what are the benefits of lauric acid

However, lauric acid has a variety of health benefits, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and anticancer properties.They suggest that lauric acid could aid in weight loss and protect against Alzheimer’s disease, among other benefits. Its effects on blood cholesterol levels still need to be clarified.

Full Answer

What does lauric acid do for the body?

What Is Monolaurin?

• Overview. Monolaurin is a chemical derived from lauric acid and glycerin, and is a byproduct of coconut fat. ...
• Forms and doses. Monolaurin can be taken daily as a dietary supplement. ...
• Health benefits. ...
• Side effects and risks. ...
• The takeaway. ...

What are the medicinal uses of lauric acid?

Where to find lauric acid

• Coconut oil is white and solid below 75℉ (23.9°C). It’s liquid above that.
• It’s over 80 percent saturated fat.
• It contains caprylic acid, which can help treat yeast infections.

Is lauric acid good for your skin?

The strong bactericidal properties of lauric acid can be used to effectively and naturally treat acne. Studies have demonstrated that lauric acid works as an antibiotic treatment method against Propionibacterium bacteria that causes acne breakouts on the skin.

What is lauricidin good for?

Lauricidin is a naturally occuring, non-toxic solution for persistant viral and fungal infections such as herpes, shingles, and Epstein Barr, and candida. When used properly it can be one of the most effective tools in your natural arsenal against these stubborn infections.

How is lauric acid good for you?

Lauric acid is a medium-chain saturated fatty acid, also known as a medium-chain triglyceride (MCT). Typically, saturated fats are considered to be bad for your health. However, lauric acid has a variety of health benefits, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and anticancer properties.

What foods are high in lauric acid?

Lauric acid esters (principally triglycerides) are found only in vegetable fats, primarily from coconut milk and oil, laurel oil, and palm kernel oil. In contrast, myristic acid triglycerides occur in plants and animals, notably in nutmeg butter, coconut oil, and mammalian milk.

What is lauric acid for skin?

Lauric Acid Description. Lauric acid is one of several fatty acids found in coconut oil, babassu butter and other natural fats. It's a medium chain triglyceride (MCT) also naturally present in skin's oil. This fatty acid plays an important role in reinforcing skin's innate defenses by strengthening its microbiome.

Is lauric acid the same as coconut oil?

The primary fatty acid of coconut oil is lauric acid, which is present at approximately 45–53 %. The metabolic and physiological properties of lauric acid account for many of the properties of coconut oil. Coconut oil is rapidly metabolized because it is easily absorbed and lauric acid is easily transported.

Does lauric acid increase cholesterol?

Lauric acid raises total and LDL cholesterol concentrations compared with oleic acid, but is not as potent for increasing cholesterol concentrations as is palmitic acid.

Is lauric acid inflammatory?

The saturated fatty acid, lauric acid (C12:0) has been shown to possess antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties against P.

Is lauric acid an antifungal?

Lauric acid has also been shown to pos- sess antifungal activity and Rihakova etal. (2001) reported its activity against Aspergillus niger, while Bergsson et al. (2001) showed that it possessed in vitro activity against the mammalian pathogen Candida albicans.

What acid should I use on my face?

Glycolic acid is the most popular alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) used in skin care. It comes from sugar cane, and is the smallest AHA, so it's the most effective at getting into the skin.

Is lauric acid antibacterial?

Lauric acid, in particular, has been revealed to exhibit antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, S. pyogenes, Escherichia coli, H. pylori, and many others (Kabara et al., 1972; Rouse et al., 2005).

Is lauric oil healthy?

Interestingly, lauric acid itself has also been purported to have health benefits. While lauric acid has been shown to increase LDL cholesterol levels, it also raises HDL cholesterol levels, suggesting a potential heart-protective role of coconut oil.

Does coconut oil clog arteries?

Eating foods that contain coconut oil can increase your risk for heart problems. Fatty plaque buildup causes the artery walls to harden and narrow, making it difficult for blood to deliver the oxygen and nutrients your organs need.

Is it good to drink coconut oil in the morning?

