The anti-dementia effect of coconut oil

Anyone who has ever taken a hammer to a coconut will know that it is a hard nut to crack. Is it worth the effort? Most definitely, especially if your goal is to maintain your cognitive faculties and ward off dementia.

Some extraordinary health claims have been made about the coconut, some more creative than others. Traditionally, it is said to cure almost anything, from abscesses to syphilis, from baldness to toothache.

You won’t find a great deal of evidence to support most of these claims. But when it comes to dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s, the research is impressive.

The coconut offers meat, milk and water, each with their unique gifts.

Coconut milk is extracted from the meat, and this milk is the source of coconut oil.

Around 92% of the oil is saturated fat, which is mainly in the form of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). These MCTs are the focus of considerable scientific research into brain health, with particular regard to dementia prevention.

People with Alzheimer’s disease have impaired brain glucose uptake – uptake is about 15% lower where there is mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, and 7-10% lower where there is mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a pre-dementia stage.

Glucose comes from the carbohydrates you eat. If you eliminate or greatly reduce your carbohydrate intake, your body will switch to burning fat for energy.

The liver can produce 100-150g of ketones daily, enough to fuel the brain during periods of starvation.

When glucose is absent, or absorption is impaired, the brain will happily switch to burning ketones instead. Once you are burning ketones, you are in a state of ketosis.

And this is where the coconut magic begins.