Effects of medium-chain triglycerides on weight loss and body composition: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 25636220 · doi:10.1016/j.jand.2014.10.022
What was done
Authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials lasting longer than 3 weeks in healthy adults to evaluate the effects of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs, specifically C8:0 and C10:0) compared to long-chain triglycerides (LCTs). Databases were searched up to March 2014. The primary outcomes were weight loss and body composition parameters, with blood lipids analyzed as secondary outcomes. Mean differences were pooled using fixed-effects inverse variance models.
What was found
Across 13 trials (n=749), MCT intake compared to LCT intake resulted in statistically significant decreases in: - Body weight: -0.51 kg (95% CI -0.80 to -0.23 kg; P<0.001; I²=35%) - Waist circumference: -1.46 cm (95% CI -2.04 to -0.87 cm; P<0.001; I²=0%) - Hip circumference: -0.79 cm (95% CI -1.27 to -0.30 cm; P=0.002; I²=0%) - Total body fat: standard mean difference -0.39 (95% CI -0.57 to -0.22; P<0.001; I²=0%) - Total subcutaneous fat: standard mean difference -0.46 (95% CI -0.64 to -0.27; P<0.001; I²=20%) - Visceral fat: standard mean difference -0.55 (95% CI -0.75 to -0.34; P<0.001; I²=0%) No significant differences were identified in blood lipid levels.
Why it matters
Replacing dietary LCTs with MCTs may offer minor benefits for body composition and modest weight reduction without adversely impacting circulating lipid levels.
Limits
The total absolute weight loss was very small (-0.51 kg) across short-to-medium-term interventions. Many included studies lacked sufficient details for complete quality evaluation, commercial bias was detected, and individual trials varied substantially in intervention duration, MCT dosage, and control of total energy intake.
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