Coconut oil, when consumed right in the morning, can leave one feeling energised. It also gives a kickstart to your metabolism for all that's about to come throughout the day. Another benefit of consuming coconut oil in the morning is that it can help curb your appetite and might play a part in weight management.

What is lauric acid used for?

Other uses for lauric acid include treatment of bronchitis , gonorrhea, yeast infections, chlamydia, intestinal infections caused by a parasite called Giardia lamblia, and ringworm. In foods, lauric acid is used as a vegetable shortening. In manufacturing, lauric acid is used to make soap and shampoo.

Is lauric acid safe for breast feeding?

Pregnancy and breast - feeding: Lauric acid is safe for pregnant and breast-feeding women in food amounts. But larger medicinal amounts should be avoided until more is known. There is some concern about using lauric acid during breast-feeding because lauric acid passes into breast milk. Stay on the safe side and stick with food amounts ...

Is lauric acid safe for ringworm?

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of lauric acid for these uses. Side Effects. Lauric acid is safe in amounts found in foods. But there isn’t enough information to know whether it is safer when used as a medicine. Special Precautions and Warnings.

Why is lauric acid important?

The reason this is important is because lauric acid is the precursor to a compound that does the body good – monolaurin. We are introduced to monolaurin as newborns and throughout infancy through human milk, and this compound serves as a strong antimicrobial agent and stabilizes mammalian cell walls. Monolaurin, ultimately, is the reason why you ...

Is lauric acid good for you?

3 Lauric Acid Benefits. 1. Acts as a Heart-Healthy Saturated Fat Without Links to Cardiovascular Disease. Even though fats may have gotten the A-OK from the government a few years ago, overall the jury’s still out concerning safe levels of consumption of saturated fats, as high levels of animal fat consumption are still associated ...

Does lauric acid cause fat accumulation?

Studies to date have been minimal, so more research certainly needs to be done, but there’s some indication that the way lauric acid and other medium chain fatty acids are quickly metabolized by the liver makes them less likely to contribute to fat accumulation than long chain fatty acids.

Does lauric acid diffuse?

While other fatty acids require carnitine to diffuse across the mitochondrial membrane in the liver, lauric acid diffuses freely across these membranes. This free diffusion without the aid of a carrier makes lauric acid is a highly efficient source of energy for the human body. 3. Acts as a Strong, Natural Antimicrobial.

Where does lauric acid go?

The majority of lauric acid is sent directly to the liver, where it’s converted to energy rather than stored as fat. When compared with other saturated fats, lauric acid contributes the least to fat storage.

Does lauric acid help with acne?

Lauric acid for acne. Because lauric acid has antibacterial properties, it’s been found to effectively combat acne. The bacteria Propionibacterium acnes are found naturally on the skin. When they overgrow, they lead to the development of acne. The results of a 2009 study found that lauric acid could reduce inflammation and the number ...

Does coconut oil contain lauric acid?

Because coconut oil contains much more than just lauric acid, it would be a stretch to credit lauric acid with all of coconut oil’s benefits. Still, a 2015 analysis proposed that many of the benefits tied to coconut oil are directly linked to lauric acid. They suggest that lauric acid could aid in weight loss and protect against Alzheimer’s ...

Can you ingest monolaurin?

Because it’s irritating and not found alone in nature, you can’t ingest lauric acid on its own. You’re most likely to get it in the form of coconut oil or from fresh coconuts. Fast facts about coconut oil.

Can you use lauric acid on your skin?

Lauric acid may be directly responsible for some of those benefits. Be mindful of how much fat you take in overall, but don’t hesitate to add coconut oil or lauric acid to your diet. Topical use may transform your skin care routine too. Try it: Shop for coconut oil or lauric acid. Last medically reviewed on February 22, 2019.

Lauric Acid in Coconut Oil

Lauric Acid Benefits. Coconut oil has been a staple for hundreds of years. It has always been used in tropical countries for dietary purposes, skin and nail care, moisturizers, and hair care.

Virgin Organic Oil Versus Refined Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a tropical oil. It is either classified as refined, bleached, or virgin coconut oil.

