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Joe,

Natural sources of MCT:  virgin coconut oil -66%, palm kernel oil - 55%.  

Note that palm oil (palm kernel oil and palm oil are different, though they come

from the same palm fruit) does not contain significant amount of MCT

Commercial MCT oil is chemically produced from coconut and/or palm kernel oils.

The oils are first chemically hydrolyzed to remove the fatty acids from

glycerol. The separated fatty acids are then fractionated by vaporizing it up to

550 deg F and subsequently condensed. Fatty acids have different condensation

temperatures: the condensed fraction of medium-chain fatty acids are collected

together (thus the use of the term fractionated oil). The collected fraction of

medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) are re-combined with glycerol in an

esterification chemical reaction, using dehydrating agents like sulfuric acid,

to transform it back to MCT.  The intense processing that commercial MCT oils

undergo is the main reason why the oil is relatively thick, even thicker than

another intensely-processed RBD coconut oil.  MCT oils have specific gravity of

about 0.95, while VCO is light at 0.91.

A practical way to get MCT without the chemically and heat intense processing is

to extract it from VCO at home.  Starting with a VCO in completely liquid

state, put it in an area that has a temperature  of about 73 to 77 deg F.  At

this temperature, the VCO will slowly solidify. When about  half of the oil is

already solidified, decant the remaining liquid part. This liquid is rich in MCT

- up to 85% when cooling is slow enough and decantation is done carefully. The

thicker solidified portion is primarily LCT but still contains some amount of

MCT, and is suitable as cooking oil.

I hope the above helps.

Tony Geniston

________________________________

From: joehomps <jh@...>

Coconut Oil

Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 8:14 AM

Subject: Re: Philippine News Item - Virgin coconut oil

hailed as cure for alzheimers

 

I did not follow the whole thread. So can someone clarify what is the best

source of the MCT (medium chain triglyceride)? Should it be from coconut, or

palm, or whatever natural source? I believe the source of the MCT should make a

difference in its use/efficacy.

Joe

> > > >

> > > > We have to wait for the study he was denied to find out if its just the

MCT

> >

> > >oil

> > >

> > > >

> > > > by itself or if the whole coconut oil is necessary since the study was

just

> >

> > > > using the MCT oil and Dr. Newport used coconut oil.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > I kind of doubt that its a cure in the sense that the brain returns to

> > >normal,

> > >

> > >

> > > > rather it gets more energy to the brain cells that are still working

well.

>

> > >For

> > >

> > > >

> > > > it to be a cure, it would have to allow for the brain cells to be

replaced

> >by

> >

> > >

> > > > new ones or repair the damaged cells and I have not read or heard that

the

>

> > > > energy provided by MCT oil does that.

> > > >

> > > > C

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > ________________________________

> > > > From: AGPacific Nutriceutical <agnutriceutical@>

> > > > Coconut forum <Coconut Oil >

> > > > Sent: Sun, August 28, 2011 8:35:49 AM

> > > > Subject: Philippine News Item - Virgin coconut

oil

> >

> > > > hailed as cure for alzheimers

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Would like to share this news item from our little spot of the planet.

> > > >

>

>>>http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/48957/virgin-coconut-oil-hailed-as-cure-for-alzh\

eimer%E2%80%99s

> >s

> > >s

> > > >s

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Tony

> > > >

> > > >

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Very interesting Tony. Living in Florida I've noticed this often happens

naturally with VCO as the season changes from summer to winter. I'll have to

give this a try!

Thanks,

Dee

>

>

> A practical way to get MCT without the chemically and heat intense processing

is to extract it from VCO at home.  Starting with a VCO in completely liquid

state, put it in an area that has a temperature  of about 73 to 77 deg F.  At

this temperature, the VCO will slowly solidify. When about  half of the oil is

already solidified, decant the remaining liquid part. This liquid is rich in MCT

- up to 85% when cooling is slow enough and decantation is done carefully. The

thicker solidified portion is primarily LCT but still contains some amount of

MCT, and is suitable as cooking oil.

>

> I hope the above helps.

