The impact of medium-chain triglycerides on weight loss and metabolic health in individuals with overweight or obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Hui He Clin Nutr VOLUME 43, ISSUE 8, P1755-1768, AUGUST 2024
Backgrounds
The efficacy of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) for weight management and mitigating metabolic disorders among individuals with overweight and obesity remains a topic of ongoing discussion. Notably, there is a gap in the distinction between pure MCTs and medium-long-chain triglycerides (MLCTs).
Methods
This meta-analysis investigates the efficacy of MCTs on weight loss and glucolipid metabolism in these populations, explicitly evaluating the differential effects of pure MCTs and MLCTs. We performed a random-effects meta-analysis on relevant studies examining weight loss and glucolipid parameters, incorporating a subgroup analysis conducted based on intervention types, pure MCTs versus MLCTs.
Results
Our findings revealed diets enriched with MCTs are more effective in achieving weight reduction (WMD: −1.53%; 95% CI: −2.44, −0.63; p < 0.01), particularly those containing pure MCTs (WMD: −1.62%; 95% CI: −2.78, −0.46; p < 0.01), compared to long-chain fatty acids (LCTs) enriched diets. However, our subgroup analysis indicates that an MLCTs-enriched diet did not significantly reduce weight loss. Additionally, MCTs-enriched diets were associated with significant reductions in blood triglyceride levels and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) scores, compared to LCTs-enriched diets.
Conclusions
Hence, the authors recommend incorporating pure MCTs in dietary interventions for individuals with overweight and obesity, particularly those with comorbidities such as dyslipidemia and impaired glucose metabolism.