How to Use Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is resistant to oxidation which makes it a good oil to use for cooking. It also has a low smoke point which makes it suitable for shallow frying, but not deep frying. Overheating coconut oil can lead to potentially carcinogenic substances.

Coconut Oil Benefits and Heart Benefit

In these studies, all of the experiments were done on humans. The study included the consumption of edible coconut, coconut oil, coconut milk, and coconut cream.

Coconut Extra Virgin Oil Increases HDL and Decreases Waist Circumference

According to a study that was performed on people presenting with coronary artery disease, angina, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol.

Lauric Acid Side Effects

The only side effects reported for lauric acid are diarrhea and some skin problems when applied to the skin. Diarrhea usually happens when a person takes a large amount of coconut oil in the beginning. Overall, coconut oil is very safe.

Where to Buy Lauric Acid or Coconut Oil?

Since you can obtain coconut oil from Extra Virgin Coconut oil, there are a variety of places where you can buy coconut oil or lauric acid. One of the cheapest places to buy coconut oil is Amazon.

What is lauric acid used for?

This is where lauric acid comes in really handy and is used in a lot of anti-aging skincare products in the form of coconut oil or and palm kernel oil . Rich in saturated fatty acids, these oils help hydrate and condition your skin to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles for plump and youthful-looking skin.

What is the best way to get lauric acid?

Including coconut oil or coconut milk in your food is the best way to reap the benefits of lauric acid. Consuming food cooked in coconut oil helps repair and moisturise your skin from the inside, to keep it soft, supple and healthy from the outside.

Can you use lauric acid on sensitive skin?

A. “People with sensitive skin must use lauric acid with cau tion and if you have a known allergy to lauric acid or any product that contains this ingredient, then it is best to avoid using it”, warns Dr. Modi. It is always better to consult your dermatologist before including a new ingredient in your skincare routine.

Is lauric acid good for babies?

If you are a new mother, then it is important to feed your child breast milk, as it contains the highest amount of lauric acid at this stage. 3. Benefits of lauric acid. Dr. Modi says, “Lauric acid helps the skin by reducing inflammation and the bacteria present in the skin. It also helps in skin repairing and is commonly used for acne treatment.”.

Does lauric acid help with psoriasis?

Regularly using products enriched with lauric acid helps reduce conditions such as psoriasis. Additionally, lauric acid is well-known for its antimicrobial properties and is a natural way to fight against infection-causing bacteria. 2. Natural sources of lauric acid. 1.

Is lauric acid safe to use?

Modi says, “There isn't much data available on the side effects of lauric acid.” If you are unsure about using coconut oil or palm kernel oil in your skincare routine, then it is best to do a patch test before using it. If you do not notice any adverse reaction, then it is safe to be used in small proportions.

What is the most powerful antimicrobial?

Lauric acid is most well-known for its antimicrobial properties, since it’s the precursor to monolaurin, a more powerful antimicrobial agent that is able to fight viruses and bacterial infections..

Is lauric acid bad for you?

Typically, saturated fats are considered to be bad for your health. However, lauric acid has a variety of health benefits, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and anticancer properties.They suggest that lauric acid could aid in weight loss and protect against Alzheimer’s disease, among other benefits.

Does lauric acid help with bronchitis?

Its effects on blood cholesterol levels still need to be clarified. This.Other uses for lauric acid include treatment of bronchitis, gonorrhea, yeast infections, chlamydia, intestinal infections caused by a parasite called Giardia lamblia, and ringworm.

Is lauric acid good for hair?

In foods, lauric.Health Benefits of Lauric Acid from Coconut Oil Lauric acid in coconut oil has health benefits Coconut oil has grown in popularity as a nutritious oil that can be used to improve skin health and condition dry hair .Lauric Acid Benefits. Coconut oil has been a staple for hundreds of years.

Is lauric acid found in MCT oil?

. Unfortunately during this process, lauric acid is typically left behind, or can only be found in miniscule amounts this is because lauric acid is technically a psudeo-MCT, so it won’t be found in most MCT oils.. .