{ "dataset": "mct-oil-cost-by-brand", "title": "MCT Oil Supplements Compared — cost per serving and cost per gram of C8 (caprylic acid), the ketogenic driver", "sourcePage": "https://verifiedsupplementdata.com/mct-oil/best-overall/", "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "licenseUrl": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "attribution": "Verified Supplement Data (2026), MCT Oil Cost Comparison", "dateModified": "2026-07-19", "methodology": "The ketogenic driver in \"MCT oil\" is specifically C8 (caprylic acid) — C8 is ~3x more ketogenic than C10 and ~6x more than C12/lauric acid at identical doses (St-Pierre 2019, PMID 31058159). Only one product tracked here discloses 100% C8 composition (Bulletproof Brain Octane), so it is the only row with a computable costPerGramC8 = price / (servings x disclosed C8 grams). Every other product either discloses a blend without an exact C8:C10(:C12) ratio, does not disclose chain length at all, or (for the Nutricost powder) discloses a 95% C8 OIL-FRACTION purity without disclosing what share of total powder weight is oil vs. fiber carrier — so costPerGramC8 is left null (UNKNOWABLE from the label) rather than computed from an assumed dilution ratio. Liquid servings use the standard ~15mL/1 tbsp (~14g fat) MCT-oil convention; powder servings use a standardized 15g POWDER-WEIGHT reference (NOT gram-equivalent to liquid oil — the acacia/tapioca-fiber carrier dilutes actual MCT-fat content; always check the label's real scoop size and MCT-mg-per-scoop). Typical dose is 15-45g/day (1-3 tbsp), starting at a 5g (~1 tsp) titration dose to avoid GI distress — see the dosage guide. EVIDENCE CONTEXT: Courchesne-Loyer 2013 (PMID 23274095, n=8) demonstrated a titrated 20g/day (wk1) to 30g/day (wks2-4) protocol was \"mildly and safely ketogenic and had no side effects\" — the basis for the titration-ramp recommendation. St-Pierre 2019 (PMID 31058159) is THE direct C8-vs-C10-vs-C12 comparison. Norgren 2020 (PMID 32351966, n=15) found C8 significantly more ketogenic than coconut oil, and coconut oil not significantly different from a sunflower-oil control — coconut oil and MCT oil are NOT interchangeable. Mumme 2015 (PMID 25636220, meta-analysis of 13 RCTs, n=749) found a modest -0.51kg weight-loss edge over LCT with commercial bias explicitly flagged by the authors. This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA; these products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.", "headline": { "productsCompared": 6, "disclosedC8": 1, "undisclosedC8": 5, "typicalDoseLowG": 15, "typicalDoseHighG": 45, "titrationStartG": 5, "pureC8Brand": "Bulletproof", "pureC8CostPerGramC8": 0.061, "cheapestLiquidBrand": "Sports Research", "cheapestPowderBrand": "Nutricost", "note": "Ranked by computable cost-per-gram-C8 FIRST (one product), then liquids-before-powders by cost per serving. Powder cost is a standardized 15g powder-weight reference, not a gram-for-gram MCT-oil equivalent." }, "columns": [ "brand", "product", "slug", "form", "formLabel", "gPerServing", "servingLabel", "disclosedC8GPerServing", "servings", "price", "costPerServing", "costPerGramC8", "verdict", "thirdParty" ], "units": { "gPerServing": "g oil or powder weight per serving", "disclosedC8GPerServing": "g caprylic acid (C8), disclosed only", "price": "USD", "costPerServing": "USD/serving", "costPerGramC8": "USD per gram of disclosed C8" }, "citations": [ { "claim": "n=8 healthy adults, MCT titrated 20g/day (wk1) to 30g/day (wks2-4): plasma ketones peaked 476µM, mean 290µM; protocol \"mildly and safely ketogenic and had no side effects.