>

> Tony Geniston

>

>

>

> ________________________________

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Most of the lauric acid stays with the LCT fats in the home-extracted MCT oil

exercise because it is solid at room temperature up to about 43 celsius, while

the shorter chain fats are liquid at room temperature.

Capric and caprylic acids are about 14% of the entire VCO batch.

all good,

Duncan

>

> Joe,

The thicker solidified portion is primarily LCT but still contains some amount

of MCT, and is suitable as cooking oil.

>

> I hope the above helps.

>

> Tony Geniston

>

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Duncan,

With due respect, I have to say that the post below is confident but

uninformed.  Yes, pure lauric acid has freezing point of more than 40 deg

celsius. With sufficient knowledge on physical chemistry, there is a fact about

freezing point lowering and elevation among miscible liquids. The higher

freezing point of laurin is lowered by the lower freezing point of caproin,

caprin, capryllin. Didn't you notice that VCO is all liquid at 26 deg celsius,

yet pure laurin (which is at least 50% of VCO) is supposed to freeze at 43 deg

celsius?

Buddy, just try it instead, and at least continue looking like the " resident

genius " , in Dee's words.

Tony

________________________________

From: Duncan Crow <duncancrow@...>

Coconut Oil

Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 11:13 PM

Subject: Re: MCT Source

 

Most of the lauric acid stays with the LCT fats in the home-extracted MCT oil

exercise because it is solid at room temperature up to about 43 celsius, while

the shorter chain fats are liquid at room temperature.

Capric and caprylic acids are about 14% of the entire VCO batch.

all good,

Duncan

>

> Joe,

The thicker solidified portion is primarily LCT but still contains some amount

of MCT, and is suitable as cooking oil.

>

> I hope the above helps.

>

> Tony Geniston

>

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Hi Tony, I think what should be made clear is that in a mix (miscible liquid,

meaning the components mix without reacting), a change to a property of a

component does not occur. Adding antifreeze to water similarly changes the

freezing point of the solution but doesn't change the freezing point of the

water itself because the solution is not water any more.

Your post I think confuses the property of an ingredient of a mix with that of

the mix itself; at least it seemed so to me to be so the way it was written.

At any rate, your fractioning post is valid overall; the higher fraction will

not contain much lauric acid and the lower fraction will contain more of it.

I have no desire to fractionate coconut oil myself because I'd have trouble

getting rid of the waste in this exercise, which is about 88% of the total.

Three tbsp of MCT oil (capric and caprylic acid) would be contained in about 3/4

pound of coconut oil. This would be rather much to process to get a 3 tbsp

serving of MCT oil.

I don't mind a little teasing, Tony; I'll give you some too ;)

all good,

Duncan

>

> Duncan,

>

> With due respect, I have to say that the post below is confident but

uninformed.  Yes, pure lauric acid has freezing point of more than 40 deg

celsius. With sufficient knowledge on physical chemistry, there is a fact about

freezing point lowering and elevation among miscible liquids. The higher

freezing point of laurin is lowered by the lower freezing point of caproin,

caprin, capryllin. Didn't you notice that VCO is all liquid at 26 deg celsius,

yet pure laurin (which is at least 50% of VCO) is supposed to freeze at 43 deg

celsius?

>

>

> Buddy, just try it instead, and at least continue looking like the " resident

genius " , in Dee's words.

>

>

> Tony

>

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Hi Duncan.  What I was saying was that the statement in your previous post,

quote " Most of the lauric acid stays with the LCT fats in the home-extracted

MCT oil exercise because it is solid at room temperature up to about 43

celsius... " unquote, was dead wrong based on textbook physical chemistry, and

reality.

Tony

________________________________

From: Duncan Crow <duncancrow@...>

Coconut Oil

Sent: Thursday, September 1, 2011 12:16 AM

Subject: Re: MCT Source

 

Hi Tony, I think what should be made clear is that in a mix (miscible liquid,

meaning the components mix without reacting), a change to a property of a

component does not occur. Adding antifreeze to water similarly changes the

freezing point of the solution but doesn't change the freezing point of the

water itself because the solution is not water any more.

