Authors
Yonghui Yu, Wanxin Ya, Jingjie Zhang, Jing Wang, Baoguo Sun
Published in
Nutrients. Volume 18. Issue 13. Jul 01, 2026. Epub Jul 01, 2026.
Abstract
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are functional lipids with unique physicochemical properties and metabolic advantages. Recently, their regulatory roles in various chronic diseases have attracted considerable attention. This review systematically summarizes recent research progress and the proposed mechanisms of MCTs and their metabolites in metabolic diseases, neurological disorders, gut health, and muscle function. In the metabolic field, MCTs offer potential nutritional strategies for managing obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and various metabolic liver diseases. These effects are primarily mediated by improving insulin sensitivity, regulating lipid metabolism, and modulating energy expenditure. In neurological diseases, MCTs demonstrate potential for preventing and treating Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and epilepsy through multiple pathways, including ketogenic energy supply, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and mitochondrial protection. Regarding gut health, MCTs and their derivatives may benefit digestive health by modulating gut microbiota and enhancing barrier function. For muscle health, MCTs help optimize energy metabolism and protein homeostasis, showing promise for countering sarcopenia and improving exercise performance. In conclusion, the prospects for MCTs are broad. Future research should focus on promoting their scientific application in precision nutrition and disease therapy, and more rigorous clinical trials are needed to confirm their efficacy and safety.
PMID:
42451136
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 13 Oct 2026.
Read full publication at:
Please sign in
to see all details.
Advertisement
Stats
- Recommendations n/a n/a positive of 0 vote(s)
- Views 9
- Comments 0