Coconut Oil
Health Benefits

Coconut Oil Benefits, Side Effects and Reviews

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Smelly Scalp
Posted by Chu (Edmond, Oklahoma) on 03/19/2007
★★★★★

hi, i haven't seen a remedy for smelly scalp, i use to have a foul smelling scalp, even though i showered everyday, i tried all kinds of shampoo, but the one thing that cured me of this embarrassing condition was applying virgin coconut oil to my scalp for an hour, i think it disappeared after two applications. i hope this helps others who suffer from this condition.

How to Take Internally
Posted by Laurin (KC, MO, USA) on 03/12/2007
★★★★★

I have used coconut oil for years. I usually buy a large jar (long shelf life and stable) for cost purposes. The first thing I noticed is my nails do not break when I am taking it; if I run out they will begin to break again. I think it is the medium chain tryglicerides that help - we don't get enough of those in our diet. I use coconut oil with a small amount of olive oil for sautéing veggies, and sometime I will make a fudgelike dish using a little cocoa, a little sugar and coconut oil to help it go down instead of taking it plain on the spoon. But I also take it and spread it on a piece of Ezekiel bread (flourless bread) and add either a banana or a little jelly. To me it tastes great but I have trained myself over the years. Then I also use the coconut milk which is great in curries. It has the needed fat and I love Panang anything.


Broad Benefits
Posted by Cindy (Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada) on 03/11/2007
★★★★★

I'use coconut oil and apple cider vinegar everyday. just started a week ago with both feel better, less stressed, more energy, sleep better, it is very good for you, l have stomach problems,been using acv for 6 years before meals and it works. As with the coconut oil it is hard to swallow some days but l do it cause it is good for you...l try to use it when l cook my eggs with salsa -- it is great!!! Salsa and hot peppers are great .. green tea with lemon as well is awesome l just like it and it keeps me slim as well and healthy. thanks have a great day to all..


Broad Benefits
Posted by Brad (Rochester, MI) on 03/01/2007
★★★★★

I have been using 1-2 Tbs. of coconut oil per day for about a month now, gradually increasing it over time to avoid any nausea. So far no nausea or stomach issues, and my energy has increased. Overall, I feel great and I've lost 10 pounds! I started taking it for sinus related issues, which is only moderately seems to help so far, but the other benefits are great. My question is, I've heard if you take this long term it may negatively affect your liver. Is there any data to support this claim?


Glands
Posted by Linda (Orlando, FL) on 02/22/2007
★★★★★

Hypothyroid/Coconut Oil: I suffer from hypothyroid and have taken levoxyl for about 7 years. I also have suffered with fatigue for most of my 47 years for a wide variety of reasons (anemia, depression, hypothyroid, sleep apnea, RLS). It seems I have every condition that can rob one of sleep and energy. Anyway, I was looking for a natural form of thyroid support and came upon information about coconut oil being helpful (about two weeks ago). I just found this wonderful site this week, which I intend to frequent OFTEN, and I thought I'd contribute my experience with coconut oil. So far (2 weeks) I have a bit more energy. I have gained about 8 pounds since January (I tend to be slim), which I want to lose. I hope the energy helps the weight loss. I'll keep you posted.


Hypothyroidism
Posted by Linda (Orlando, FL) on 02/22/2007
★★★★★

Hypothyroid / Coconut Oil: I suffer from hypothyroid and have taken levoxyl for about 7 years. I also have suffered with fatigue for most of my 47 years for a wide variety of reasons (anemia, depression, hypothyroid, sleep apnea, RLS). It seems I have every condition that can rob one of sleep and energy. Anyway, I was looking for a natural form of thyroid support and came upon information about coconut oil being helpful (about two weeks ago). I just found this wonderful site this week, which I intend to frequent OFTEN, and I thought I'd contribute my experience with coconut oil. So far (2 weeks) I have a bit more energy. I have gained about 8 pounds since January (I tend to be slim), which I want to lose. I hope the energy helps the weight loss. I'll keep you posted.


Broad Benefits
Posted by Jon (Austin, TX) on 02/17/2007
★★★★★

I'm 21 years old and I've been consuming unrefined organic coconut oil for 3 months now, and I haven't felt any better. My curiosity began when I had read a very popular natural cures book describing the amazing health benefits of coconut oil. It stated the oil can put cancer into remission which caught my attention because a couple of years prior, I had been experiencing pain in one of my testicles along with a small lump. As of now, the lump is still present, and I plan on treating that as well, but the pain has passed since using the magnificent oil.

