MCT Oil Powder

MCT powder is simple to use and suits a lot of people, but there's one condition where it's off the table and a label check worth doing. These are the questions our naturopaths ask first.

A good fit if

• You're eating keto or low-carb and want your blood ketones up
• You want MCT at work, the gym or on the road without carrying a bottle of oil
• You'd rather stir a powder into a shake than pour an oil into it

Check with us first if

• You're pregnant or breastfeeding. None of the trials we've looked at included pregnant or breastfeeding women, so safety at supplement doses hasn't been established.
• You take any prescription medicine. Interactions with MCT haven't been studied in the research we've reviewed, so we can't say there are none.
• You have a food allergy or intolerance. The carrier differs by brand, so read the label before you buy.
• Your triglycerides or cholesterol are being watched. MCT raised triglycerides slightly across seven trials.
• You're due for a urine organic-acid or acylcarnitine test. MCT raises octanoic and decanoic acid in your urine, which can confuse the result.
• It's for a child. There isn't enough evidence to base advice on.

• MCT oil powder. Best known for: Travel and mixing. It stirs into drinks without separating. Absorption: We hold no trial of powdered MCT; everything known comes from the liquid oil. Typical use: Coffee, shakes and smoothies on the go.
• MCT oil, liquid (standard C8/C10 mix). Best known for: Just the fat, with no carrier, and close to what most trials used. Absorption: In a crossover meal study, 30 g raised ketones significantly more than a long-chain oil. Typical use: Coffee, dressings and food at home.
• C8 MCT oil (caprylic acid). Best known for: The biggest ketone response of the MCT forms. Absorption: 20 g gave a ketone response of 0.45 mmol/L, against 0.22 for 30 g of coconut oil. Typical use: People whose main goal is raising ketones.
• Coconut oil (a different product, not an MCT form). Best known for: Cooking. Its main fatty acid is lauric acid, not C8 or C10. Absorption: Its ketone response wasn't significantly different from sunflower oil. Typical use: Cooking, not a swap for MCT powder.

Reference values. There's no Australian recommended intake (NRV or RDI) for MCT. It isn't an essential nutrient, so you can't be deficient in it.

Typical supplemental range. Australian MCT powders usually suggest one scoop, once or twice a day. Part of every scoop is carrier, not MCT, so check the label for how many grams of MCT a scoop actually gives you. The trials mostly used 15 to 20 g of MCT a day, all of it as liquid oil or jelly.

Upper level. There's no official upper limit. The practical ceiling comes from a systematic review: "Thirty grams of MCTs seems to be the safe maximal dosage to minimize adverse reactions during or after exercise." An upset stomach is the usual sign you've had too much at once.

Worth knowing. If ketones are the goal, take it away from carbohydrate. In one trial, having 50 g of glucose with C8 cut the ketone response from 0.45 to 0.28 mmol/L. That matters if you're mixing it into a sweet shake. Start with half a scoop and build up. What you need depends on your age, diet and health, so talk to one of our naturopaths.

Food first, where the diet allows it.

• Coconut oil: about two thirds medium-chain fats, but only about 6 to 8% C8
• Milk fat: A natural source; no per-serve figure held
• Palm kernel oil: A natural source; no per-serve figure held

If any of these sound like you, talk to one of our naturopaths or your doctor before you start.

• MCAD deficiency. Don't take it at all. GeneReviews lists 'infant formulas, coconut oil, and other manufactured foods containing medium-chain triglycerides as the primary source of fat' among things to avoid.
• Food allergy or intolerance. The carrier is a separate ingredient that varies by brand, so read the label.
• Urine organic-acid or acylcarnitine tests. MCT raises octanoic and decanoic acid in urine, which shouldn't be mistaken for MCAD deficiency.
• Large single doses. About 30 g of MCT is the practical limit before gut side effects, especially around exercise.
• High triglycerides. MCT raised them by 0.14 mmol/L across seven randomised trials.
• Children. The evidence is too thin to base advice on.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Safety isn't established; no trial included these groups.
• Medicine interactions. Our sources didn't assess them, so we can't state any or rule any out.
• If you take prescription medicines, check with your doctor, pharmacist or one of our naturopaths before you start.