Pilot study on green tea extract and coconut oil to improve functional capacity and anxiety in people with MS
This was a 4 month pilot scale trial which randomized 51 people with multiple sclerosis to either an intervention or control group. The intervention group (N=27) received EGCG 400mg BID plus 30mL coconut oil (roughly 2 TBSP) BID and followed a Mediterranean diet. The control group (n=24) followed the Mediterranean diet only.
At the 4 month mark, both groups experienced significant reductions in BMI and IL6 levels (which the authors attribute to the antioxidant capacity of the Mediterranean diet). Additionally, the intervention group participants had significant reduction in anxiety, and improved functional capacity.
The authors selected coconut oil for this trial due to its high medium chain fatty acid/MCT content, and EGCG for its ability to modulate GABA receptor function as well as T cell and cytokine activity.
Citation:
Platero, J.L.; Cuerda-Ballester, M.; Ibáñez, V.; Sancho, D.; Lopez-Rodríguez, M.M.; Drehmer, E.; Ortí, J.E.R. The Impact of Coconut Oil and Epigallocatechin Gallate on the Levels of IL-6, Anxiety and Disability in Multiple Sclerosis Patients. Nutrients 2020, 12, 305.
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