Research Article
Effect of Virgin Coconut Oil on Lipid Profile and Other CVD Risk Factors
Vijaya Kumar M1*, Vasudevan DM2, Sundaram KR3, Krishnan S2, Chandrasekhar R1, Mathew N1 and Nandakumar S1
1Department of Cardiology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Kochi, Kerala, India
2Department of Bio chemistry, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Kochi, Kerala, India
3Department of Biostatistics, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Kochi, Kerala, India
*Corresponding author: Vijaya Kumar M, Department of Cardiology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre,
Kochi, Kerala, India; Phone: +91 9446301348, 0484 2851555, Fax: +91 484 2802020; E-mail: vijaymaniyal@gmail.com, drmvijay@
aims.amrita.edu
Article Information: Submission: 08/04/2022; Accepted: 13/06/2022; Published: 17/06/2022
Copyright: © 2022 Vijaya Kumar M, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License,
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background & objectives: Effect of coconut oil on lipid profile and atherosclerosis is controversial. Saturated fat appears to have favourable effect on
high density lipoproteins (HDL). There are no long-term studies on Virgin coconut oil (VCO) used for human consumption. This study was intended to evaluate
its effect on lipids.
Methods & study design: In a single centre non-randomized study subjects with coronary artery diseases (CAD) (group 1) and without proven CAD
(group 2) were assigned to receive VCO for 6 months. They were followed up with lipid profile, ApoB/ApoA ratio, antioxidants, high sensitive C-reactive protein
(CRP) and Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at regular intervals
Results: 42 subjects in group 1 and 32 in group 2 completed 6 months study. There was significant increase in total cholesterol in group 1 (p = 0.033).
There were no changes (Group 1 and group 2 respectively) in low density lipoproteins (LDL) (p = 0.12 and 0.21), Apo B/A ratio (p = 0.47 and 0.97), total
antioxidants (p= 0.24 and 0.57), waist hip ratio (p= 0.39 and 0.229) and hs CRP (p = 0.25 and 0.011) in either group. There was statistically significant increase
in HDL (p = 0.011 and 0.025) levels in both groups.
Conclusion: VCO does not change lipid profile in an atherogenic direction. VCO increases HDL cholesterol without changes in LDL, Apo B/A ratio, redox
potential, inflammatory markers, central obesity and HbA1C. There is an increase in total cholesterol in those with CAD.