Coconut Oil versus Cancer

Excerpted from:

Rediscovering the Truth of the Coconut: Curative Properties of Coconut Oil
(Part 2 of 2)

March 13, 2014

By: STAR SCIENCE By Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit, Ph.D. (The Philippine Star)

http://www.ateneo.edu/news/ls-research-updates/rediscovering-truth-coconut-curative-properties-coconut-oil

[The following excerpt from Dr. Dayrit's research describes the third of three applications which illustrate the usefulness of coconut oil, including their scientific basis:  (1) antimicrobial, (2) anti-obesity, and (3) anti-cancer activities. The other two applications  are posted in this blog separately.]

Coconut Oil versus Cancer

In the 1980s and 90s, Dr. Clara Lim-Sylianco from UP Diliman carried out a number of studies using laboratory animals on the anticancer properties of coconut oil. She showed that coconut oil had two anti-cancer properties: first, it protected the test animals against carcinogenic substances; and second, it is able to protect germ cells of laboratory rats from carcinogenic substances. In addition, only coconut oil was able to cause a return of fertility of the rat even with a single dose.

Further, Dr. Sylianco was also able to show that coconut oil was superior to soybean oil in its anti-cancer action. What is the explanation for the efficacy of coconut oil over soybean oil? Soybean oil has polyunsaturated fats which readily form oxidation products which are toxic to the cell and attack the cell’s genetic machinery. Continuous ingestion of such oxidized compounds has been shown to increase tumour frequency and incidence of atherosclerosis in test animals.

Another important anti-cancer property of coconut oil is due to the ability of normal cells to utilize medium-chain fats for energy while cancer cells are unable to do so. Thus, by switching one’s diet from a sugar and carbohydrates to coconut oil, one can starve cancer cells for energy while providing healthy cells the energy that it needs. This enhances the survival of normal cells over cancer cells.

This may be the mechanism behind the effectiveness of virgin coconut oil in the case of Julie F. Julie developed cancer in the U.S. and returned to her home province of Quezon with the cancer in her skull with no more medications and only her prayers. After reading about coconut oil, she began to prepare her own VCO and then consumed as much as she could of the oil, mixing it with her food and beverages. After six months she felt well and strong, with no signs or symptoms of her cancer. Upon returning to the U.S. for medical follow up, she was told that her cancer was in remission! Asked what she was taking, she replied: “Nothing but virgin coconut oil!”

About the Author: Dr. Fabian M. Dayrit is a brilliant, multi-awarded scientist, who is Professor of Chemistry and former Dean of Ateneo University's School of Science and Engineering, among other distinguished positions he holds in the field of advanced science and technology research and development. He graduated cum laude from Ateneo with a degree in Chemistry, and received both his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry from Princeton University.