Is the fashion of coconut oil in athletes justified?

“The rise of 'superfoods' and the Asian influences in Spanish cuisines have helped increase the popularity of coconut oil -a type of vegetable oil- in our country. However, the food industry already included it among its ingredients as it is a fat that has great stability and resistance, therefore, to rancidity. Extra virgin coconut oil, which is becoming more and more fashionable, is used in confectionery and also in dishes with exotic trends, for example," says Rocío Bueno, member of the Executive Board of the Official Association of Dietitians-Nutritionists of the Valencian Community (Codinucova).

Specifically, among athletes, the consumption of coconut oil is fashionable because “its fats provide a large amount of energy that would help sports performance. The largest fat composition of coconut oil comes from medium chain triglycerides (MCT) which, as such, has been a supplement used in the sports world for many years. However, we must not forget that coconut oil also contains other components, while the usual TCM sports supplements are one hundred percent of this component. This is how the dietitian-nutritionist tells it.

For her part, Cristina Petratti, medical doctor, nutritional coach and specialist in sports nutrition, affirms that this boom could come because "there are some scientific evidence studies that would be in favor of the use of unrefined extra virgin coconut oil in athletes" .

Petratti, author of the book Lose Weight, explains this approach below: “Coconut oil contains saturated fats called medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs). These MCFAs are absorbed through the intestine and transported in the blood through the hepatic portal system; in this way they 'skip' the fat deposits known as adipose tissue. They have an absorption process more similar to that of carbohydrates than that of fats. That is, they are less likely to be deposited in adipose tissue cells as accumulations of fat. Rather, they tend to be metabolized by a process called beta-oxidation and used as a source of energy."

The purpose would be for medium chain fatty acids to be an extremely efficient, high quality energy source ideal for people who train and compete.

The sports nutrition specialist mentions several studies (published in 2009 and 2010 in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition) that looked at the effect of fatty acids in coconut oil on sports. They concluded that:

"This could only be seen in people who train some kind of physical activity every day," Petratti points out.

Coconut oil benefits

According to Bueno, “coconut oil is made up of more than 80% saturated fats and there is scientific evidence that the substitution of saturated fatty acids for polyunsaturated fatty acids decreases the risk of coronary heart disease. On the other hand, lauric acid is a medium-long chain fatty acid that is present in a higher percentage in coconut oil. This type of fatty acids have studies in their favor in which they are attributed cardioprotective properties and improvements in the lipid profile”.

The dietitian-nutritionist goes on to explain that “both lauric and caprylic acid can help strengthen our immune system thanks to their antimicrobial properties. The prevention of cavities, the improvement of digestive problems or benefits against inflammatory processes are some of the properties attributed to this oil. In any case, there is a lack of studies that show clear results regarding the benefits that the use of one type of fat may have over others”.

Petratti lists and describes two possible benefits: loss of abdominal fat and reduction of heart disease.

Belly fat loss

"Currently, there is enough scientific evidence to be able to affirm that the MCFAs present in extra virgin coconut oil can be helpful if you are looking to lose weight," says the sports nutritionist, citing the results of an investigation.

In a study published in 2009 in the journal Lipids, conducted on 40 women with abdominal obesity, extra virgin coconut oil helped reduce waist circumference and improve other markers of health compared to other vegetable oils. In this study, in addition to increasing energy expenditure and promoting a feeling of satiety, extra virgin coconut oil can especially favor the loss of abdominal fat, the form of fat accumulation that is most harmful to your health.

reduction in heart disease

“The high content of saturated fats raises blood cholesterol (particularly LDL - the most harmful and easily oxidizable cholesterol). Interestingly, coconut oil can also raise HDL cholesterol (the good one), probably through the action of lauric acid, although not as much as unsaturated fatty acids,” explains Petratti.

However, one of the leading studies on saturated fat and heart disease (cited in Cochrane), found that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat resulted in a 27% reduction in heart disease.

It was observed that in populations that use coconut oil as part of their lifestyles, they seem to have lower rates of heart disease.

“Coconut oil provides cardiovascular health benefits in diets where it is eaten along with coconut fiber and along with many omega-3 lipids from fish. These diets are also low in highly refined carbohydrates and sugar,” says Petratti.

On the other hand, when there is a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern, specifically with olive oil consumption, lower rates of coronary heart disease, stroke and a lower risk of earlier mortality stand out.

Forms of consumption in athletes

Athletes consume coconut oil using it in cooking, as a salad dressing, and in fruit and vegetable smoothies. “Adding a teaspoon of coconut oil gives you medium-chain fatty acids and powerful antioxidants, giving you energy for long workouts,” says Petratti.

The Codinucova expert delves into the versatility of coconut oil. “It can be used in many ways, from salads to pastries to cooked dishes. Of course, it could also be consumed in smoothies, although in the end this depends a bit on the tastes of each one. We could even use it to fry, since, being a saturated fat, it has great stability and, therefore, it would serve as frying oil; but, we should limit this type of preparations and advocate more for extra virgin olive oil in case of punctual consumption”.

In addition, it is marketed in capsules like other sports supplements.

Does it influence greater sports performance?

Regarding when coconut oil should be taken to improve sports performance, Petratti explains that "there is no specific and proven time with which the best performance is achieved, but it is important to associate it with daily consumption in training, since in every athlete performs differently. That will depend on your basal metabolism, frequency and duration of exercise, since this oil is not effective enough as an ergogenic aid.

What's more, specifies Bueno, “sports performance must be individualized and personalized, since each type of sport and, in general, each athlete must attend to their needs. In the end, we are talking about a fat that will provide us with energy and that, thanks to its nutritional composition, will be easily digestible and that is what athletes must take into account when looking for the best way to consume it, as well as the best moment. In any case, anyone who wants to start in sport and wants to accompany their activity with a nutritional plan should go to a Nutrition specialist to design a personalized plan”.

Does coconut oil have more calories than other types of oils?

“The different oils contain between 7 to 9 kilocalories per gram, therefore there are no great caloric differences with that of sunflower, corn, olive, etc. Therefore, my recommendation is to combine both in a balanced eating pattern,” advises Petratti.

Bueno emphasizes this idea, commenting that, “taking into account that we are talking about fats, there are no great caloric differences between coconut oil and other vegetable fats. What varies is its composition: in this type of oil, saturated fats prevail, while, for example, in olive oil its greatest composition is unsaturated fats”.