The Effects of Virgin Coconut (Cocos Nucifera) Oil Supplementation on Blood Cholesterol Levels: A Preliminary Pilot Study.

The health benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO) is a controversial topic in the academic community globally. This study provides data on the effect virgin coconut oil has on the blood cholesterol levels of subjects tested locally. The effects of virgin coconut oil (VCO) on blood cholesterol were investigated by randomly placing six (6) healthy individuals into a test group that received VCO supplementation and another six (6) participants in a control group that did not receive any VCO, making 12 participants that were recruited using the snowball method. Blood cholesterol levels were measured at the start of the experiment and one month later for all participants. Paired t-test statistical analysis was done using the before and after results for each group which showed that consuming 10 ml of VCO twice daily for a month is associated with a statistically significant reduction in total cholesterol (p=.0045), LDL “bad cholesterol” (p=.0026), cholesterol/HDL ratio (p=.0073) and risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). There was no significant change in triglycerides, VLDL, HDL, and HDL/LDL ratio in the test group. There was no statistically significant change in the blood cholesterol levels amongst the participants in the control group who did not receive VCO. The fatty acid profile for the VCO used was found to be normal except for the lauric acid content (37.78%) which was below the internationally accepted standard of 45.1%. Based on the preliminary results obtained in this pilot study, it recommended that a randomized clinical trial using a larger sample size over a longer period be done to assess the effects of VCO on blood cholesteral levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]