Coconut has a long history as a source of food, oil, beverage and traditional medicine in regions where coconuts grow. Coconut oil is easy to digest, promotes nutrient absorption and produces energy, not body fat, according to Bruce Fife, N.D., of the Coconut Research Center. Consult your doctor before using coconut oil or any other supplement for a medical condition.
Coconut Properties
Coconuts contain coconut water, the natural liquid that forms inside the coconut. They're also the source of coconut milk and coconut oil, both from the meat of the coconut. Coconut oil is a rich source of lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid, MCFA, which is also a component of breast milk. This fatty acid assists with nutrient absorption and digestion and has anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties, according to Dr. Fife.
Acne Study
Lauric acid from coconut oil kills the bacteria responsible for inflammatory acne, according to researchers from the University of California San Diego who reported their findings in the October 2010 issue of "Biomaterials." The antimicrobial action of the fatty lauric acids works as a bacteriacide against Propionibacterium acnes, the bacteria responsible for acne vulgaris and certain other inflammatory acnes. The researchers concluded lauric acid from coconut oil provides the strongest anti-bacterial activity, compared to palmitic acid and oleic acic. Because lauric acid is a natural compound from coconut oil and also a component of breast milk, the researchers suggest their formulation has the potential to be a safe and effective medication for these inflammatory acnes.
Treating Inflammation
Virgin coconut oil -- the oil in its unrefined form -- is processed without high heat or chemicals, which preserves its beneficial properties. Virgin coconut oil has anti-inflammatory effects on both recent and chronic ear and paw inflammation in rats, according to researchers from Payap University in Thailand who reported their findings in the February 2010 issue of "Pharmaceutical Biology." The potential for coconut oil's use as an anti-inflammatory agent in humans will require investigation.
Coconut Oil Anti-oxidants
Virgin coconut oil extracted by a wet process -- compared to dry-extracted coconut oil called copra oil -- exhibits anti-oxidant effects, according to researchers from the University of Kerala in India who published their findings in the "Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology." In a study involving cholesterol administered to rats, the researchers found that polyphenols from virgin coconut oil demonstrated significant radical-scavenging activity compared to copra oil. The researchers concluded that virgin coconut oil has greater potential benefits than copra oil in maintaining anti-oxidant status. Polyphenols are natural plant chemicals that help to neutralize free radicals, molecules that can damage cells and cause inflammation. This cell damage is associated with noticeable signs of aging and chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease, although further research is needed.
References
- Coconut Research Center; Coconut Oil and Medium-Chain Triglycerides; Bruce Fife, N.D.
- "Pharmaceutical Biology"; Anti-inflammatory, Analgesic and Antipyretic Activities of Virgin Coconut Oil; S. Intahphuak, et al.; February 2010
- "Biomaterials"; The Antimicrobial Activity of Liposomal Lauric Acids Against Propionibacterium Acnes; Darren Yang; et al.; October 2009
- "Canadian "Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology"; Wet and Dry Extraction of Coconut Oil: Impact on Lipid Metabolic and Antioxidant Status in Cholesterol Coadministered Rats; KG Nevin, et al.; August 2009