Toxins in the body build over time and can make the liver sluggish in absorbing nutrients. I regularly detoxify my body (once every month or so) with a 7-day herbal detox program to maintain my health and assure I'm taking full advantage of coconut oil's benefits. I've also lost 15 lbs easily and effortlessly by using the oil, and it's given me alot more energy to exercise even after an 8-hour shift of stocking boxes.

Another ailment it's helped me with is bad breath. I constantly forget to brush my teeth simply because I never wake up with bad breath anymore! I often go 3-4 days without brushing. But because the oil is antiviral/antibacterial, it's cleansing my mouth and throat of germs that could've been causing my bad breath and possibly other problems I haven't acknowledged. I also rarely have anymore canker sores in the mouth. I'm not a certified homeopath or naturopath, but I strongly recommend cleansing the body before attempting to use a natural remedy to aid in full absorption of its healing properties. Daily, I consume 2 tbsp of organic, unrefined coconut oil (2 tbsp in the morning and 2 tbsp in the mid-afternoon) while in it's liquid state. I've noticed when I scoop out a tbsp of solid coconut oil and melt it, the liquid form ends up being a larger amount than when it was solid. So scoop wisely. I wish all of you the best experience while using coconut oil and other natural remedies.

Broad Benefits
Posted by Steven (Conroe, Tx) on 09/10/2009

Have the lump checked by a doctor. Don't do any guessing about Cancer.


Dry Skin
Posted by Sujatha (Dubai, UAE) on 02/08/2007
★★★★★

Hi i am an Indian and coconut oil is widely used both as cooking oil and for topical application. Its great for skin, prevents dry, itchy and flaky skin and promotes hair growth too. In our country we don't drink this oil but use it for cooking and most of the doctors advice that it contains saturated fat which is a culprit in clogging arteries. My grandma had high cholesterol and the first thing the doc advised her was to change her cooking oil from coconut to sunflower oil. Please check with doctors before you start taking it internally. Best regards, sujatha

Energy Booster
Posted by Nicola (Basingstoke, UK) on 02/08/2007
★★★★★

I started using coconut oil 5 days ago - because I heard that it helps you to lose weight. I've not really tracked my weight so far, but I can say, hand on heart, that I have suddenly found a load more energy from somewhere. My 3 year old still wakes me up through the night and some evenings it was as much as I could do to just sit in the chair watching TV or playing with my computer. I now feel energized enough to WANT to wash up etc.. I have noticed that I need to use the bathroom a lot more (maybe having 4-6 number "2s" during the day - which is highly unusual as normally it's 1-2 every other day) -and I've developed an incredible wind problem in the evening. I normally take 1 tablespoon first thing in the morning with my smoothie and it instantly wakes me up. Tonight for the first time I've taken another tablespoon so I'll see how I get on. Can't say I like the taste of it straight out of the jar - it made me feel sick the first day - but can't taste it in the smoothies. I used Holland & Barratt - which costs. c£9.95 but have no idea if its cold pressed/virgin etc..


Herpes
Posted by Steve (Johnson City, TN) on 02/03/2007
★★★★★

I have tried lots of health products to suppress herpes. both on my leg and also a bad tooth both were suppressed with monolaurin. now in trying coconut oil along with olive leaf oil. seems to work.


Hormones
Posted by Cat (Washington, Dc Usa) on 05/18/2010
★★★★★

I started supplementing my diet with coconut oil (3 tbsp 3x day) one week ago to help with weight loss ... and I've had a wonderful and unexpected side effect. I've been dealing with perio-menopause and hot flashes for the past six months. Interestingly, within 24 hours of beginning my coconut oil dosing, the hot flashes that I had been suffering from have all but stopped! I have gone from having about 20 hot flashes a day to maybe one or two, at most. Most days now I don't have any! Also, I am not always good about taking all my doses and one day I even missed all of them and the hot flashes did not immediately return.


Broad Benefits
Posted by Sandra (Entiat, WA) on 01/18/2007
★★★★★

Hello, I am sort of new to use of coconut oil. I have been using it minimally for about 2 years.I take it right off the spoon and let it melt in my mouth. WHAT I HAVE NOTICED: I started taking a spoon full before each meal (about a week ago).

