Best MCT Oil 2023: Ultimate Guide to the Top MCT Oil Supplements

Today's top MCT oil supplement delivers clean performance fuel from organic coconuts.

Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) supplements remain red-hot this year.

A versatile supplement, MCT oil can deliver many different benefits that are in demand today. The benefits of a high-quality MCT oil include:

• Performance vitality: MCT oil's clean, jitter-free energy support enhances athletic and cognitive performance
• Mitochondria enhancement: Boosting and protecting cells' powerhouses helps energy and health
• Brain health and cognition: MCTs have unique nootropic benefits for mental energy and brain function
• Keto and fasting support: MCT's are popularly used to initiate ketosis and boost energy on a calorie deficit
• Weight loss: Appetite control and calorie-burning appear to be enhanced with MCT oil

Here's the challenge: Some brands of MCT oil supplements on the market today are low-quality. As a result, MCT oil is sometimes linked with digestive side effects that make it hard to take every day.¹

This is important, as the greatest benefits of MCT oil use always come after consistent, daily use.

When choosing the best MCT supplement, you need the right MCTs in a clean oil that's easy on the stomach. This helps you get the consistent daily MCT oil intake associated with the best performance-enhancing benefits.

This guide discusses what to look for in MCT oil, and highlights the best MCT oil product on the market today.

What to look for in a top MCT Oil

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are beneficial fats. There are four MCTs, which are differentiated by their number of carbon atoms.

MCTs are 6, 8, 10 or 12 carbon atoms in length. Long-chain triglycerides that are more common in our diets (such as olive oil) are, by comparison, 12 to 18 carbon atoms long.

The four medium-chain triglycerides are:²

1. C6 – Caproic Acid
2. C8 – Caprylic Acid
3. C10 – Capric Acid
4. C12 – Lauric Acid

MCT supplements are most commonly sourced from coconuts, which naturally contain all four MCTs.

But there's a big problem with straight-up coconut oil as an MCT source: Digestive side effects.

You may have already heard of coconut oil causing indigestion, diarrhea and other gastric discomfort. This is attributed to the C6 ad C12 MCTs, which are more difficult for the body to process.

For easiest digestion and best health-supportive activity, look for C8 (Caprylic Acid) + C10 (Capric Acid) MCT oil.

Of the four MCTs, C8+C10 are the two most associated with evidence-backed benefits demonstrated in clinical studies and research reviews.

C8+C10 and the ketones that they raise combine to help several aspects of performance and all-round health.

Together, C8 + C10 form a 2X performance stack found in the best MCT supplements, including the:

Best MCT Oil for Energy

MCTs bypass digestion. Instead they are directly transported directly from the stomach to the liver. Here, they are converted into ketone bodies, or ketones.³

Many MCT health and performance benefits are attributed to MCTs' ability to raise ketones.

Glucose is the body's main fuel for generating cell energy.

Ketones are the body's alternative fuel source for energy.

Of the four MCTs, C8 + C10 are regarded as fast-acting fuel for powering the brain and body.

Since C8+C10 MCTs bypass digestion, they are absorbed quickly and converted efficiently into ketone bodies.

MCT oil energy support may be particularly useful for people who have high energy demands, and situations where the usual glucose fuel may be limited, including:

• Athletes to boost power for high-intensity training and fasted training
• Anyone on a calorie deficit, in ketosis or low on glucose
• People looking for a mental energy boost that works fast and does not use caffeine or stimulatory pathways
• Dieters seeking natural vitality to counter the brain fog and fatigue that sometimes accompanies weight loss

Beyond fueling cells' mitochondria powerhouses to optimize energy production, MCTs may help with healthy mitochondrial function.

• Researchers suggest MCTs may enhance athletic performance by stimulating production of fresh new mitochondria (called biogenesis) and optimizing mitochondria metabolism.⁴

MCTs' mitochondria-supportive bioactivities may help to promote peak energy at a cellular level, potentially helping to revitalize body, mind and overall health.

Best MCT Oil for Keto Diets

Ketogenic diets work by restricting glucose so the body switches over to ketones as its main source of energy.

When glucose gets low enough, the body liberates ketones from stored fat as a backup battery.

This means that C8+C10 increase levels of ketones more efficiently than C6+C12. They also have other advantages over C6+C12, such as the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.

If you are dealing with keto fog, low energy or loss of motivation on your ketogenic diet, C8+C10 MCT Oil can help restore the vitality you need to succeed.

MCT Oil with C8+C10 may also help you enter a ketosis faster.

Typically, once you start a ketogenic diet, it can take a few days to get into ketosis. Then, the pounds start melting off.

The days leading up to ketosis can be brain foggy and low-energy, making it hard to be your best. MCT oil may help:

• Researchers suggest MCT oil may accelerate entry into ketosis and reduce unpleasant side effects associated with ketosis.⁶

Ketogenic dieting can be hard. But with C8+C10 MCT oil, it can be a lot more easier -- and a lot more successful. Not only can the best MCT oil help you get into ketosis faster, it can reduce brain fog and boost energy levels while you're in ketosis.

MCT oil also supplies additional nutritional benefits that can help you shed more pounds while on a ketogenic (or any other) diet. More on that in our next section.

Best MCT Oil for Weight Loss: Stim-Free Fat Burning

MCTs are fats, but they are distinct from the fats you may be used to.

Unlike dietary long-chain fats, MCTs are absorbed so quickly and metabolized so efficiently that they are harder to store as body fat.

