MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides) and brain
What 4 graded rows on mct oil (medium-chain triglycerides) agree on for brain, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides) page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides) and brain
4 rows · 1,088 peopleSplit. 2 rows found an improvement and 2 had mixed results.
- CGrade C× 1
- DGrade D× 3
- Rows
- 4
- Trials
- 7
- People
- 1,088
- Pooled reviews may count some twice
What the rows share
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade C, is a meta-analysis of 848 people (2023) and found an improvement.
The rows run from 36 to 848 people, published from 2009 to 2026: 1 pooled review and 3 single studies.
The rows
2 improved · 2 mixed- CGrade CGeneral cognition in mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease · Improved
Meta-analysis, 4 studies · n 848 · 2023 · People with mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease in 10 trials (8 of MCT, 2 of coconut oil)
Varied by trial · Varied by trial
General cognition improved versus placebo (SMD 0.64, 95% CI 0.05 to 1.24), but memory, language and attention did not; the effect was larger in APOE4 non-carriers (SMD 1.87).
Row on the MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides) page · PubMed 37248908 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DInhibitory control and working memory in young adults · Improved
RCT · n 36 · 2026 · Young adults (mean age 21) in Japan
12 g/day · Single dose and 4 weeks
A single 12 g dose improved inhibitory control versus olive oil, and after 4 weeks working memory was better than with olive oil (P = 0.04); the single-dose gain did not persist.
Row on the MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides) page · PubMed 41443401 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DCognition in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease · Mixed
RCT · n 152 · 2009 · Adults with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (USA)
Daily dose of AC-1202 · 90 days
ADAS-Cog 1.9 points better than placebo at day 45 (ITT); larger differences were confined to APOE4 non-carriers. Serum beta-hydroxybutyrate rose.
Row on the MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides) page · PubMed 19664276 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DBrain ketone uptake and cognition in mild cognitive impairment · Mixed
RCT · n 52 · 2019 · Adults with mild cognitive impairment (Canada)
30 g/day · 6 months
Brain ketone metabolism rose 230% while glucose uptake was unchanged; episodic memory, language, executive function and processing speed improved versus baseline. 75% completed.
Row on the MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides) page · PubMed 31027873 (opens PubMed)