1. I have a tooth that lost its crown a couple of months ago and my gums were very tender around the tooth and somewhat in the rest of my mouth. The tenderness has gone. I had been doing oil swishing previously with mixed results.
2. My little chihuahua was driving me nuts by constantly licking her butt. I decided to give her a little of the vco a couple times a day. The licking stopped.
3. I have noticed an increase in energy. I can now work around the house for several hours without "running out of steam".
4. I am losing some weight at a slow pace.
5. For a many years I have been awakened at night by my bladder screaming at me. I go to the bathroom to find only a small dribble. I then have much trouble going back to sleep. My bladder would get sore (not like real pain) sort of like if you pushed on a bruise. Since I started taking the VCO regularly the soreness is gone and I sleep much longer, the urine release is much greater, and I hope to eventually sleep thru the night. I Do have hypertension but according to some authors, it helps hypertension. So I will go with their advise. It seems to me that with everything that VCO helps, the other things it does would just naturally benefit the hypertension. I am 70 and plan to also start using it for my skin and hair. I can hardly wait to see what other benefits I notice!

Mono
Posted by Greta (Kamloops, Bc Canada) on 01/16/2015

How do you snort coconut oil into your sinuses?


Joints
Posted by Susan (Omaha, Nebraska) on 11/15/2006
★★★★★

I take 3 T. of Cold pressed Coconut internally plus bake all of our baked goods and food with it. Virgin coconut oil gives baked goods a slight coco-nutty flavor which we love. I use the steam de-odorized coconut cooking oil to cook eggs etc. My joints feel so much more limber, as if this oil is able to reach all areas of my body! (I had a knee replaced due to arthritis, so all my joints CREAK!) Solid coconut oil melts at 76 degrees so it cannot solidify in the body, we are too warm! I'm also hoping it will aid with weight loss, hearing that most of our cravings come from missing something in our diet. Which is why people who eat trans fats crave more....our bodies are in fact craving REAL fats as the body does not recognize Trans fats as a food. Once you give the body what it needs, the cravings go out the window! Here is the site on Yahoo that is an ongoing coconut oil forum, they talk about all sorts of health related topics too. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coconut_oil_open_forum/


Fungus
Posted by Annabelle (Victoria, Australia) on 08/17/2006
★★★★★

I had toenail fungus for 5yrs. started using virgin coconut oil applied topically with amazing results. Used loceryl lacquer for 3yrs did not get rid of it. Used some oxygenated melaluca cream which helped & may have cured it but smelled so bad it really wasn't practical. I read about coconut oil on internet & gave it a go, i didn't think it would seriously work. I massaged it into top of nail & all around it & made sure it was under toenail which was easy as it is liquid (hardens in cold weather but melts on contact with skin). Now 1 big toenail totally cured, other toenail is almost gone but it was much worse and was first to be infected. Absolutely amazing and i don't even apply it everyday!!! Doesn't smell. I rub it into all my other toenails (hoping this will prevent them from getting it in them). I bought a brand from my local health food shop and made sure it was 100% virgin and this one was cold pressed-don't know if that means anything but i'm sure other brands would work, I am just thrilled with results and grateful that i gave it a go.


Digestive Issues
Posted by Zoe (West Monroe, LA) on 07/04/2006
★★★★★

Coconut oil cured my digestive problems... I lost 10 pounds -- it does make to eat less. skin is softer, bowels are much better. and i just feel better. i take 1 tablespoons 2 times a day. it made me sick at first, but not for long and it all went away. all it was doing was cleaning my body. mine is liquid and i put it in the ice box, and take it when it is hard. i like it.


Energy Booster
Posted by Teri-Lee (TX) on 05/27/2006
★★★★★

I cannot believe how much energy I have! I put 2 Tbsp. in a blender with a 1/2 cup of milk and a banana and mix it up. I don't even taste the oil. I have learned to heat the oil for about 10 seconds in the microwave and then add it to the mixture in the blender because if the oil is a solid you can get chunks.

Energy Booster
Posted by Heather (Mundelein, IL) on 09/11/2008

In response to Teri-Lee from TX...I would not heat the coconut oil in the microwave before blending it! Microwaving any food changes its composition and destroys the healthy enzymes in the oil. Your shake sounds like a good idea, just skip the microwaving part.



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