Coconut oil has been brought up a lot as a potential cure for Alzheimer’s disease lately.  Coconut oil has actually been making a serious comeback in the health food world lately. For years, many health enthusiasts shield away from it for one reason or another.

However, these days, it is gaining in popularity for several reasons. One of which is the fact that coconut oil contains a rich supply of medium chain triglycerides or MCTs, which are fats that the body can use as an energy source.

Alzheimer’s disease may be tied to a situation in which the brain cannot process glucose, its preferred source of energy. That is why some researchers have labeled Alzheimer’s as “diabetes of the brain” and there are evidence for this too.

The brain, like other cells in the body, needs insulin in order to process glucose. Insulin transports the glucose into your brain cells – kind of like a gatekeeper of sorts. When brain cells lack glucose, they die. This, in turn, could lead to brain damage and neurological diseases, like Alzheimer’s. Here is where coconut oil may come into play. The medium chain triglycerides found abundantly in coconut oil can be readily used by brain cells as a fuel source.

The liver transforms these triglycerides into ketones, which in turn are used as energy to support brain cell structure, function, and connections – all of which are important factors in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Unlike sugar, these ketones act independently of insulin.

The truth is that there is no clear answer yet. However, according to studies, medium chain triglycerides certainly seem to protect brain cells and improve cognitive function. Of course, more research is needed.

Text by Clinique Suisse

Stock Photos from BigStockPhoto.com
Source(s) :
http://www.cliniquesuisse.co.id