Abstract
Background Ketone bodies are a highly relevant topic in nutrition and medicine. The influence of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) on ketogenesis is well known and has been successfully used in ketogenic diets for many years. Nevertheless, the effects of MCTs and coconut oil on the production of ketone bodies have only partially been investigated. Furthermore, the increased mobilisation of free fatty acids and release of catabolic hormones by caffeine suggest an influence of caffeine on ketogenesis. Methods In a controlled, double-blind intervention study, seven young healthy subjects received 10 mL of tricaprylin (C8), tricaprin (C10), C8/C10 (50% C8, 50% C10), or coconut oil with or without 150 mg of caffeine, in 250 mL of decaffeinated coffee, over ten interventions. At baseline and after every 40 minutes, for 4 h, ßHB and glucose in capillary blood as well as caffeine in saliva were measured. Furthermore, questionnaires were used to survey sensory properties, side effects, and awareness of hunger and satiety. Results The interventions with caffeine caused an increase in ßHB levels—in particular, the interventions with C8 highly impacted ketogenesis. The effect decreased with increased chain lengths. All interventions showed a continuous increase in hunger and diminishing satiety. Mild side effects (total = 12) occurred during the interventions. Conclusions The present study demonstrated an influence of caffeine and MCT on ketogenesis. The addition of caffeine showed an additive effect on the ketogenic potential of MCT and coconut oil. C8 showed the highest ketogenicity.
Highlights
Coffee has been a popular beverage worldwide for centuries. ere are many reasons for coffee consumption, such as social aspects, wellbeing, enjoyment, and with increasing relevant positive health effects [1, 2]. e main active ingredient in coffee is caffeine, a trimethylated xanthine derivate belonging to the group of alkaloids [3]
Study Population. e criteria for inclusion were the absence of metabolic diseases, the absence of other chronic or acute diseases, nonsmoker, not pregnant, normal BMI, no intolerance to medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) or caffeine, no special nutrition habits, and no drug use or use of nutritional supplements in the 30 days prior to the start of the study
There were no significant differences between the area under the curve (AUC) of the interventions
Summary
Coffee has been a popular beverage worldwide for centuries. ere are many reasons for coffee consumption, such as social aspects, wellbeing, enjoyment, and with increasing relevant positive health effects [1, 2]. e main active ingredient in coffee is caffeine, a trimethylated xanthine derivate belonging to the group of alkaloids [3]. An increase in thermogenesis was described as early as 1915 and was confirmed in later studies [7,8,9,10] In this context, an increased lipolysis and the release of free fatty acids were described [10,11,12,13]. The increased mobilisation of free fatty acids and release of catabolic hormones by caffeine suggest an influence of caffeine on ketogenesis. Double-blind intervention study, seven young healthy subjects received 10 mL of tricaprylin (C8), tricaprin (C10), C8/C10 (50% C8, 50% C10), or coconut oil with or without 150 mg of caffeine, in 250 mL of decaffeinated coffee, over ten interventions. E interventions with caffeine caused an increase in ßHB levels—in particular, the interventions with C8 highly impacted ketogenesis. E addition of caffeine showed an additive effect on the ketogenic potential of MCT and coconut oil.
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