SIDE EFFECT MYTHS

07/12/2007: Michael writes: "The other controversy with Coconut Oil... some experience a body odor, while others find it's a pleasant light scent. The minority reporting that they EVENTUALLY acquire an odor from using the product, are more then likely experiencing the toxins that the oils absorb from the skin, while other don't have that issue.

I have found many cures for illnesses that are natural and have not been to a doctor in 4 years except for my yearly Lupus physical."

Many times it's the order in which we do things which depends on what that specific individual needs. Organs need to be cleansed and restored in a specific order dependent on findings when working w/ clients. Hope this helps shed some light. Michael G. Natural Health Center, NY"

SIDE EFFECTS

[WARNING!]  04/16/2008: Olivia from Brooklyn, New York writes: "I have tried using coconut oil several times and one thing has been consistent: when I take it by the spoon, even a teaspoon full, I immediately feel my heart racing. This does not happen if I cook with it. Sometimes rubbing it on my neck or face induces a reaction in my pulse but not as severe as drinking. Cooking is ok for me. If anyone can think of a reason I'd be happy to hear of it."

04/16/2008: Peter writes: "Coconut oil side effects:
1.In the first few days of using coconut oil as a massage oil, it is often the case that the body develops a "sand type overlay " noticeable around the abdomen.
2.When this first happened the reaction was, "how did that sand get into the clothes?".
3. But when it happened to another person, we wised up and realised that it was a salt extrusion from the body and not sand even if it felt like sand.
4. So its a cleansing side effect that occurs in the first few days. After that period it is not longer noticeable.
5. If somebody is experiencing an itching side effect, I would say that that is a side effect of salt extrusion which will disappear as the amount of the salt extruded becomes less."

[YEA]  04/14/2008: Dawn (dkcmr(at)hickorytech.net) from Mapleton, MN writes: "I have been taking 1 to 2 tbsp of coconut oil daily in my tea, as well as using it as a moisturizer for 5 days. after the 3rd day i started to and continue itch in various spots all over my body. I don't want to stop using CO because of all the benefits but its becoming a pain. literally! :) Has this happened to anyone else? Is this normal, could it be the toxins that are fleeing my body? or am i possibly allergic? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!"

[MAYBE]  02/27/2008: Melissa from Miami, USA writes: "Hello, just wanted to give some feedback in regards to my experience with coconut oil usage. I took about 1 tbsp. of coconut oil and in less than 1 hour I had intense pain in my stomach along with heartburn ( I never get this). After that I developed diarrea and vomited. Those reactions lasted well through the night and for two days after taking the coconut oil the intense stomach pains persisted. If you are going to try cocunut oil it might be a great idea to use it as a cooking agent as suggested by another reader rather than ingesting it."

[MAYBE]  12/26/2007: Becky (bbolich@verizon.net) from Bellefonte, PA writes: "I've started taking Coconut oil, and for the 1st time in my life I get terrible heartburn. What can I do to rectify this? I really want to try coconut oil for a number of benefits to my health, but what to do???"

[MAYBE]  12/19/2007: Beverly Anne (lion.lamb07[@]gmail.com) from Miami, FL writes: "Up to two weeks of v.c.o. usage I've got great looking/feeling skin but my face has broken out and experienced dryness. I've also got diarrhea and nausea with usage but am almost certain it is because of candida die-off symptoms as I understand vco has caprylic acid qualities used in fighting candida infection. Otherwise, I've lost weight, thyroid pulsating has subsided quite a bite and no vaginal discharge. Will up the dosage from 1 TBS. to 1.5 gradually during next week."

[MAYBE]  12/14/2007: Linda from Concord, CA writes: "I began using VCO on doctor's orders to help combat hypothyroid. My skin, hair, energy levels were all positive results. I also used VCO as a deodorant. However, after a few days I began gaining weight, got dizzy spells and some diarrhea. My blood pressure soared! After continued trials for a couple of weeks, my doctor advised me to stop using it. This was disappointment as I got good results in other areas; however, every attempt made to try it again caused my BP to go higher. I do full body cleanses once or twice a year. Possibly it might help if I did just liver cleanse? I'm 60 years old, exercise daily, eat healthy foods, do drink 1.5 cups coffee in morning and am Blood Type A. Disappointed as not being able to use coconut oil due to HBP. Would appreciate any comments on my HBP problem to be answered on this site. Any insight would be beneficial. Thanks, a CA gal"

[MAYBE]  11/07/2007: Shane McManus from Sunbury, Victoria/Australia writes: "I've had mixed results taking coconut oil. It cleared my eczema and improved my skin but have been light headed and dizzy after 2 weeks of taking it. Also my hayfever has come back where i was fine before. A herxheimer reaction should have settled after 2 weeks. I'm wondering if others who have had reactions are Blood group O, as according to the blood group diet coconut oil does not agree with type O blood."

[YEA]  10/10/2007: DD from Phoenix, AZ writes: "re Coconut Oil Side Effects -- Do you think maybe that heart palpatations, nausea, achiness and headaches are candida die off? A good search to do is "Candida Die Off" whebnever you experiencing a healing crisis when taking an antifungal."

[MAYBE]  09/27/2007: Jess from London, England writes: "the many times I tried massaging my head with coconut oil, if I leave it on for too long on my head, I end up with a fever. After many years of not using it, I used it a few days ago. Left it on for many hrs and the next day, I had the worst flu and still am feeling very lethargic, weak."

[MAYBE]  09/23/2007: John from Virginia Beach, Virginia writes: "it has now been over two weeks since i started taking VCO, i had stomach pains and diarrhea at first but the pains have subsided. I havent experienced any weight loss but i havent gained any weight either. It does give me a little bit of energy."

