Can MCT oil support brain health in midlife women? Inside our latest clinical study

By: Faye Murton

5 Min read

In this article:

What is MCT oil, and why does it matter for the brain
MCT and mental clarity: The science so far
Why small studies like these matter
Ancient + Brave x Liverpool Hope: Closing the gender gap in cognitive health research
Inside our upcoming MCT cognition study

We live in an age of extraordinary demand on the human brain. From the relentless pace of modern life, to the pressure to perform across work, relationships and family, it's no wonder that the very real biological shifts that come with midlife, cognitive clarity has become one of the things women tell us they most want to protect, especially during menopause.

At Ancient + Brave, we believe that nutrition is one of the most powerful tools we have to support the brain across the lifespan. That's why we’re thrilled to have led a partnership with Professor Simon Marwood and his team at Liverpool Hope University on a pioneering study exploring the effect of MCT oil on cognition, focused specifically on midlife women. This is because, during the menopausal transition, fluctuating hormones can influence many aspects of cognition including memory, focus and mental clarity, yet this remains an area of women’s health that has historically been under-researched.

What is MCT oil, and why does it matter for the brain

MCT stands for Medium Chain Triglycerides. These are a specific type of dietary fat, found naturally in coconut oil, that the body handles very differently from the fats in your everyday diet.

Unlike long-chain fatty acids, which take a slower, more complex route through the lymphatic system, MCTs are rapidly absorbed directly into the bloodstream and transported straight to the liver, where they are quickly converted into ketones, a clean, efficient fuel source that the body can use directly for:

A rapid and efficient source of energy
Focus and cognition support
Metabolic health and blood sugar management
Endurance during training sessions

MCT and mental clarity: The science so far

While there’s a growing body of evidence around MCT oil’s benefits for the brain, until recently, most of the early research on MCT oil and cognition focused on people with Alzheimer's disease or dementia rather than healthy adults.

The research team at Liverpool spotted this gap in our health data and responded with not just one but two studies into the impact of MCT on brain performance.

Study 1: Measuring the impact of MCT oil on cognitive performance

Study type: Randomised

Participants: 30 healthy university students

Product tested: Participants took either 12g or 18g of MCT per day, or a placebo

Study duration: Four weeks

Measurement: Cognitive performance was assessed at baseline and at each subsequent week.

Remarkably, by weeks two to three, both MCT groups were showing measurable improvements in cognitive performance compared to placebo, with no significant difference between the two doses, suggesting that more is not necessarily more when it comes to MCT.

Study 2: Exploring how MCT supplementation enhances cognition after exercise

Study type: Randomised

Participants: 20 healthy university students

Product tested: Participants received either 6g of MCT per day (with a C8:C10 ratio of 30:70) or a placebo

Study duration: Two weeks

Measurement: Cognitive performance was assessed at baseline and at each subsequent week.

The results were striking:

Prolonged physical effort is well-documented to impair mental performance, driven by reduced oxygen availability to the prefrontal cortex, shifts in stress hormones, and changes in neurotransmitter activity.

While the placebo group experienced the expected cognitive decline post-exercise, the MCT group showed that chronic supplementation not only enhanced cognitive performance before exercise but also offset the post-exercise cognitive decline; in some cases, including working memory, improvements were even maintained after exercise.

"The suggestion that MCT supplementation can enhance cognitive function is widely held, yet until recently, there has been little evidence supporting this in healthy people. Our research has shown both chronic and acute benefits of MCT supplementation, depending on the relative composition of C8‑ and C10‑MCT.

The next stage of our research is to examine the extent to which these findings translate to other populations, and to determine the most effective composition and dosing regimen to maximise cognitive health and performance."

Simon Marwood | Professor of Exercise Physiology & Metabolism | Liverpool Hope University

Why small studies like these matter

It’s important to recognise that this is a preliminary study, designed to explore early signals, feasibility and potential mechanisms in a real-world midlife population. In science, smaller exploratory studies like this play a vital role. They help researchers identify promising directions, refine study design, optimise dosing strategies and generate the data needed to justify larger, more robust clinical trials in the future.

While preliminary findings should never be overinterpreted, they are often the essential first step in building a stronger evidence base, particularly in areas like women’s health, where historical underrepresentation in research means many important questions remain underexplored.

Ancient + Brave x Liverpool Hope: Closing the gender gap in cognitive health research

The majority of nutritional and cognitive research has been conducted in young men. Women, particularly women in midlife, have been systematically underrepresented in clinical trials for decades. This is not a minor oversight. It is a structural gap that has left millions of women without the science they need to make informed decisions about their health.

As a female-founded brand, we’re committed to reducing the health data gap that exists around women’s wellbeing. We routinely partner with leading universities and researchers to advance nutritional science and explore how functional nutrition supports real-world health.

This isn't just to validate the efficacy of our products, but as a commitment to building the evidence base that midlife women deserve, to asking the questions that have gone unasked for too long, and to ensuring that the science we create is science that actually reflects the lives of the people we serve.

That’s why we are now collaborating with Liverpool Hope University for a follow-up study- one that would focus exclusively on midlife women.

Inside our upcoming MCT cognition study

Involving 10 women aged 44-55, this exciting preliminary research project will assess whether True MCT, with its specific C8/C10 formulation, can support cognitive performance in healthy middle-aged women.

True MCT Oil was selected for this study because its C8:C10 formulation aligns with emerging research exploring how ketone metabolism may support cognitive performance. During menopause, hormonal changes can influence brain energy use and contribute to symptoms such as brain fog and reduced mental clarity. MCTs provide a rapidly available alternative fuel source for the brain, making this an exciting area of research for midlife women.

The research is currently in progress, and we look forward to publishing the findings in the coming months. In the meantime, we invite you to try True MCT Oil for yourself and discover whether this simple daily ritual can make a meaningful difference to your everyday life.

“We are not just making products; we are innovators in functional nutrition, merging ancestral wisdom with cutting-edge science. Our collaboration with leading universities builds the strongest evidence base in wellness.”
Dr Jenna Macciochi | Director of Science + Innovation