No differences were seen in blood lipid levels .
Replacement of LCTs with MCTs in the diet could potentially induce modest reductions in body weight and composition without adversely affecting lipid profiles .
BACKGROUND Medium-chain triglycerides ( MCTs ) may result in negative energy balance and weight loss through increased energy expenditure and lipid oxidation .
However , results from human intervention studies investigating the weight reducing potential of MCTs , have been mixed .
OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review and meta- analysis of r and omized controlled trials comparing the effects of MCTs , specifically C8:0 and C10:0 , to long-chain triglycerides ( LCTs )  on weight loss and body composition in adults .
Twenty-four-hour energy expenditure and urinary catecholamines of humans consuming low-to-moderate amounts of medium-chain triglycerides: a dose-response study in a human respiratory chamber.
OBJECTIVE To determine whether medium-chain triglycerides , in low-to-moderate amounts consumed with meals ( at breakfast , lunch and dinner ) , can increase daily energy expenditure ( EE ) and 24-h urinary excretion of catecholamines in  humans  . DESIGN Dose-response study conducted under double-blind r and omised design . SETTING Respiratory chamber at the Faculty of Medicine , University of Geneva . SUBJECTS Eight healthy young men were recruited from the student population by advertisement in our Faculty . METHODS 24-h EE and urinary catecholamines were measured in each subject during stay in a respiratory chamber on four separate occasions . These were r and omised between four different combinations of medium-chain triglycerides ( MCT ) and long-chain triglycerides ( LCT ) , a total 30g/day , which was consumed with their habitual diet in three equal parts ( 10 g each ) at breakfast , lunch , and dinner in the following ratio of MCT : LCT ( g/g ) 0:30 , 5:25 , 15:15 and 30:0 . RESULTS 24-h EE increased significantly with increasing MCT : LCT ratio ( ANOVA , P < 0.001 ) , with the diet providing a total of 15 - 30 g MCT per day stimulating 24-h EE by 5 % : this corresponds to a mean absolute increase in daily EE of approximately 500kJ , with individual values varying between 268 kJ and 756 kJ. No significant differences were observed in respiratory quotient nor in urinary nitrogen losses across diets , but 24-h urinary noradrenaline was significantly increased ( ANOVA , P < 0.025 ) , whereas adrenaline and dopamine were unaltered . CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that relatively low-to-moderate intake of MCT ( 15 - 30 g per day ) as part of habitual diet may play a role in the control of human body composition by enhancing daily EE , and that this effect is mediated at least in part through activation of the sympathetic nervous system
No differences were seen in blood lipid levels .
Replacement of LCTs with MCTs in the diet could potentially induce modest reductions in body weight and composition without adversely affecting lipid profiles .
BACKGROUND Medium-chain triglycerides ( MCTs ) may result in negative energy balance and weight loss through increased energy expenditure and lipid oxidation .
However , results from human intervention studies investigating the weight reducing potential of MCTs , have been mixed .
OBJECTIVE To conduct a systematic review and meta- analysis of r and omized controlled trials comparing the effects of MCTs , specifically C8:0 and C10:0 , to long-chain triglycerides ( LCTs )  on weight loss and body composition in adults .