And, C8+C10 MCTs are fats that help you burn fat, with research backed benefits for:

• Appetite control: Help you to eat less on any diet⁷
• Thermogenesis: MCTs trigger a rise in body heat that helps you burn more calories⁸
• May speed up the rate at which weight is lost⁹

No matter what diet you may be following for weight loss, C8+C10 MCTs can help you to shed more pounds faster and more comfortably. This makes a high quality MCT oil one of the best supplements you can use for weight loss.

Best MCT Oil for Brain Health and Cognitive Function: Boosting Brainpower

Medium-chain triglycerides’ role in fueling brain cells can help to maintain mental energy without the use of stimulants.

But MCTs can do a lot more for the brain.

In fact, the most abundant evidence for MCT brain health centers on medium-chain triglycerides' ability to optimize brain cells' mitochondria.

By helping these brain cell powerhouses to produce energy more efficiently, MCTs -- especially C8+C10 MCT oil -- help to enhance brain energy.

C8+C10 MCT oil optimizes brain cells' powerhouse mitochondria.¹⁰

Healthy brain mitochondrial function is associated with peak cognitive performance and long-range brain health.¹¹

Beyond brain energy, MCT oil also appears to function as a direct brainpower-boosting nootropic.

C8+C10 may be especially effective as a nootropic stack because they are so good at raising ketones.

Ketones, in turn, have been shown in human clinical research to to improve vigilance and enhance cognitive performance.¹²

Sport, strength, endurance: Best MCT Oil for Athletes

C8+C10 MCT oil is the best medium-chain triglyceride supplement for athletes.

MCT oil may be taken as pre-workout performance fuel. In this use, MCT oil supplies the energy benefits discussed above.

But MCT oil appears to have additional athletic performance-enhancing benefits beyond energy.

Researchers have suggested taking MCT supplements for 2 weeks helps athletes to:

• Extend their reps and muscle strength by blunting fatigue-inducing lactic acid;
• Increase stamina in athletes performing high-intensity exercise
• Improve endurance capacity
• Make exercise feel easier; athletes report reduction in feelings of exertion during training

Researchers reported MCT helped to enhance athletic performance in moderate-intensity exercise and boosted endurance in high-intensity exercise.¹³

Best MCT Oil for Coffee, Foods and Drinks: Upgrade your morning coffee

Keto coffee and keto tea preparations have gained popularity among ketogenic dieters because they supply fats (including medium-chain triglycerides) that help to control appetite, promote energy and maintain mental clarity.

Performance Lab® MCT Oil is the best MCT oil for coffee because its C8+C10 are just the most effective and easiest-on-the-stomach -- sourced from organic, non-GMO coconuts and 3X distilled for purity.

Ultraclean Performance Lab® MCT is taste and smell neutral. This means it does not alter the flavor of coffee like many low quality MCT oil brands. It does add a silky texture that can replace conventional creamers and powders.

Clean, flavor-neutral Performance Lab® MCT Oil isn't just for coffee. It goes great with everything: Shakes, smoothies, dressings and drizzled over any other foods as a functional fat.

MCT Oil Dosage: How much MCT oil per day?

The optimal serving size of MCTs is 12.2 g total medium-chain triglycerides per 1 tablespoon, with 7.1 g as C8 (Caprylic Acid) and 5.1 g as C10 (Capric Acid). Take 1-2 tablespoons of MCT daily for maximum benefits.

If you have a sensitive stomach, start with a teaspoon of MCT oil and gradually work your way up to optimal 2 tablespoons per day dosage.

However, it is more important that you use MCT oil consistently to support healthy energy levels, cognitive funtion and fat metabolism than it is to stick to a certain dose per day. One tablespoon of MCT oil per day for several motnhs is much more effective than two tablespoons per day for a few weeks!

Top-Quality MCT Oil must be clean, pure, organic and easy on the stomach

MCT supplements can help you in many different ways. But if they trigger indigestion and gastric distress, you're less likely to continue taking it to realize their true benefits.

Inferior MCT oil products may be:

• Made from genetically modified (GMO) coconuts
• Sourced from cheap, eco-destructive palm oil
• Hydrogenated (containing unhealthy trans fats)
• Associated with a range of distressing gastric side effects
• Mostly C6+C12, the two harshest, least effective MCTs
• Prone to going rancid

MCT oils can't help you if they trigger gastric distress, taste bad, or simply don't fit with your clean lifestyle.

When shopping for the best MCT oil, it is important to look for clean quality.

Now let's move on to the one ultimate MCT oil performance fuel that meets all of the most important quality criteria and delivers the best possible benefits.

MCT combines effectively with other Performance Lab® formulas

Conclusion

MCT oil is one of the most versatile performance supplements you can take, with research-backed benefits for athletics, cognition, fat loss and many other aspects of overall health.

Unfortunately, many MCT oil supplements on the market are low quality. They may be made from genetically modified coconuts, hydrogenated into unhealthy trans fats, chemically processed with hexanes, and can even go rancid.

Performance Lab® MCT is your ultimate MCT oil upgrade: Beneficial C8+C10 MCTs only, sourced from 100% organic non-GMO coconuts, extracted with hexane-free technology and 3X distilled for purity.

Performance Lab® MCT is the cleanest, healthiest, most effective MCT oil supplement on the market this year. But it's not available at Amazon, Walgreens, CVS, Target or Walmart. You can only buy it in one place: Right here.