[MAYBE]  09/12/2007: John from Virginia Beach, Virginia writes: "vco has been giving me bad stomach pains and diarrhea. I've only been taking it for several days now but i'm hoping these side effects subside in the near future..."

[MAYBE]  09/01/2007: Sco from Jefferson, NJ writes: "I've used one 29 oz bottle of _______ coconut oil inconsistently over a 6 month period. Used it to cook eggs & yam fries. Also regularly put 1 tbs in my hot oatmeal. Haven't noticed much change in my weight, but I eat a lot of junk food at night, every night, cause I'm always on the road. Yesterday I had some negative side effects that I'm guessing came from the VCO. In the morning I had it in my oatmeal along with green tea extract and raw cocao. No problem. Later in the day I tood two spoonfulls prior to heading out for work. About ten minutes later I stopped at Wendy's and got a small chili and downed that following the instructions of a popular TV Cure-All guy who says to eat it before a meal for weight loss. Well, not sure if the added saturated fats in the chili meat affected me or the VCO or both but soon after eating the chili I started feeling light headed, weak (like I wanted to pass out), dizzy and chest pains. Thought I was having a heart attack. Finished work, went home and right to bed. Slept pretty well but upon arising still felt dizzy & weak. Ate only veggies all day today and no VCO and still had the symptoms most of the day. Around 8 at night symptoms started subsiding noticably. Now at 2 a.m. i'm feeling pretty much back to normal. I'm thinking the two spoonfuls was too much too fast. I never took that amount before. Forgot to mention, the night prior to waking up and having it in my oatmeal and later taking the 2 spoonfuls before the chili, I did use it as a spread on my dark wheat toast with honey about an hour before bedtime. Noticed a very restless sleep, as though I'd drunk a cup of coffee before bed. All-in-all it seems like I o-d'ed on VCO. I'm going to try reintroducing it orally in a more gradual and regular regiment and see what happens. Also - I've been using this stuff on my face after a shave in the winter and it really gives my face a glow. Haven't experienced any zits; but I only shave every three days so I'm only apply the VCO that often."

[NAY]  08/02/2007: Nina (nina_chester@hotmail.co.uk) from West Midlands, UK writes: "I took coconut oil last year for my CFS. I ended up off work for 4 months because it made me so ill. I think it works if you have a slight underactive thyroid, but it made my nerves bad."

[NAY]  07/02/2007: Anna (lehua@hotmail.com) from Kahului, Hawaii writes: "I read all of the information and people feedbacks on your web site. Now TED is saying only hydrogenated coconut oil will cause heart palpitations etc. That is so NOT true! I took virgin coconut oil for one week and my heart started to race. Please watch what you advise people."

[NAY]  06/07/2007: Janea from Grand Prairie, TX writes: "I have hypothyroidism. I started taking EVCO. For a week, I was fine. No real improvements noticed. But the second week, I started having heart palpitations. I can only point this to the EVCO. I will go off of it and see it the palpitations stop."

[NAY]  04/19/2007: Cynthia from San Diego, CA writes: "Coconut oil, and I used virgin non-hydogenated which I bought at a whole foods store, caused similar reactions in my body to the reactions sheena from belize had. I got tachycardia which went into atrial fibrillation which landed me in the hospital. I feel this is a serious problem that some get and should be researched and addressed."

[NAY]  04/02/2007: Shawna from Springfield, MA writes: "I mixed about a spoonful of coconut oil in a protein shake before going to bed. In the am I had terrible stomach pains and diarrhea."

[NAY]  04/01/2007: Deborah (myvenusgirl@aol.com) from Swansea, SC writes: "I and also my dog have tried the coconut oil capsuls. I took them as directed, 3 with a meal...for the first 2 days I was a little nauseaus, but not too bad..the 3rd day I became severely bloated with terrible gas...my heart raced some but not bad. I have stopped taking them now, but wanted to give them to my dog because I read where it would cure his bad hip problem....I gave him one coconut pill a night, for the first 2 nights he felt great and walked better, after the 3rd dose, he feels terrible has diareaha and his hip problem is so bad he can hardly move and cries if he does. I was shocked to see so much negative feedback on coconut oil and realized I wasn't alone, but don't understand why it continues to be praised as a miracle cure. I am all for natural cures and continue to try different things, but I firmly believe coconut oil does more harm then good to people and pets."

[MAYBE]  03/21/2007: Sheena (gilliansisland2002@yahoo.com) from Belize, Belize writes: "I first tried coconut oil to combat the symptoms of hypothyroidism 2 weeks ago.By the first day, I had fantastic energy and felt like I've never felt before! One week ago however, I started having heart palpitations, high blood pressure and tachycardia (rapid heart rate), even at rest, that landed me in the ER. I had never had these problems before and I am wondering if the oil boosted my metabolism so much that it is causing these symptoms. Is there anyone else that has experienced this? I feel great otherwise, but my unbelieving doctor has told me to stop taking the oil and put me on antihypertensive meds. I was taking a tablespoon with every meal. Was this too much? Can somebody please help me?"

[NAY]  01/11/2007: Tammy from Roseburg, Oregon writes: "I avoid anything with coconut oil in it! It gives me terrible migraine headaches. My whole family runs this allergic reaction. Now, I don't know if it's "virgin" - it's the C.O. you see in lots of products (candy, esp.) A small amount can set me back for a day; more has caused me a visit to the ER! I did not run across anyone else who said they had the same reaction, but my dad, aunts, cousins, etc. all are allergic to C.O."