Research into the impact of coconut oil on Alzheimer's and dementia ha

A new review was carried out into studies which investigated the positive impact of coconut oil and its bioactive principles in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Scientists looked into a number of studies, where participants with Alzheimer’s disease were asked to take cognitive tests. They found that those who consumed coconut oil scored higher in the assessments, particularly in tests involving orientation and language intervention compared to the control group, which did not consume the ingredient regularly. We will explore the scientific review further.

Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive neurological illness, affects approximately 50 million people worldwide and is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of all cases. Symptoms include memory dysfunction and cognitive impairment. Currently the medication for Alzheimer’s helps to treat symptoms but does not help with disease progression. With Alzheimer’s disease and dementia causing large scale problems for healthcare systems around the world, alternative treatments are being explored to help with symptoms.

There has been a rise in interest in the use of coconut oil in the diet to help mitigate the symptoms that come with Alzheimer’s disease. Coconut oil has a high content of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), including caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid and caproic acid, which are metabolized to ketone bodies and may act as a substitute energy source for the brain instead of glucose.

To explore the impact of coconut oil on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, a meta-analysis was carried out using four different studies. The aim was to make use of the various cognitive assessment scores to compare the improvement in memory and cognition of Alzheimer’s patients when consuming coconut oil in the diet.

It was found that coconut oil improved cognitive scores in patients with Alzheimer’s disease compared to the control group. The results supported the idea that MCTs found in coconut oil may be a way to improve thinking abilities relating to cognitive test results, especially tests involving orientation and language intervention. MCT’s were also shown to potentially slow down the advancement of Alzheimer’s disease. Overall, these findings could encourage the development of targeted dietary strategies and interventions for individuals at risk for or diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

In conclusion, compared to the control group, coconut oil improved cognitive scores in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, with the results being statistically significant. Components of coconut oil including polyphenols and MCTs appear to have potential to be used in interventions for Alzheimer’s disease.

Author: Eleanor Faulkner, BSc, is a Nutrition Advisor at Viridian Nutrition. She holds a BSc honours degree in Food Technology with Nutrition.

References:

Bafail, D., Bafail, A., Alshehri, N., Alhalees, N., Bajarwan, A. 2023. Impact of coconut oil and its bioactive principles in Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Research Square. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3291861/v1

The information contained in this article is not intended to treat, diagnose or replace the advice of a health practitioner. Please consult a qualified health practitioner if you have a pre-existing health condition or are currently taking medication. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet