Long and medium chain triglycerides increase plasma concentrations of ketone bodies in suckling rats

Abstract Objectives 70.7% of Americans over 20 years of age are overweight or obese. Currently, the main strategy for weight loss is caloric restriction. Ketone bodies have been shown to facilitate voluntary caloric restriction through altering the appetite stimulating hormone ghrelin. However, these non-toxic ketone bodies have not been evaluated as weight loss supplements. C57BL6J mice were used to determine the weight loss efficacy of exogenous ketones by adding synthetic (R/S 1,3-Butanediol Acetoacetate Diester and 1,3-Butanediol) and natural (Beta-hydroxybutyrate and Beta-hydroxybutyrate + Medium Chain Triglycerides) ketogenic agents to standard rodent chow ab-libitum. Methods Six groups (R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester, 1,3-butanediol, beta-hydroxybutyrate, beta-hydroxybutyrate + medium chain triglycerides, caloric restriction, standard diet ad-libitum) were housed 2–5 animals per cage and monitored to ensure appropriate acclimation prior to intervention. Mice were treated for two weeks with ketogenic agents, adjusting % of agent daily to ensure 20% weight loss was achieved. Results All ketogenic agents induced weight loss and voluntary caloric restriction. Weight loss for beta-hydroxybutyrate and beta-hydroxybutyrate + medium chain triglycerides was explained by caloric restriction alone. However, R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester induced weight loss at lower dosages which could not be explained by caloric restriction alone. Conclusions Taken together, all ketogenic agents may assist in weight loss. However, R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester appears to be a more potent non-toxic ketogenic supplement that facilitates weight loss via both voluntary caloric restriction and caloric restriction-independent mechanisms. Future studies should explore caloric-restriction independent weight loss mechanisms of R/S 1,3-butanediol acetoacetate diester. Funding Sources Disruptive Nutrition.

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1562 MEDIUM-CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES IN FORMULAS AND PLASMA KETONE BODIES IN PRETERM INFANTS

Pediatric Research ◽

10.1203/00006450-198504000-01586 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 371A-371A

Author(s):

Paul Y K Wu ◽

John Edmond ◽

Nancy Auestad ◽

Savitri Rambatla

Keyword(s):

Preterm Infants ◽

Ketone Bodies ◽

Medium Chain Triglycerides ◽

Medium Chain

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Short-Term Influence of Caffeine and Medium-Chain Triglycerides on Ketogenesis: A Controlled Double-Blind Intervention Study

Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1155/2021/1861567 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Anna Baumeister ◽

Joachim Gardemann ◽

Manfred Fobker ◽

Verena Spiegler ◽

Tobias Fischer

Keyword(s):

Side Effects ◽

Intervention Study ◽

Ketone Bodies ◽

Coconut Oil ◽

Medium Chain Triglycerides ◽

Double Blind ◽

Continuous Increase ◽

Medium Chain ◽

Ketogenic Diets ◽

Decaffeinated Coffee

Background. Ketone bodies are a highly relevant topic in nutrition and medicine. The influence of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) on ketogenesis is well known and has been successfully used in ketogenic diets for many years. Nevertheless, the effects of MCTs and coconut oil on the production of ketone bodies have only partially been investigated. Furthermore, the increased mobilisation of free fatty acids and release of catabolic hormones by caffeine suggest an influence of caffeine on ketogenesis. Methods. In a controlled, double-blind intervention study, seven young healthy subjects received 10 mL of tricaprylin (C8), tricaprin (C10), C8/C10 (50% C8, 50% C10), or coconut oil with or without 150 mg of caffeine, in 250 mL of decaffeinated coffee, over ten interventions. At baseline and after every 40 minutes, for 4 h, ßHB and glucose in capillary blood as well as caffeine in saliva were measured. Furthermore, questionnaires were used to survey sensory properties, side effects, and awareness of hunger and satiety. Results. The interventions with caffeine caused an increase in ßHB levels—in particular, the interventions with C8 highly impacted ketogenesis. The effect decreased with increased chain lengths. All interventions showed a continuous increase in hunger and diminishing satiety. Mild side effects (total = 12) occurred during the interventions. Conclusions. The present study demonstrated an influence of caffeine and MCT on ketogenesis. The addition of caffeine showed an additive effect on the ketogenic potential of MCT and coconut oil. C8 showed the highest ketogenicity.

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An fMRI Investigation into the Effects of Ketogenic Medium-Chain Triglycerides on Cognitive Function in Elderly Adults: A Pilot Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13072134 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 2134

Author(s):

Yukihito Yomogida ◽

Junko Matsuo ◽

Ikki Ishida ◽

Miho Ota ◽

Kentaro Nakamura ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Source ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Task Performance ◽

Ketone Bodies ◽

Elderly Subjects ◽

Medium Chain Triglycerides ◽

Medium Chain ◽

Extra Energy ◽

The Brain ◽

Back Task

Evidence suggests that oral intake of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which promote the production of ketone bodies, may improve cognitive functions in elderly people; however, the underlying brain mechanisms remain elusive. We tested the hypothesis that cognitive improvement accompanies physiological changes in the brain and reflects the use of ketone bodies as an extra energy source. To this end, by using functional magnetic resonance imaging, cerebral blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signals were measured while 20 healthy elderly subjects (14 females and 6 males; mean age: 65.7 ± 3.9 years) were engaged in executive function tasks (N-back and Go-Nogo) after ingesting a single MCT meal (Ketonformula®) or placebo meal in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled design (UMIN000031539). Morphological characteristics of the brain were also examined in relation to the effects of an MCT meal. The MCT meal improved N-back task performance, and this was prominent in subjects who had reduced grey matter volume in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), a region known to promote executive functions. When the participants were dichotomized into high/low level groups of global cognitive function at baseline, the high group showed improved N-back task performance, while the low group showed improved Go-Nogo task performance. This was accompanied by decreased BOLD signals in the DLPFC, indicative of the consumption of ketone bodies as an extra energy source.