\"", "source": "Courchesne-Loyer A, et al. 2013, Nutrition", "pmid": "23274095" }, { "claim": "Acute crossover comparing tricaprylin (C8), tricaprin (C10), trilaurin (C12): C8 ~3x more ketogenic than C10, ~6x more than C12, under identical dosing.", "source": "St-Pierre V, et al. 2019, Front Nutr", "pmid": "31058159" }, { "claim": "6-arm crossover, n=15 older adults: C8 (20g) had significantly higher ketone AUC than coconut oil (30g) or sunflower-oil control; coconut oil NOT significantly different from control.", "source": "Norgren J, et al. 2020, Front Nutr", "pmid": "32351966" }, { "claim": "Meta-analysis of 13 RCTs (n=749): MCT reduced body weight -0.51kg vs LCT (P<0.001); authors explicitly flag commercial bias across the trial set.", "source": "Mumme K, Stonehouse W. 2015, J Acad Nutr Diet", "pmid": "25636220" }, { "claim": "RCT, n=15 obese adolescents: coconut-oil-enriched meal vs corn oil — no significant difference in thermogenesis, appetite, glucose, or insulin AUC.", "source": "LaBarrie J, St-Onge M-P. 2017, Insights Nutr Metab", "pmid": "28758166" }, { "claim": "RCT, n=12 trained endurance runners: 60g/day MCT vs 56g/day corn oil — no difference in VO2max or time-to-exhaustion.", "source": "Misell LM, et al. 2001, J Sports Med Phys Fitness", "pmid": "11447364" } ], "products": [ { "brand": "Bulletproof", "product": "Brain Octane C8 MCT Oil", "slug": "bulletproof-brain-octane-c8-16oz", "form": "liquid", "formLabel": "Liquid oil, 100% caprylic acid (C8)", "gPerServing": 14, "servingLabel": "1 tbsp (15mL)", "disclosedC8GPerServing": 14, "servings": 32, "price": 27.49, "costPerServing": 0.86, "costPerGramC8": 0.061, "verdict": "pure-c8", "thirdParty": "None stated" }, { "brand": "Sports Research", "product": "Organic MCT Oil", "slug": "sports-research-mct-oil-32oz", "form": "liquid", "formLabel": "Liquid oil, C8/C10/C12 coconut-derived blend", "gPerServing": 14, "servingLabel": "1 tbsp (15mL)", "disclosedC8GPerServing": null, "servings": 64, "price": 24.26, "costPerServing": 0.38, "costPerGramC8": null, "verdict": "blend-broad-c12", "thirdParty": "None stated" }, { "brand": "Nature's Way", "product": "Organic MCT Oil", "slug": "natures-way-mct-oil-16oz", "form": "liquid", "formLabel": "Liquid oil, coconut-derived (chain length not disclosed)", "gPerServing": 14, "servingLabel": "1 tbsp (15mL)", "disclosedC8GPerServing": null, "servings": 32, "price": 17.88, "costPerServing": 0.56, "costPerGramC8": null, "verdict": "chain-undisclosed", "thirdParty": "None stated" }, { "brand": "Bulletproof", "product": "C8 & C10 MCT Oil", "slug": "bulletproof-c8-c10-16oz", "form": "liquid", "formLabel": "Liquid oil, C8/C10 blend (ratio not disclosed)", "gPerServing": 14, "servingLabel": "1 tbsp (15mL)", "disclosedC8GPerServing": null, "servings": 32, "price": 18.99, "costPerServing": 0.59, "costPerGramC8": null, "verdict": "blend-c8-c10", "thirdParty": "None stated" }, { "brand": "Nutricost", "product": "C8 MCT Oil Powder (95% C8)", "slug": "nutricost-c8-mct-powder-1lb", "form": "powder", "formLabel": "Powder, 95% caprylic acid (C8) oil load (carrier dilution ratio not disclosed)", "gPerServing": 15, "servingLabel": "15g powder (standardized reference serving; check label scoop size for actual MCT content)", "disclosedC8GPerServing": null, "servings": 30, "price": 28.95, "costPerServing": 0.97, "costPerGramC8": null, "verdict": "powder-high-c8", "thirdParty": "None stated" }, { "brand": "Sports Research", "product": "Organic MCT Oil Powder", "slug": "sports-research-mct-powder-10-6oz", "form": "powder", "formLabel": "Powder, C8/C10 from coconut with acacia-fiber carrier", "gPerServing": 15, "servingLabel": "15g powder (standardized reference serving; check label scoop size for actual MCT content)", "disclosedC8GPerServing": null, "servings": 20, "price": 22.46, "costPerServing": 1.12, "costPerGramC8": null, "verdict": "powder-blend", "thirdParty": "None stated" } ] }