# The Effects of Medium-Chain Triglyceride Oil and Butter on Lipid Profiles

## TL;DR

This study found no significant differences in lipid profiles between healthy adults who drank coffee with MCT oil and butter versus those who drank coffee alone.

## Contribution

The study evaluates the safety and effects of a popular 'healthy' coffee drink containing MCT oil and butter on lipid and metabolic markers in healthy adults.

## Key findings

- No significant differences in ApoB, LDL-C, HDL-C, or triglycerides between groups after 12 weeks.
- Hs-CRP levels decreased slightly in the MCT oil and butter group but not significantly.
- BMI and other anthropometric measures remained similar between groups.

## Abstract

Background and objective

Butter coffee drinks, mainly a form of a saturated fat diet, are widely accepted as a "healthy energy-boosting drink", especially in the young and healthy military population. The objective of our study was to determine the effects of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil and butter on lipid profile, especially apolipoprotein B (ApoB), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (HDL-C), and other risk factors for coronary heart disease, such as BMI, BP, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in healthy adults.

Materials and methods

We conducted a prospective study of 60 subjects who were randomized to one of the two following regimens: (1) coffee or (2) coffee with butter plus MCT oil combination. The primary outcome was the effect on ApoB. Secondary outcomes were as follows: non-HDL-C, LDL-C, triglycerides, BP, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, and HbA1c. These parameters were evaluated at the baseline and after 12 weeks. The Mann-Whitney U test was utilized for analysis of the results.

Results

While 60 subjects were recruited for the study, only 41 completed it, meeting the minimum required sample size (17 per group) necessary to achieve the desired effect size: 21 males (nine in the control group and 12 in the experimental group) and 20 females (10 in each group). Anthropometric measures were similar between the two groups at baseline, and so were age and BMI (average age: 33.00 ± 5.84 years among controls and 30.86 ± 6.14 years in the experimental group; BMI: 27.35 ± 4.63 kg/m2 vs. 25.74 ± 2.70 kg/m2). The pulse rate was 69.35 ± 10.98 in the control vs. 70.68 ± 10.32 bpm in the experimental group. The waist size was also similar in both groups. Baseline lab findings were as follows: ApoB: 89.85 ± 17.52 (control), 81.60 ± 12.84 mg/dL (experimental); hs-CRP: 0.18 ± 0.27 (control), 0.17 ± 0.27 mg/L (experimental); LDL-C 113.65 ±23.71 (control), 106.50 ± 18.99 mg/dL (experimental); HDL-C 57.35 ± 14.63 (control), 62.41 ± 16.15 mg/dL (experimental); and triglycerides: 76.00 ± 31.30 (control), 56.77 ± 14.77 mg/dL (experimental), and these values were similar. The values after 12 weeks of intervention were as follows: BMI: 27.37 ± 5.24 (control), 26.36 ± 3.55 (experimental); pulse rate: 78.88 ± 14.00 (control), 74.20 ± 11.90 bpm (experimental); ApoB 87.1 ± 17.38 (control), 85.7 ±20.59 mg/dL (experimental); hs-CRP 0.26 ± 0.22 (control), 0.15 ± 0.14 mg/L (experimental); LDL-C 111.59 ± 20.35 (control), 114.10 ± 26.99 mg/dL (experimental); HDL-C 57.71 ± 12.93 (control), 64.85 ± 13.32 mg/dL (experimental); and triglycerides: 74.71 ± 25.39 (control), 60.80 ± 15.77 mg/dL (experimental).

Conclusion

At a significance level of 5%, there was no difference between the two groups, either at the baseline or at 12 weeks of intervention. Based on our findings, adding MCT oil and butter to coffee may be safe. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and longer duration are needed to validate our findings.