*The authors of the study theorized that the MCFA gave the cyclists an additional source of energy, thus sparing glycogen stores. Glycogen, the energy stored in muscle tissue, would have been used up during the three-hour ride. The more glycogen in the muscles the greater an athlete's endurance. So any substance that can conserve glycogen while providing energy would be useful to endurance athletes. In a follow-up study to test the glycogen sparing theory, participants cycled at 60% of their maximum for three hours while drinking one of three beverages as was done in the earlier study. Following the exercise, muscle glycogen levels were measured and found to be the same for all three groups. The conclusion was that MCFA did not spare glycogen stores, yet did improve performance. The improvement in performance was not due to glycogen sparing and must be attributed to some other mechanism.

Because of these and similar studies many of the powdered sports drinks and energy bars sold at health food stores contain MCFA to provide a quick source of energy.**

**The medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) most often used in sports drinks and energy bars are in the form of medium-chain triglyceride oil (MCT oil). They are usually indicated as "MCT" on food, supplement, and infant formula labels.

Athletes and other active people looking for nutritional, non-drug methods to enhance exercise performance have begun using them.

Although many studies have shown MCFA to boost energy and endurance, there are other studies which have shown little or no effect, at least when MCFA mixtures are taken in a single oral dose. Studies generally show that a single oral dose has little measurable effect. In studies where animals were fed MCFA as a part of their daily diet, however, the results were more significant. From this evidence it appears that the best way to increase energy and endurance is to consume MCFA on a daily basis and not a single time just before or during competition.

It's easy to see why athletes would be interested in gaining greater endurance and energy, but what about non-athletes? MCFA can do the same for them. If eaten regularly MCFA can provide a boost in energy and performance of daily activities. Would you like to increase your energy level throughout the day? If you get tired in the middle of the day or feel you lack energy, adding coconut oil to your daily diet may provide you with a much needed boost to help carry you through.

Besides increasing your energy level, there are other very important benefits that results from boosting your metabolic rate: it helps protect you from illness and speeds healing. When metabolism is increased, cells function at a higher rate of efficiency. They heal injuries quicker, old and diseased cells are replaced faster, and young, new cells are generated at an increased rate to replace worn-out ones. Even the immune system functions better.