state-funded Philippine General Hospital (PGH). There are at
least two separate research teams conducting a study on the efficacy of
VCO against COVID-19.
Image Credit: Courtesy: UP-PGH website
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Image Credit: Jay Hilotin/Gulf News [Photo courtesy: Ateneo, Duke-NUS website]
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Image Credit: Jay Hilotin/Gulf News File [Photo courtesy: PGH website]
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