Helpful post! “Coconut oil for Alzheimer’s” sits right at the intersection of a real physiologic idea and a lot of overreach. The kernel of plausibility is metabolic: in some patients with AD or MCI there’s reduced cerebral glucose utilization, and ketones can serve as an alternative fuel. But coconut oil is a very blunt tool for that, its fatty acid profile is mostly saturated fat, and while it contains some MCTs, it’s not the same as a standardized MCT formulation used in trials. So the evidence for meaningful cognitive benefit is limited and inconsistent, and any potential upside needs to be weighed against cardiometabolic risk in the individual (LDL/apoB response can be substantial in some people). What I’d add for our longevity-focused readers is a practical, safety-first approach:
1. If someone wants to experiment, do it as a time-limited, trackable trial (sleep, function, cognition/behavior notes), and don’t let it displace the interventions with stronger evidence: vascular risk control, hearing/sleep optimization, exercise, and appropriate meds.
2. If there’s known dyslipidemia or high ASCVD risk, be cautious; consider MCT oil (in small doses) rather than large amounts of coconut oil, and monitor lipids.
3. And if symptoms are changing, prioritize a proper cognitive workup rather than chasing a single “superfood” answer.
Great write up and looking forward to the MCT article.
I know you didn't say "LDL should be as low as possible" but there are other benefits to LDL. Do you believe that we should be keeping cholesterol with the current guidelines? Or do you think that only applies when APO, immune impairment, or high iron suggest a risk of arterial plaques? Maybe another article idea for you.
Can the AHA ever be truly trusted though? Didn’t they demonise coconut oil to favour Johnson And Johnson’s seed oils as heart healthy, at the behest of J&J?
A really informative story written by the author and i think a bit boring but the use of the coconut oil is good and much helpful for daly routine cooking that's why WBm coconut oil is best and made of natural products.
Helpful post! “Coconut oil for Alzheimer’s” sits right at the intersection of a real physiologic idea and a lot of overreach. The kernel of plausibility is metabolic: in some patients with AD or MCI there’s reduced cerebral glucose utilization, and ketones can serve as an alternative fuel. But coconut oil is a very blunt tool for that, its fatty acid profile is mostly saturated fat, and while it contains some MCTs, it’s not the same as a standardized MCT formulation used in trials. So the evidence for meaningful cognitive benefit is limited and inconsistent, and any potential upside needs to be weighed against cardiometabolic risk in the individual (LDL/apoB response can be substantial in some people). What I’d add for our longevity-focused readers is a practical, safety-first approach:
1. If someone wants to experiment, do it as a time-limited, trackable trial (sleep, function, cognition/behavior notes), and don’t let it displace the interventions with stronger evidence: vascular risk control, hearing/sleep optimization, exercise, and appropriate meds.
2. If there’s known dyslipidemia or high ASCVD risk, be cautious; consider MCT oil (in small doses) rather than large amounts of coconut oil, and monitor lipids.
3. And if symptoms are changing, prioritize a proper cognitive workup rather than chasing a single “superfood” answer.
Great write up and looking forward to the MCT article.
I know you didn't say "LDL should be as low as possible" but there are other benefits to LDL. Do you believe that we should be keeping cholesterol with the current guidelines? Or do you think that only applies when APO, immune impairment, or high iron suggest a risk of arterial plaques? Maybe another article idea for you.
Hey this is a great idea, and i would need some time still to dig out more on the nuances within this space.
Can the AHA ever be truly trusted though? Didn’t they demonise coconut oil to favour Johnson And Johnson’s seed oils as heart healthy, at the behest of J&J?
I know... 🤷♂️
A really informative story written by the author and i think a bit boring but the use of the coconut oil is good and much helpful for daly routine cooking that's why WBm coconut oil is best and made of natural products.
Great article. The anti inflammatory and neuroprotecrive benefits of coconut oil is something I hadn't given much thought to. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, almost done with the sequel, which covers the safer approach.
Looking forward to it