Your post I think confuses the property of an ingredient of a mix with that of

the mix itself; at least it seemed so to me to be so the way it was written.

At any rate, your fractioning post is valid overall; the higher fraction will

not contain much lauric acid and the lower fraction will contain more of it.

I have no desire to fractionate coconut oil myself because I'd have trouble

getting rid of the waste in this exercise, which is about 88% of the total.

Three tbsp of MCT oil (capric and caprylic acid) would be contained in about 3/4

pound of coconut oil. This would be rather much to process to get a 3 tbsp

serving of MCT oil.

I don't mind a little teasing, Tony; I'll give you some too ;)

all good,

Duncan

>

> Duncan,

>

> With due respect, I have to say that the post below is confident but

uninformed.  Yes, pure lauric acid has freezing point of more than 40 deg

celsius. With sufficient knowledge on physical chemistry, there is a fact about

freezing point lowering and elevation among miscible liquids. The higher

freezing point of laurin is lowered by the lower freezing point of caproin,

caprin, capryllin. Didn't you notice that VCO is all liquid at 26 deg celsius,

yet pure laurin (which is at least 50% of VCO) is supposed to freeze at 43 deg

celsius?

>

>

> Buddy, just try it instead, and at least continue looking like the " resident

genius " , in Dee's words.

>

>

> Tony

>

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Tony, without splitting hairs over a few degrees of heat in a kitchen table

experiment, what you proposed was to skim the top layer of MCT oil off off after

the coconut oil cools. At the point of solidifying the bottom 3/4 of the oil,

the skim (liquid) should not contain much lauric acid (which is congealed in the

lower fraction). I bought my MCT oil so it's been done for me.

all good,

Duncan

> >

> > Duncan,

> >

> > With due respect, I have to say that the post below is confident but

uninformed.  Yes, pure lauric acid has freezing point of more than 40 deg

celsius. With sufficient knowledge on physical chemistry, there is a fact about

freezing point lowering and elevation among miscible liquids. The higher

freezing point of laurin is lowered by the lower freezing point of caproin,

caprin, capryllin. Didn't you notice that VCO is all liquid at 26 deg celsius,

yet pure laurin (which is at least 50% of VCO) is supposed to freeze at 43 deg

celsius?

> >

> >

> > Buddy, just try it instead, and at least continue looking like the " resident

genius " , in Dee's words.

> >

> >

> > Tony

> >

>

>

>

>

>

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I should have added that room temperature in the northern latitudes is around

20-22 celsius so the fractionated coconut oil should congeal the lauric acid

pretty good.

all good,

Duncan

>

> Tony, without splitting hairs over a few degrees of heat in a kitchen table

experiment, what you proposed was to skim the top layer of MCT oil off off after

the coconut oil cools. At the point of solidifying the bottom 3/4 of the oil,

the skim (liquid) should not contain much lauric acid (which is congealed in the

lower fraction).

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Duncan, please do not put words into my post. I did not say 3/4 is solidified. I

said 1/2. Buddy, I should now say that the post below is confident but ignorant!

Tony

________________________________

From: Duncan Crow <duncancrow@...>

Coconut Oil

Sent: Friday, September 2, 2011 1:30 AM

Subject: Re: MCT Source

 

I should have added that room temperature in the northern latitudes is around

20-22 celsius so the fractionated coconut oil should congeal the lauric acid

pretty good.

all good,

Duncan

>

> Tony, without splitting hairs over a few degrees of heat in a kitchen table

experiment, what you proposed was to skim the top layer of MCT oil off off after

the coconut oil cools. At the point of solidifying the bottom 3/4 of the oil,

the skim (liquid) should not contain much lauric acid (which is congealed in the

lower fraction).

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Tony, my point is that the unclouded portion in the top 1/2 a jar will contain a

lot of lauric acid, which is what we're trying to leave in the jar in this

experiment.

