Journal of Future Foods (Mar 2022)
Coconut oil as a therapeutic treatment for alzheimer's disease: a review
Abstract
The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) which is also known as the “Tree of life” has its own values in each part of the tree and coconut oil is more prestigious among them. At present, the consumption of coconut oil is booming all around the world owing to its tremendous health benefits. The unique chemical composition of coconut oil enriched with medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) has led to the exploration of these nutritional and therapeutic influences. Unlike the long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), the MCFAs generated from the digestion of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) has a specific pathway for the metabolism, as it bypasses the lymphatic system and enter the liver directly through the portal vein. Due to such distinct attributes in absorption and metabolism, MCTs are readily capable of forming ketone bodies than other triglycerides. These ketone bodies are a competent energy source for the brains, especially those having cognitive impairments like Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is a neurodegenerative disease characterized clinically by accelerating shortfalls in memory and behavioral changes. The principal biochemical hallmarks behind the pathogenesis of AD are the development of extracellular amyloid β plaques and the accumulation of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. Occurrence of Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) with elevated LDL levels, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and insulin resistance are some key risk factors that are responsible for the increasing prevalence and incidence of AD. There is sufficient evidence to prove that MCTs in coconut oil are metabolized and absorbed in such a way that retards the severity of these physiological risk factors. Besides, coconut oil is endowed with many polyphenolic compounds that are serving as antioxidants by combating oxidative stress and inflammation, which in turn downregulates the etiology of AD. But depending on the different processing conditions applied in extraction techniques of coconut oil, variations in antioxidant capacity can take place. Even though there are inadequacies in peer-reviewed large cohort clinical data for the long run, this article reviews that coconut oil, its constituents, and metabolism have positive findings on the potentiality to treat AD as a nutritional supplement.
