Supplementation of Regular Diet With Medium-Chain Triglycerides for Procognitive Effects: A Narrative Review
It is now widely accepted that ketosis (a physiological state characterized by elevated plasma ketone body levels) possesses a wide range of neuroprotective effects. There is a growing interest in the use of ketogenic supplements, including medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), to achieve intermittent k...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.934497/full |
| _version_ | 1818521569457078272 |
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| author | Ksenia Shcherbakova Alexander Schwarz Sergey Apryatin Marina Karpenko Alexander Trofimov |
| author_facet | Ksenia Shcherbakova Alexander Schwarz Sergey Apryatin Marina Karpenko Alexander Trofimov |
| author_sort | Ksenia Shcherbakova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It is now widely accepted that ketosis (a physiological state characterized by elevated plasma ketone body levels) possesses a wide range of neuroprotective effects. There is a growing interest in the use of ketogenic supplements, including medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), to achieve intermittent ketosis without adhering to a strict ketogenic diet. MCT supplementation is an inexpensive and simple ketogenic intervention, proven to benefit both individuals with normal cognition and those suffering from mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and other cognitive disorders. The commonly accepted paradigm underlying MCT supplementation trials is that the benefits stem from ketogenesis and that MCT supplementation is safe. However, medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) may also exert effects in the brain directly. Moreover, MCFAs, long-chain fatty acids, and glucose participate in mutually intertwined metabolic pathways. Therefore, the metabolic effects must be considered if the desired procognitive effects require administering MCT in doses larger than 1 g/kg. This review summarizes currently available research on the procognitive effects of using MCTs as a supplement to regular feed/diet without concomitant reduction of carbohydrate intake and focuses on the revealed mechanisms linked to particular MCT metabolites (ketone bodies, MCFAs), highlighting open questions and potential considerations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:52:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d99ca50c452449c093358121f878335f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-861X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T01:52:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj.art-d99ca50c452449c093358121f878335f2022-12-22T01:24:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2022-07-01910.3389/fnut.2022.934497934497Supplementation of Regular Diet With Medium-Chain Triglycerides for Procognitive Effects: A Narrative ReviewKsenia Shcherbakova0Alexander Schwarz1Sergey Apryatin2Marina Karpenko3Alexander Trofimov4I.P. Pavlov Department of Physiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, RussiaLaboratory of the Molecular Mechanisms of Neuronal Interactions, Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry (RAS), Saint Petersburg, RussiaI.P. Pavlov Department of Physiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, RussiaI.P. Pavlov Department of Physiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, RussiaI.P. Pavlov Department of Physiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Saint Petersburg, RussiaIt is now widely accepted that ketosis (a physiological state characterized by elevated plasma ketone body levels) possesses a wide range of neuroprotective effects. There is a growing interest in the use of ketogenic supplements, including medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), to achieve intermittent ketosis without adhering to a strict ketogenic diet. MCT supplementation is an inexpensive and simple ketogenic intervention, proven to benefit both individuals with normal cognition and those suffering from mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease, and other cognitive disorders. The commonly accepted paradigm underlying MCT supplementation trials is that the benefits stem from ketogenesis and that MCT supplementation is safe. However, medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) may also exert effects in the brain directly. Moreover, MCFAs, long-chain fatty acids, and glucose participate in mutually intertwined metabolic pathways. Therefore, the metabolic effects must be considered if the desired procognitive effects require administering MCT in doses larger than 1 g/kg. This review summarizes currently available research on the procognitive effects of using MCTs as a supplement to regular feed/diet without concomitant reduction of carbohydrate intake and focuses on the revealed mechanisms linked to particular MCT metabolites (ketone bodies, MCFAs), highlighting open questions and potential considerations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.934497/fullketosismedium-chain fatty acidsmedium-chain triglyceridescardiometabolic healthneuroprotectionprocognitive activity |
| spellingShingle | Ksenia Shcherbakova Alexander Schwarz Sergey Apryatin Marina Karpenko Alexander Trofimov Supplementation of Regular Diet With Medium-Chain Triglycerides for Procognitive Effects: A Narrative Review Frontiers in Nutrition ketosis medium-chain fatty acids medium-chain triglycerides cardiometabolic health neuroprotection procognitive activity |
| title | Supplementation of Regular Diet With Medium-Chain Triglycerides for Procognitive Effects: A Narrative Review |
| title_full | Supplementation of Regular Diet With Medium-Chain Triglycerides for Procognitive Effects: A Narrative Review |
| title_fullStr | Supplementation of Regular Diet With Medium-Chain Triglycerides for Procognitive Effects: A Narrative Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Supplementation of Regular Diet With Medium-Chain Triglycerides for Procognitive Effects: A Narrative Review |
| title_short | Supplementation of Regular Diet With Medium-Chain Triglycerides for Procognitive Effects: A Narrative Review |
| title_sort | supplementation of regular diet with medium chain triglycerides for procognitive effects a narrative review |
| topic | ketosis medium-chain fatty acids medium-chain triglycerides cardiometabolic health neuroprotection procognitive activity |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.934497/full |
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