Cardiovascular
Does coconut oil raise LDL like butter?
Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC
In 96 healthy adults, 50 g/day butter for 4 weeks raised LDL-C by ~0.4 mmol/L versus coconut or olive oil; coconut oil did not differ from olive oil on LDL and raised HDL-C.
How this study connects
Role on claims
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A randomised marker effect over four weeks — with no clinical events measured.
In a randomised comparison, butter raised LDL cholesterol relative to both coconut oil (+0.42 mmol/L) and olive oil (+0.38 mmol/L), while coconut and olive oil did not differ (-0.04 mmol/L, P = 0.74). Coconut oil raised HDL relative to butter (+0.18) and olive oil (+0.16). Weight, adiposity, glucose and blood pressure did not differ.
Evidence for the claim as stated.
The randomised trial and the genetic study support different claims about the same molecules. The trial randomises a real dietary exposure but measures markers over four weeks in healthy volunteers; the Mendelian randomisation estimates lifelong effects on hard endpoints but from a single baseline lipid measurement in a healthier-than-average cohort, with instrument pleiotropy unresolved.
Evidence for the claim as stated.
Open questions
Tensions this paper is part of
From concept pages' “where studies disagree.” Disagreement means the same question; scope means different assays, populations, or outcomes.
The randomised trial and the genetic study support different claims about the same molecules. The trial randomises a real dietary exposure but measures markers over four weeks in healthy volunteers; the Mendelian randomisation estimates lifelong effects on hard endpoints but from a single baseline lipid measurement in a healthier-than-average cohort, with instrument pleiotropy unresolved.
Study at a glance
- Design
- RCT — Community RCT in Cambridgeshire (BBC-recruited) assigning extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, or unsalted butter 50 g/day for 4 weeks
- N
- N=96 · 96 randomised; 94 attended baseline; 91 completed 4-week follow-up
- Population
- Healthy volunteers aged 50–75 years without cancer, CVD, diabetes, or lipid-lowering drugs
- Outcome
- Change in serum LDL-C (primary); other lipids, weight, BP, glucose, CRP
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Inspect source passages
Does coconut oil raise LDL like butter?
These passages occur verbatim in the stored paper text. They support the points listed below; they do not verify every statement in the explanation.
96 randomised; 91 completed follow-up.
Of 160 individuals initially expressing an interest and assessed for eligibility, 96 were randomised to one of three interventions; 2 individuals subsequently withdrew and 94 men and women attended a baseline assessment.
Butter vs coconut LDL-C +0.42 mmol/L (95% CI 0.19–0.65).
LDL-C concentrations were significantly increased on butter compared with coconut oil (+0.42, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.65 mmol/L, P<0.0001)
Key findings
Butter increased LDL-C vs coconut (+0.42 mmol/L) and olive oil (+0.38 mmol/L); coconut vs olive LDL change was −0.04 mmol/L (P=0.74). Coconut raised HDL-C vs butter (+0.18) and olive oil (+0.16). Weight, BMI, adiposity, glucose, and BP did not differ.
Methodology
BBC-recruited Cambridgeshire volunteers aged 50–75 were randomised to extra virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, or unsalted butter (50 g daily for 4 weeks) with LDL-C as the primary endpoint.
Limitations
Four weeks in healthy volunteers cannot prove coconut oil is heart-safe or that it should replace guideline advice to limit saturated fat; events were not measured.
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