This is your field Tony and I think you'd agree that skimming the top liquid

from a jar is an inexact science. We want all of that the 12% MCT oil that this

exercise can yield. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think if one skims less MCT

oil from the top on the first pass then repeats the skimming procedure after

carefully warming agitating and cooling the VCO again, it delivers

better-quality MCT oil :) I think if 1/2 is solidified I would skim 1/8 and then

maybe repeat that. This would yield most of the MCT oil with the skim totalling

less than 50% of capric and caprylic acids and more than 50% lauric acid. This

would be about the best you'd get it seems.

Most of us choose to not skim the MCT-rich fraction from coconut oil though; I

prefer to add the MCT oil to my diet because I don't want as much lauric acid as

VCO provides.

all good,

Duncan

>

> Duncan, please do not put words into my post. I did not say 3/4 is solidified.

I said 1/2. Buddy, I should now say that the post below is confident but

ignorant!

>

> Tony

>

>

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What's wrong with more lauric acid?

Joe

> >

> > Duncan, please do not put words into my post. I did not say 3/4 is

solidified. I said 1/2. Buddy, I should now say that the post below is confident

but ignorant!

> >

> > Tony

> >

> >

>

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Hi Joe,

There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with lauric acid when consumed in coconut oil.

Here is what Bruce Fife (who has researched coconut oil and its' properties

extensively) has to say about the importance of ALL of the fatty acids in

coconut oil:

" The individual MCFAs exert different effects on different microorganisms. Some

microorganisms that are only mildly affected by monolaurin may be completely

destroyed by caprylic acid or capric acid. Lauric acid by itself is a very

potent antimicrobial. Caproic and myistic acids and other fatty acids in coconut

oil also possess antimicrobial power, EACH WITH ITS OWN UNIQUE ABILITY TO KILL

CERTAIN ORGANISM BETTER THAN OTHER FATTY ACIDS. When they are combined, as they

are in natural coconut oil, they WORK SYNERGISTICALLY TOGETHER, improving their

overall germ-fighting power, making it greater than any single MCFA alone. "

Also, I would not waste my money on refined deodorised copra oil, as Duncan

suggests. A reasonably priced and good tasting VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil) is

Nutiva brand.

http://tinyurl.com/3nk8b99

Best,

Dee

>

> What's wrong with more lauric acid?

>

> Joe

>

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Joe, capric and caprylic acids comprise the " MCT oil " that is referred to in

much of the research that many people erroneously attribute to " coconut oil "

research. VCO is only about 12% MCT oil, and MCT oil is widely known as the

healthiest fraction.

Lauric acid, a longer-chained fat comprising 51% of VCO, doesn't produce the

ketones, increase energy and metabolism, and reduce one's weight as effectively

as MCT oil does. Lauric acid can be stored in fat rather than used immediately

for energy as the MCT oils are.

So, besides a little red blood cell hemolysis noted in the research after oral

dosing of lauric acid, there's nothing " wrong " with taking extra lauric acid,

but health can be improved by taking extra MCT oil instead. We discuss fatty

acids and balance a lot in this forum, and it seems there's an advantage to

knowing the properties of MCT oil vs. coconut oil.

all good,

Duncan

> > >

> > > Duncan, please do not put words into my post. I did not say 3/4 is

solidified. I said 1/2. Buddy, I should now say that the post below is confident

but ignorant!

> > >

> > > Tony

> > >

> > >

> >

>

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Duncan,

Can you indicate which research you mentioned below?

Tony

" So, besides a little red blood cell hemolysis noted in the research after oral

dosing of lauric acid, "

  Duncan

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Sure, Tony; here are some studies that mention the hemolysis (leakage of iron

from red blood cells) caused by lauric acid. Iron is a potent oxidant and the

escaping iron produces huge oxidative stress, which is a cause or aggravating

factor of most diseases. Oxidative stress is a huge component of metabolic

syndrome too, which many people try to reduce with MCT oil as opposed to the

lesser effect of VCO in this regard.

" Lauric acid ...caused hemolysis under normotonic conditions. "

http://www.springerlink.com/content/h009675m113g2463/

" lauric acid (12:0) represents the minimum chain length for ...hemolysis

promotion "

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2357483

Title: Effect of metabolic inhibitors on lauric acid-induced hemolysis.

