Coconut Oil Improves Cholesterol and Weight in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

by | Apr 16, 2018 | 2015, Blood Lipids, Cardiovascular Health, Fats and Oils - General

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Extra virgin coconut oil significantly reduced abdominal fat and significantly increased serum levels of HDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein A in the participating subjects with coronary artery disease compared to the control group.

coconut oilIn patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), the adoption of healthier eating habits, involving a balanced intake of healthy fats, fiber, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, can translate to almost a 50% decrease in mortality rate 1,2. Despite the importance of maintaining a healthy lipid profile and adequate body weight, data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey indicates that patients with CAD have very poor compliance to dietary treatments designed to reduce risk for future cardiovascular events 3. On the other hand, the incorporation of a few key functional foods into the daily diet of at-risk patients appears to offer critical benefits for lipid profile and is also associated with better compliance rates when compared to other nutritional interventions 4. In this context, extra virgin coconut oil, extracted from the fresh milk of coconut and left unrefined, is a particularly valuable functional food. Extra virgin coconut oil has shown positive effects on body fat due to its high content of medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) and high concentrations of auric acid (a source of vitamin E) and polyphenols (known for their antioxidant activity) 5-7. However, as a rich source of saturated fat, its impact on lipid profile remains controversial 8. In a study based out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2015), researchers conducted a trial examining the dietary effects of extra virgin coconut oil on anthropometric measurements and lipid profile 9.

A total of 116 men and women (aged 45-85), presenting with CAD (myocardial infarction and/or stable angina), were recruited as participants in a non-randomized, 6-month, longitudinal study. Patients participated in an intensive nutritional treatment designed to standardize their food intake for the first three months, after which they were randomly allocated to either continue the diet (diet group, DG) or participate in a diet rich in extra virgin coconut oil (coconut oil diet group, CODG) for an additional three months. CODG received extra virgin coconut oil in sachets containing 13 mL, totaling 90 sachets per patient, and were instructed to consume one sachet per day, alone or added to fruit. On a monthly basis, researchers assessed anthropometric measurements (body mass, waist circumference, neck circumference, body mass index), and fasting blood samples were collected and analyzed for serum levels of total cholesterol, apoproteins (main protein components in cholesterol), glucose, glycated hemoglobin, and insulin.

Data revealed a significant decrease in weight (-0.6 +/- 1.8 kg), body mass index (-0.2 +/- 0.7 kg/m2), neck circumference (-0.4 +/- 0.9 cm), and waist circumference (-2.1+/- 2.7 cm) for the coconut oil group from baseline to the end of the intervention (p < 0.01 for all), with a statistically significant difference between CODG and DG for waist circumference (p < 0.01). In addition, a significant increase in serum concentrations of HDL cholesterol (“good” cholesterol) (3.1 +/- 7.4 mg/ld., p < 0.01) and Apo (associated with HDL cholesterol) (4.7 +/- 12.7 mg/ld., p = 0.01) was apparent for CODG, with a significant between-group difference reported for HDL cholesterol (p < 0.01).

Findings indicate that the incorporation of extra virgin coconut oil, at a minimum dosage of 13 mL, results in a significant improvement of HDL cholesterol and waist circumference. Results confirm the association between coconut oil and reduced abdominal fat previously reported by studies. Thus, although a rich source of saturated fat, coconut oil exhibits a beneficial effect on lipid profile, particularly for those with cardiovascular disease or CAD. 

Source Cardoso DA, Moreira ASB, de Oliveira GMM, et al. A coconut extra virgin oil-rich diet increases HDL cholesterol and decreases waist circumference and body mass in coronary artery disease patients. Nutria Hosp. 2015; 32(5): 2144-2152. DOI: 10.3305/nh.2015.32.5.9642.

Click here to read the full text study.

Posted April 16, 2018.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

References:

  1. Smith SC, Benjamin EJ, Bonow RO, et al. AHA/ACCF secondary prevention and risk reduction therapy for patients with coronary and other atherosclerotic vascular disease: 2011 update: a guideline from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology Foundation. Circulation. 2011;124(22):2458-2473.
  2. Ford ES, Ajani UA, Croft JB, et al. Explaining the decrease in US deaths from coronary disease, 1980–2000. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;356(23):2388-2398.
  3. Tang L, Patao C, Chuang J, Wong ND. Cardiovascular risk factor control and adherence to recommended lifestyle and medical therapies in persons with coronary heart disease (from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2010). American Journal of Cardiology. 2013;112(8):1126-1132.
  4. Jenkins DJ, Srichaikul K, Mirrahimi A, Chiavaroli L, Kendall CW. Functional foods to increase the efficacy of diet in lowering serum cholesterol. Canadian Journal of Cardiology. 2011;27(4):397-400.
  5. Li D, Thaler R, Nelssen J, Harmon D, Allee G, Weeden T. Effect of fat sources and combinations on starter pig performance, nutrient digestibility and intestinal morphology. Journal of animal science. 1990;68(11):3694-3704.
  6. Nevin K, Rajamohan T. Beneficial effects of virgin coconut oil on lipid parameters and in vitro LDL oxidation. Clinical biochemistry. 2004;37(9):830-835.
  7. Lipoeto NI, Agus Z, Oenzil F, Wahlqvist ML, Wattanapenpaiboon N, Wahlqvist M. Dietary intake and the risk of coronary heart disease among the coconut-consuming Minangkabau in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition. 2004;13(4).
  8. Lindeberg S, Lundh B. Apparent absence of stroke and ischaemic heart disease in a traditional Melanesian island: a clinical study in Kitava. Journal of internal medicine. 1993;233(3):269-275.
  9. Cardoso DA, Moreira AS, de Oliveira GM, Raggio Luiz R, Rosa G. A coconut extra virgin oil-rich diet increases HDL cholesterol and decreases waist circumference and body mass in coronary artery disease patients. Nutricion hospitalaria. 2015;32(5).