@Kirsty_Millington Kirsty, welcome to the forum. I hope to hear you feel better soon, ideally before you get time to read this!
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing? I’ve noticed MCT products on the shelf for quite a while and never even thought to buy/eat any of them. I’m curious, too.
It’s a liquid saturated fat. You could use liquid coconut cooking oil instead of PUFA-rich oils. Sprinkled on salad, for example. I use it in cream/casein mixes I make for ‘desserts’, sometimes in my ‘creamy bone broth’ instead of cacao butter. You could cook with it as well, but I don’t.
Is there any concern about how it is refined?
How is liquid coconut oil rendered liquid?
Not sure about the refinement question. They process the fat so that it comes out as a liquid. That is, the properties of the fat make it a liquid.
I will use it sometimes in cooking, but don’t see the need to take it.
Here is a pretty good run down on the refining process:
Fractionated ( liquid ) coconut oil has the least aroma and flavor of coconut oils. It does not have the same health benefits as regular coconut oil, because the good-for-you fatty acids are the ones removed during the fractionating process.
The " refined " stuff sounds scary to me… Bleaching ? Deoderizing?
I don’t know. The only stuff I can handle (not sure about some of the stuff I see recommended above - haven’t tried it) is the pure C8 stuff.
It doesn’t say how they get it, though.
There is some evidence that MCT helps weight loss, not sure by how much though. Some evidence they help increase ketones (though I did not see that). Some people might get a “rush” (boost in energy) from them. I can’t confirm that, but it’s also been a while since I’ve tried them.
If you take care of an older person who is losing memories, MCT oil can supposedly help.
My advice is to try them and see what you think. If they are a benefit, keep them. If not, ditch them.
I know when I first started skipping bfast and then lunch, I added bulletproof coffee of coconut oil and butter as a “breakfast”. That helped allay my fears of “dying of hunger” before dinner. After a while, I dropped the BP coffee and was okay, then started multiple-day fasts and was perfectly fine.
I’m still looking for that elixir that will turn me into Ted Naiman. I haven’t found it yet, though. 
I think the various fractions are separated by heating and pure coconut is solid below about 70 F so we’re not talking about much heat. I’m at work now and don’t have the opp to find out. Will do so after I get home later.
I have a heart valve condition, and take diuretics as a result. This causes me to be low in minerals often, it’s a constant juggling of supplementation.
Low magnesium will give me heart palpitations.
I decided to post my findings (so far) in another topic, rather than side track this one with a technical discussion about MCT oil.
When I first got into low carb eating, it was via the BulletProof diet so I was sold on BP coffee. (Never used the branded products, though - just generic C8 MCT oil)
I got very into MCT oil supplements and it was mostly uneventful. I can confirm that acute overconsumption leads to an urgent need to find a bathroom.
Thank you for reporting on the potential cardiac effects. I had not known that was a possible side effect for some people.
Thank you for sharing. I was online looking for natural energy, joints and hair growth and I saw someone recommended it on IG. I ordered this Collagen Coconut MCT that was good for all of the above. After a week of taking 1 scoop a day, I noticed heart palpitations. I didn’t know what the cause was until like you, I asked myself what am I eating/drinking different. I did my online research as you did and sure enough along with other MCT side effects there was the heart palpitations.
Thank God I realized it was the MCT. I was going to the ER with know real diagnosis, just Dr. Saying to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.
Thank you again.
This is one of the most interesting posts that I have found in so far as MCT oil and heart palpitations are concerned; thank you. I recently started taking one teaspoon full of MCT oil with my coffee. (I drink two cups per day but only took the MCT oil with the first cup of the day). I noticed that I was suddenly overall weaker on my rowing machine and, when out running, a distinctively weaker feeling came across my upper chest. When lying down and preparing for sleep, I was aware that my heart was irregular and, for no apparent reason, feelings of anxiety built within me. This all came to a crescendo last week while I was driving on the motorway. My heart was accelerating and my forearms became so weak that I could barely grip the steering wheel. I was feeling feint, too. I managed to get my car over onto a Lay-by where I rested until I felt confident enough to drive to a nearby Accident and Emergency centre. After a day of tests which include two ECG’s and three blood tests I was discharged, but the Consultant was unable to diagnose precisely what had caused my symptoms. Since returning from hospital I neglected to include MCT oil in my coffee and have been feeling absolutely fine…until today, that is. Having taking a teaspoon full this morning I am feeling absolutely jittery, my heart is all over the place - so to speak - and even though I am usually very calm and relaxed, I am feeling anxious. Needless to say I have just poured £18.00’s worth of MCT oil down the drain and will return to good old butter to fortify my morning coffee!! Thanks again to Robinette71 for the initial post - it has been invaluable to me!!
Wow Raindown, lucky you found out the problem. Interesting how using food instead of the supplements has worked out better. I’m a fan of butter!
And Welcome to the forums!
I got a “rush” from MCT oil, but is was not in energy.
One time I thought I would try some pre-run to see if it gave me more energy for the workout. I had to return home after the first 100 yards.
I have the same issue, coming from Europe, MCT oil causes me heart arythmia, which is very scary. When I stopped MCT no more arrhythmias. But my heart rate remains elevated by about 10-15bpm always, at rest or exercising
Wow even now I never actually connected the MCT to what I got diagnosed as “panic attacks” while driving, I got the exact same reaction as Raindown above… it went away with time and some pills to help me calm down a bit. But I was having it when I went to bed too at times, feeling my heard racing and waking up with a jolt feeling like I was sure my heart was about to stop… very unsettling. Haven’t had any of these symptoms for a while now, and guess what, I also haven’t had any MCT…
Started taking some again lately as I got back on the Keto diet after a period of regular eating, and realizing that I just wasn’t feeling good and wanted to get back on the train, so to speak.
I don’t use much, maybe a teaspoon and only once every other day or so, but seeing this thread was such an illuminating moment, and I will either get rid of all of it now, or maybe in a week or so, try a very low dose and see how that goes, as I know in the beginning I felt really good on it. It kind of warmed up my core it felt like, in a good way… but maybe that was just the effect of the Keto diet kicking in, I don’t really know for sure.
Thanks for sharing this, have a good one and take care people. 
Really not a good idea, as I hope you’ve realised.
It’s not necessary at all.
How long did it take for the heart palpitations to go away? When I started feeling a little off and having heart palpitations the past week I traced it to the possibility of me ingesting MCT oil in my smoothies the week prior along with a generous amount of coconut oil with a dessert I had made last week. My blood pressure and heart palpitations we’re pretty severe yesterday so I had to go to the ER. Any advice on how to get rid of the heart palpitations would be greatly appreciated.
If you’ve stopped taking the MCT & coconut oil and are still getting issues then they cannot be the cause.