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Medium-chain triglycerides induce alterations in carnitine metabolism

AJP Endocrinology and Metabolism ◽

10.1152/ajpendo.1990.258.6.e944 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 258 (6) ◽

pp. E944-E947 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

C. Rossle ◽

Y. A. Carpentier ◽

M. Richelle ◽

W. Dahlan ◽

N. P. D'Attellis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plasma Concentrations ◽

Free Carnitine ◽

Medium Chain Triglycerides ◽

Medium Chain ◽

Energy Cycle ◽

Carnitine Metabolism ◽

Beta Hydroxybutyrate ◽

Carnitine Derivatives ◽

Long Chain Triglycerides ◽

Long Chain

Medium-chain triglycerides are generally assumed to be metabolized independently of carnitine. The effects of infusing medium-chain triglycerides on plasma concentrations of carnitine derivatives and beta-hydroxybutyrate were studied in four healthy male adults. Glucose and amino acids were infused alone for 3 h, then continued for another 5.5 h together with a lipid emulsion containing only long-chain triglycerides or a 50:50% (wt/wt) mixture of medium-chain and long-chain triglycerides. During the fat-free infusion, the concentration of free carnitine rose, whereas the level of acylcarnitines decreased. Infusion of the mixed emulsion over 5.5 h reduced free carnitine to lower values (32.4 +/- 4.7 mumols/l) than long-chain triglycerides infusion (44.4 +/- 2.7 mumol/l). By contrast, the plasma concentrations of short-chain acylcarnitine (12.1 +/- 3.3 vs. 5.4 +/- 1.9 mumols/l; P less than 0.01) and of beta-hydroxybutyrate (93 +/- 32 vs. 47 +/- 14 mumols/l; P less than 0.01) became significantly higher with the mixed emulsion than with long-chain triglycerides. This suggests that intravenous medium-chain triglycerides are not metabolized independently of carnitine. Carnitine may play an important role in removing acyl and acetyl groups from mitochondria and in restoring the intramitochondrial CoA level. Fat substrates are converted into compounds that might be utilized by tissues that do not normally oxidize fatty acids, creating an interorgan energy cycle.

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Effects of D-beta-hydroxybutyrate and long- and medium-chain triglycerides on leucine metabolism in humans

AJP Endocrinology and Metabolism ◽

10.1152/ajpendo.1992.262.3.e268 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 262 (3) ◽

pp. E268-E274 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

B. Beaufrere ◽

D. Chassard ◽

C. Broussolle ◽

J. P. Riou ◽

M. Beylot

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Fatty Acid ◽

Parenteral Nutrition ◽

Ketone Bodies ◽

Medium Chain Triglycerides ◽

Medium Chain ◽

Leucine Metabolism ◽

Protein Sparing ◽

Beta Hydroxybutyrate ◽

Long Chain

Ketone bodies and/or fatty acids might play a protein-sparing role during prolonged fasting or parenteral nutrition. To assess this problem, we studied whole body leucine metabolism, using L-[1-13C]leucine in normal postabsorptive volunteers who received either long-chain triglycerides (LCT, 0.15 g.kg-1.h-1, 6 subjects), a 50-50 mixture of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) and LCT (0.15 g.kg-1.h-1, 6 subjects), D-beta-hydroxybutyrate (540 mumol.kg-1.h-1, 6 subjects), or saline (4 subjects). Leucine concentration decreased only with MCT-LCT. Leucine flux decreased by 10-20% from basal in all groups. Leucine oxidation, which was corrected for the contribution to 13CO2 of the 13C natural abundance of the infused substrates, decreased during LCT infusion (0.31 +/- 0.02 to 0.24 +/- 0.01 mumol.kg-1.min-1, P less than 0.01), but was unaffected by MCT-LCT (despite plasma free fatty acid levels similar to those obtained with LCT), D-beta-hydroxybutyrate, or saline infusion. Therefore, 1) the effect of fatty acids on amino acid oxidation is not mediated by ketone bodies, 2) it depends on the fatty acid chain length, 3) long-chain fatty acids but not medium-chain fatty acids could play a protein-sparing role during parenteral nutrition.

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Coconut Oil and its Constituents as a Treatment for Alzheimer's Dementia

Journal of Student Research ◽

10.47611/jsr.v9i1.1046 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Rodney Guttmann ◽

Peyton Sims ◽

Catherine Churchill ◽

Caitlyn Waters ◽

Bailey Berry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Lauric Acid ◽

Ketone Body ◽

Ketone Bodies ◽

Coconut Oil ◽

Medium Chain Triglycerides ◽

Medium Chain ◽

Cellular Processes

In recent years, there has been an increased number of studies focusing on the properties of coconut oil as a therapeutic supplement for patients with Alzheimer's disease. Primarily, benefits of coconut oil are attributed to the presence of medium-chain triglycerides, lauric acid, or ketone bodies found in the oil. Research of these constituents within coconut oil has been shown to cause the onset of cellular processes such as autophagy, ketone body regulation, and the reduction of oxidative stress, among other nonspecific pathways. A discussion of the potential for coconut oil within the context of these theoretical mechanisms to impact Alzheimer's disease is provided, suggesting that the validity of coconut oil claims should be viewed with skepticism.

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