If you’re low on energy, the first place to look is your diet.

The things you eat and drink are the cornerstones of your body’s energy system. They create the fuel that keeps you feeling vibrant throughout the day.

When your eyelids start to feel heavy around 2:00 PM, do you reach for a cup of coffee or tea? Do you load up on sugar for a quick hit? Cookies look so much more appetizing when you’re low on fuel…

While these options do the job in the short term—and coffee and tea have health benefits beyond just their caffeine count—there’s a better solution when you’re looking for fast fuel.

There’s a superfood that can offer energy that lasts, without a plummeting crash: MCTs.

MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides) are a type of fatty acid that are processed differently than other fats. Their unique makeup is what allows your body to more easily and quickly access energy than it can when fed, say, olive oil or an avocado.

The result? Soaring, steady energy that doesn't fall off a cliff after an hour or two. MCTs bring an uncommon sharpness and vitality to your body and brain. Think: Cleaning the whole house without collapsing on the couch afterward, remembering the obscure details of that work proposal that even your boss forgot, powering through a weekend with energetic grandkids without missing a single beat…

MCTs can make it happen.

The magic behind MCTs comes down to how they're processed in your body.

When you consume most forms of fat, they need to jump through a long series of hoops before they’re converted into energy. By the time they’re broken down, digested, sent to your bloodstream, delivered to your liver, moved into your cells, and finally processed into usable energy…let’s just say you’ll have been waiting a while.

MCTs, on the other hand, are digested and absorbed more like carbs: swiftly and efficiently. MCTs go through what you might call a fast-track process, quickly entering your bloodstream and, just a few steps later, your cells. They’re then broken down into energy and are ready to become fuel in the time it takes for other fats to tie their shoes (1).

When MCTs fuel your brain, they don’t just energize it—they make it sharp and alert.

This is thanks to ketones, the energy molecules that MCT produces. Ketones are an alternative source of fuel that your body relies on when glucose, your system’s go-to energy source, is not available.

Ketones are the real magic behind the brain-boosting benefits of MCTs. Ketones boost brain health by…

1. Providing an enhanced energy supply to the brain(2).
2. Providing a neuroprotective effect as an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant (3).

Now that you have an idea of why MCTs power up your brain and body, let’s take a look at how they do their jobs.

1. They Help Your Cells Produce More Energy, Faster

Your cells contain tiny powerhouses called mitochondria. Mitochondria transform fuel from your diet into usable energy for your body.

MCT powder increases the number of mitochondria in your body, which means your body can generate more energy at once (4)! This can translate into more alertness, stamina, and vitality throughout the day.

When you take MCT powder, the energy hits you very quickly, and that makes it an ideal pre-workout boost.

Most people reach for carbs to get their pre-workout fuel, but MCTs might leave you feeling even better—without the risk of a blood sugar spike and the crash that comes along with carbs. Trust us: It’s no fun hitting that crash when you’re only halfway through your morning jog.

MCTs have been found to increase endurance for both moderate and high-intensity exercise (5, 6). They were also found to reduce how tired you feel after a workout, which scientists call your rate of perceived exertion.

With MCTs, you can typically extend your workouts without extra fatigue. More burn for your buck!

The link between MCT powder and physical energy is undeniable, but it doesn’t stop there. MCTs are a wildly efficient alternative fuel source for your brain.

Here’s how it powers up your gray matter…

• Sharper Cognition

Research shows that one of the key markers for a declining mental function is when a brain can’t properly utilize glucose. (Remember, glucose is the body’s go-to energy source when other options aren’t available.)

Glucose issues have a wide range of causes—including diabetes and other health problems—that can hit someone at any age, in any walk of life (7, 8).

When you use MCTs for fuel instead, you can say goodbye to the brain fog that comes along with glucose dips. In fact, in one study, MCTs given to people with diabetes completely reversed glucose-related cognitive impairment as indicated by three separate cognition tests (9).

• Neuroprotection

MCTs are neuroprotective, meaning that they may help prevent neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline. Protecting your brain tissue from decline can be just as important as making sure you get the right nutrients to support your mind.

Because MCTs produce ketones, they act as powerful neuroprotectors that keep your brain tissue healthy and vital. This is thanks to ketones’ anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and mito-protection qualities (3).

In short, that means MCTs can help reduce brain inflammation, help prevent oxidative stress, and protect your brain’s energy-producing mechanisms (10).

• Learning and Memory Support

Many people who take MCTs report a sharper memory and an ability to move through their day’s to-dos more quickly than before.

MCTs have been linked to an increase in working memory, task-switching, and visual attention (13, 14, 15).

Research on this topic has mainly been conducted on participants with dementia, Alzheimer's, or other neurological diseases, but research now shows that healthy people may also reap these benefits. (11).

The ketones in MCTs can increase the number of receptors on a key molecule (called BDNF) involved in brain changes related to learning and memory. Changes in BDNF are associated with the aging process and can lead to memory decline, so giving them a boost may help stave off memory issues. (12, 3).

• Reduced Symptoms of Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Consuming a fuel source that provides ketones, like MCTs, may help reduce symptoms for those suffering from conditions like Alzheimer's Disease (AD), dementia, and Parkinson's (16, 17).

In fact, one study showed that taking MCTs can enhance energy metabolism in the brain of Alzheimer's patients in direct correlation to the number of ketones produced (18). Another found that MCTs may improve verbal memory in Alzheimer’s patients (11). Some research also suggests that ketones may act as anxiolytics and help to calm anxiety, a common symptom of Alzheimer’s (19).

MCTs are a treasure trove of energy.

Fuel from MCTs reaches your body faster so you won’t lose one more minute of your day to fatigue.

Whether it’s to power through a cardio session, preserve your precious memory, or savor a day without an afternoon slump, MCTs can change your life. If you want to give it a try yourself, our NativePath MCT Oil Powder is a great place to start. Because life is too short to spend it tired, forgetful, and foggy.