A New Supplement for Canine Cognitive Dysfunction and Canine Epilepsy
A New Supplement for Cognitive Dysfunction and Canine Epilepsy
The Science Behind Medium-Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Oil in Canine Brain Health
Have you heard about MCT oil for dogs?
MCT is short for medium-chain triglyceride. So, MCT oil is a medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) supplement, typically derived from coconut or palm kernel oil.
But what exactly is this supplement, and how might it help your canine patients?
Medium-Chain Triglycerides 101
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are comprised of 4 fatty acid chains:
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caproic acid (C6:0)
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caprylic acid (C8:0)
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capric acid (C10:0)
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lauric acid (C12:0)
Research has demonstrated that a quality MCT oil for dogs should be composed of caprylic acid (C8:0), capric acid (C10:0), or a mixture of both.
Caprylic acid (C8) benefits
Caprylic acid (C8:0) provides the brain with a type of ketone called beta-hydroxybutyric acid. The dog’s brain normally relies on glucose for energy but loses the ability to efficiently metabolize glucose with age. This leaves the brain with less energy, which can play a pivotal role in the progression of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD). The ketones derived from caprylic acid (C8:0) quickly cross the blood-brain barrier to serve as an alternative fuel source for the neurons.
Capric acid (C10) benefits
Capric acid (C10:0) supports the production of new cellular mitochondria and has an anti-inflammatory effect on neurons. In addition to providing mitochondrial energy to an aging brain, capric acid plays a critical role in reducing neuronal hyperexcitability.
MCT oil supplementation in dogs with canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD)
Various studies have shown that supplementing with MCT oil improves canine cognitive performance on a range of behavioral tasks
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Compared to a non-supplemented diet, dogs who consumed a diet supplemented with MCTs improved their cognitive performance on tasks two to eight weeks after starting the supplementation. These dogs also improved their performance on these tasks for up to six months after starting dietary supplementation with MCTs.¹
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A study observing Beagles between 7.5 and 11.6 years of age while supplemented with MCTs showed an improvement in various cognitive performance tasks as early as 30 days after beginning the MCT supplementation.²
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In a 2018 study, dogs who were administered a diet high in MCTs demonstrated improvement in five out of six measurements of cognitive decline (i.e., they showed fewer signs of cognitive decline in those categories) within 30 days of starting the diet. Significant improvement was observed in all six areas within 90 days of starting the diet.³
MCT oil supplementation for dogs with epilepsy
What precisely in the MCT oil helps dogs with seizures? We know that capric acid (C10:0) blocks receptors in the brain from excitation. This gives capric acid an anticonvulsant effect because the activation of these receptors is directly linked to the onset of a seizure. In other words, MCT oil prevents the brain's excitation switch from being flipped, which may help control seizure activity.
By contrast, this isn’t how most anticonvulsant medications work. Unlike capric acid (C10:0), which works on the activation pathway, most anticonvulsants stimulate the brain's inhibitory pathways.
While these anticonvulsants are effective, their mode of action also causes most of the adverse side effects we can see with anticonvulsants, such as sedation, ataxia, etc. However, when used to help control seizures, MCT supplementation avoids these adverse side effects because it works on a separate pathway entirely.
Overall, research has demonstrated that administering caprylic acid (C8:0) in combination with capric acid (C10:0) has enhanced anti-seizure effects and may even lower the dose of antiepileptic drugs needed to control seizures in some dogs. Therefore, MCT oil may be an excellent adjunct therapy for dogs already on seizure medication.
An MCT-rich diet was tested in a six-month study in dogs diagnosed with and treated for epilepsy. The dogs were randomized to consume an MCT-rich or placebo diet and switched to the opposite diet after three months. Seizure frequency and severity, as well as physical and neurological examination findings, were analyzed for dogs who completed the study. Amazingly…
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71% of dogs on the MCT-rich diet showed a reduction in seizure intensity
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48% of dogs showed a 50% or more significant reduction in seizure frequency
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14% of dogs experienced cessation of their seizures while eating an MCT-rich diet.⁴
Brain Boost supports brain health
Dementia and seizures can take a toll on a dog’s quality of life. So, having a safe, natural supplement like MCT oil that can aid in the prevention and treatment of CCD, seizure disorders, and other brain conditions seems almost too good to be true.
However, many groups, including the American Animal Hospital Association, have recognized high-quality MCT oils made specifically for dogs as a valuable component of treatment for these challenging neurologic diseases.
A word from Dr. Buzby
As an integrative veterinarian, I’m constantly searching for safe adjunctive therapies for my senior dog patients to add to my veterinary toolkit. When I couldn’t find an MCT oil to earn my endorsement, our veterinary team developed Brain Boost especially for dogs.
I genuinely believe that Brain Boost will be a powerful, natural remedy in the fight against CCD and epilepsy, giving our beloved canine patients the quality of life they deserve.
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