(sorry, no abstract available)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4715534

Oral dosing is known to commit lauric acid to the bloodstream under normotonic

conditions.

There are more cites here on PubMed:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed & cmd=DetailsSearch & term=hemoly\

sis+lauric & save_search=true

Here's a PubMed search on iron AND " oxidative stress "

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=%28%22iron%22%5BMeSH%20Terms%5D%20OR%20\

%22iron%22%5BAll%20Fields%5D%29%20AND%20%22oxidative%20stress%22%5BAll%20Fields%\

5D & cmd=DetailsSearch>

In this Gooogle search on iron biofilm infection you'll see snips like,

" [interfering] with iron metabolism shows promise as a treatment for P.

aeruginosa infections.' Candida and other infections are also mentioned in the

context of reducing iron to reduce infection:

<http://www.google.ca/search?q=iron+biofilm+infection>

Googling iron Alzheimer's:

<http://www.google.ca/search?sclient=psy & hl=en & source=hp & q=iron+alzheimer%27s & bt\

nG=Search>

Many studies come up such as " A potential pathogenetic role of iron in

Alzheimer's disease " ...:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18466351

....which illuminate the role free iron can play in Alzheimer's.

So, reducing foods that cause hemolysis would be a good thing.

Just possibly the large component of lauric acid in a VCO dose supports

Alzheimer's treatments less than it adds hemolysis. On the other hand, MCT oil

supports the treatment and does not produce hemolysis so it's my first choice

for medium chain fats.

all good,

Duncan

>

> Duncan,

>

> Can you indicate which research you mentioned below?

>

> Tony

>

>

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Duncan,

In organic chemistry, MCT refers to fats with 6 to 12 carbon-chain (caproin,

capryllin, caprin and laurin).  In the market-place MCT refers to the MCT oil

being sold composed primarily of capryllin and caprin, which is only a fraction

of total MCT. 

I was referring to the chemistry MCT in the suggested home-based MCT extraction

method by fractional freezing.

Tony

________________________________

From: Duncan Crow <duncancrow@...>

Coconut Oil

Sent: Friday, September 2, 2011 11:36 PM

Subject: Re: MCT Source

 

Tony, my point is that the unclouded portion in the top 1/2 a jar will contain a

lot of lauric acid, which is what we're trying to leave in the jar in this

experiment.

This is your field Tony and I think you'd agree that skimming the top liquid

from a jar is an inexact science. We want all of that the 12% MCT oil that this

exercise can yield. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think if one skims less MCT

oil from the top on the first pass then repeats the skimming procedure after

carefully warming agitating and cooling the VCO again, it delivers

better-quality MCT oil :) I think if 1/2 is solidified I would skim 1/8 and then

maybe repeat that. This would yield most of the MCT oil with the skim totalling

less than 50% of capric and caprylic acids and more than 50% lauric acid. This

would be about the best you'd get it seems.

Most of us choose to not skim the MCT-rich fraction from coconut oil though; I

prefer to add the MCT oil to my diet because I don't want as much lauric acid as

VCO provides.

all good,

Duncan

>

> Duncan, please do not put words into my post. I did not say 3/4 is solidified.

I said 1/2. Buddy, I should now say that the post below is confident but

ignorant!

>

> Tony

>

>

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OK, so your exercise Tony is NOT to try and get the 6:10 fatty acids you can out

of the coconut oil, to make your own marketplace MCT oil? Rather, it is to skim

off the 12 carbon lauric acid WITH the 6:10 acids? Why would you want to do

that?

all good,

Duncan

>

> Duncan,

>

> In organic chemistry, MCT refers to fats with 6 to 12 carbon-chain (caproin,

capryllin, caprin and laurin).  In the market-place MCT refers to the MCT oil

being sold composed primarily of capryllin and caprin, which is only a fraction

of total MCT. 

>

> I was referring to the chemistry MCT in the suggested home-based MCT

extraction method by fractional freezing.

>

> Tony

>

>

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