One the most common questions we get from new customers how to reduce upset stomach after consuming MCT oil.
Here are some basic guidelines that alleviate upset stomach after consuming MCT oils:
#1 Increase dose gradually.
Follow the instructions on the container to acclimate slowly to the recommended dose of 1-2 tbsp per day. If you were a habitual MCT oil consumer, but have taken some weeks off, please increase the dose gradually again. If you do not have a lot of body weight, you may need to decrease the dosage accordingly.
#2 Consume MCT oils with foods, not on an empty stomach.
Although MCT oils are more digestible than conventional long chain fats, they are still better absorbed and tolerated if we stimulate release of bile acid and bile salts into the intestine. Bile salts are released when dietary fats are consumed, and the emulsifiers in bile help the MCT oils to be optimally absorbed (more absorbed, faster absorbed) and tolerated (less acidic tasting on the tongue, reduced reflux).
Also, with food consumption, gastric-, and pancreatic lipases (enzymes that digest triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids) are released into the digestive tract, and this could aid in the amount and rate of absorption of C6-C10 fatty acids. Unlike longer chain triglycerides, MCTs can however be digested to C6-C10 fatty acids without lipase. Most of our customers have much better tolerance if they consume any foods at the same time as MCTs, but in some sensitive individuals we specially recommend longer chain fats be consumed just before the MCT oils. Dairy foods like yogurt, cereals with milk, and smoothies with some fat work nicely with MCTs as they provide both fat and emulsifying properties.
#3 We do not recommend adding MCT oils to coffee.
We know this is a popular trend…Even though MCTs have more water solubility than a typical fat or oil like a vegetable oil, they are still not well emulsified in an aqueous, acidic liquid like coffee. Thus, the MCTs are only partly emulsified in coffee, and this may cause more gastrointestinal discomfort and poorer absorption in our experience. If adding MCT oil to coffee works for you, then the adding of milk, creamers, milk fats and emulsifiers may also be beneficial.