MCT’s are a great way to give your brain the boost of fuel it needs to perform, but not all of them are what they’re made out to be. We tested dozens of MCT oils and compiled our favorites into the list below.

But first let’s start with the ‘why’ – why should you use an MCT oil supplement?

You may have seen people adding MCT oil to their smoothies or blending it into their “bulletproof coffee” as a replacement for the typically used butter. But what is MCT actually?

Medium Chain Triglycerides (aka MCT’s) are a beneficial fat that’s easily converted into fuel for the brain in the form of ketones, one of the brain’s primary sources of energy as well as a vital source of ATP energy for the body.

Triglycerides are the molecules that make up most fats, and MCTs specifically are found in coconut oil, palm oil, goat milk and even breast milk. But for the sake of most supplements the MCTs are typically sourced from coconuts.

MCT oil in most forms is digested differently than typical fats as it gets absorbed directly from the gut into the liver, bypassing the physiology of being stored as fat.

That means your body breaks down MCTs more quickly than the long-chain triglycerides found in other fatty foods. Your liver converts MCTs directly into ketones for fuel.

One thing to note when it comes to supplementation is that there are a few different kinds of MCT oil that your supplement can contain, and some are more effective than others. The three main types are:

•  C8 (caprylic acid) – The all-around most effective form of MCT oil for promoting ketone production and therefore boosting energy, C8 caprylic acid makes up about 7% of coconut oil and only takes three steps for your body to turn it into energy for your cells. C8 also produces four times more ketones than base coconut oil, which means more ketone benefits like amplified energy and metabolic burn. 
• C10 (capric acid) – The second shortest form of MCT, C10 is more affordable than C8 but takes more time to turn into ketone energy. 
• C12 (lauric acid) – C12 comprises approximately 49% of coconut oil but your body doesn’t treat it like a typical MCT. Rather than immediately getting converted into energy, lauric acid requires a pit stop in the liver. This is why it is more accurately described as a long-chain triglyceride (LCT), not an MCT.

In short, the higher proportion of C8 in your MCT oil supplement, the more easily it will be absorbed and used for energy.

All in all, if you’re following a low-carb, high-fat diet like the ketogenic diet, supplementing with MCT oil helps you get more quality fat in your diet and boost ketone production. With more ketones in your system, you’ll feel fuller, longer and improve cognitive performance, among other benefits we’ll talk about below.

The best part? You don’t have to follow keto to benefit from MCT oil. MCT Oil has been shown to double ketone energy in a healthy brain, regardless of diet. It also helps to reduce cravings which leads to increased weight loss overall.

There are definitely a lot of not-so-great supplements out there however, which can cause “digestive issues” (have you running to the bathroom), are overpriced, ineffective, or just generally taste terrible. 

Lucky for you we did the hard part already and tested dozens of different supplements, and compiled our top 3 favorites below. 

HIGHLIGHTS:

The Top 3 Best MCT Oil Supplements of 2022

Full Breakdown

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