Coconut Oil for Health Benefits Examined - Chapter 1 Intro and Dental Health

As a sufferer of ALS (MND or Lou Gehrigs Disease) my only recourse to prescribed medicine is a drug called Riluzole which is generally reckoned to prolong life expectancy by 3 months. I am keen to gain any insight I can into supplements that might improve my quality of life or life expectancy and recently decided to undertake some research.

I was already aware of the website Patientslikeme where hundreds of patients with a variety of health conditions undertake self medication and share their experience with other patients and the medical community.

At the Patientslikeme (PLM) website, looking for supplements that might assist me, I happened upon some sufferers who are using coconut oil to lessen the symptoms of their condition. Users of the website are encouraged to describe medicines and supplements they are using and evaluate the effectiveness.

https://www.patientslikeme.com/treatment_evaluations/browse?brand=f&id=6019-coconut-oil-side-effects-and-efficacy&mixpanel_event=treatments.report.evaluations.click_through&mixpanel_link=evaluations_sidebar&mixpanel_treatment_id=6019&mixpanel_treatment_name=Coconut+oil

As can be seen here, patient evaluations of effectiveness vary between 'can't tell', 'slight', 'moderate' and 'major'. In contrast patients using Riluzole report no observed effectiveness.

This piqued my interest and I decided to undertake some research on coconut oil.

My internet search lead me to several advocates of the use of coconut oil, the most prominent being Dr Bruce Fife ND, of the, somewhat unconvincingly named, Coconut Research Centre.

http://coconutresearchcenter.org/

The Coconut Research Centre is a non-profit organisation with the purpose of educating the public as well as medical community about the benefits of coconut and palm products. They do not sell coconut products although Dr Fife has written several books extolling the virtues of coconut oil, which are for sale via the site.

On the website Dr Fife makes claims that coconut oil can help with a huge range of health problems including mental cognition, digestive conditions, osteoporosis, diabetes, pancreatitus, cancer and AIDs. Also he claims coconut oil can kills viruses, bacteria and fungi, boosts energy and endurance, and can help weight control.

I decided to set out on a journey of research to investigate the amazing claims of Dr Fife which, on the surface, seemed to be too good to be true.

I decided to first check Dr Fifes online presence and my attention was drawn to the following interview with Dr Fife from Fox News Insider.

http://insider.foxnews.com/2014/06/07/can-oil-pulling-improve-your-health

Here Dr Fife makes some amazing claims, none of which are verified by research within the interview - suspicious? I decided to look further.

So what is Oil Pulling?

An ancient ayurvedic folk remedy which consists of swishing oil around the mouth and sucking and swooshing it between the teeth for a period of ideally 10-20 minutes. Best carried out with an empty stomach the oil is then spat out without swallowing it. The theory is that oil pulling draws toxins from, and cleans out the mouth, thereby preventing toxins being absorbed into the blood stream where they may accumulate and cause disease. The practise is apparently well documented to help treat mouth conditions such as halitosis (bad breath) gingivitus (weak diseased gums) and removes oral plaque. Dr Fife claims research shows it can benefit the whole body by combating disease, removing bacteria, fungi, mucus, viruses, puss, and other toxins from the mouth.

Dr Fife states any oil can be used, processed or raw, although my further research suggests oils should be unprocessed and sesame oil may be superior to coconut oil for dental hygiene.

Sesame Oil and bacterial adhesion
http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v207/n9/full/sj.bdj.2009.965.html

The next stage of my research on oil pulling was to try and gain real life anecdotal evidence of the efficacy of oil pulling. My first strategy was to check out reviews of Dr Fifes book on oil pulling on Amazon.

The book published 2008 has some 350 customer reviews and so provides some interesting testimonial. The book appears very well received with many happy customers turning to oil pulling as a daily habit. Of particular interest many adherents report that their dentists notice obvious improvements and question how the patient has improved their dental hygiene.

Those practising oil pulling variously report wide ranging benefits including tooth enamel hardening, fresher breath, teeth whitening, reduced plaque and gums growing back. Non-dental improvements include improved arthritis, hair colour changeing, improved sleep, weight reduction and reduced cellulite.

So how do dental practioners look upon oil pulling?

I found a range of scholarly articles generally testifying to the benefits of oil pulling.

Effect of oil pulling on Streptococcus mutans count in plaque and saliva using Dentocult SM Strip mutans test: a randomized, controlled, triple-blind study.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18408265
conclusion - Oil pulling can be used as an effective preventive adjunct in maintaining and improving oral health.

Effect of oil pulling on halitosis and microorganisms causing halitosis: a randomized controlled pilot trial.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21911944
Conclusion - Oil pulling therapy has been equally effective like chlorhexidine on halitosis and organisms, associated with halitosis.

Effect of oil pulling on plaque induced gingivitis: a randomized, controlled, triple-blind study.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19336860
Conclusion - The oil pulling therapy showed a reduction in the plaque index, modified gingival scores, and total colony count of aerobic microorganisms in the plaque of adolescents with plaque-induced gingivitis.

Oil pulling for maintaining oral hygiene – A review
The following exerpts make especially interesting reading are copied direct from this article
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2225411016300281
Ayurveda hypothesizes that tongue is connected to various organs such as kidneys, heart, lungs, small intestine, spine, etc. Oil pulling is believed to help in the excretion of toxic heavy metals by saliva. Oil pulling activates salivary enzymes which absorb toxins such as chemical toxins, bacterial toxins and environmental toxins from the blood and removed from the body through the tongue. Thus oil pulling detoxifies and purifies the entire human body. However it is argued that since oral mucosa is not a semipermeable membrane, toxins of the body from the blood cannot pass through it.

Coconut oil has high saponification index. It contains lauric acid which can react with alkalis present in saliva such as sodium hydroxide and bicarbonates to form sodium laureate-soap like substance, which reduces plaque adhesion and accumulation, and possesses cleansing action. Lauric acid has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties, prevents dental caries and is beneficial to oral health. In addition to this it also has a pleasant taste. Coconut oil has antimicrobial activity and is effective against Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans in an in vitro biofilm model. Coconut oil also has anti-septic properties and can be safely used as emollient and moisturizer. Coconut oil does not have adverse effects produced by chlorhexidine such as brown staining and altered taste sensation.
Conclusion - Oil pulling is observed to bring improvement in oral hygiene when practiced correctly and regularly.... However oil pulling does not replace dental therapy and is currently not recommended by American dental association....(well they wouldn't want to bite the hand that feeds them would they?)

My Personal Conclusion

For me the evidence stacks up and I have embarked upon daily oil pulling. My breath is fresher (as pointed out by my wife) and my teeth have a film of pleasant tasting coconut oil which I actually feel is protecting me somehow.

I am now fascinated by the further claims of the benefits of coconut oil and I will go on to research Dr Bruce Fife and others claims that coconut oil can assist with alcoholism and:

http://coconutresearchcenter.org/

• kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C,
  SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses.
• Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract
  infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and
  other diseases.
• Kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete’s
  foot, thrush, diaper rash, and other infections.
• Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.
  Provides a nutritional source of quick energy.
• Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic
  performance.
• Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including
  vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
• Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.
• Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.
• Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.
• Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with
  diabetes.
• Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic
  fibrosis.
• Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the
  development of strong bones and teeth.
• Helps protect against osteoporosis.
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.
• Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative
  colitis, and stomach ulcers.
• Improves digestion and bowel function.
• Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.
• Reduces inflammation.
• Supports tissue healing and repair.
• Supports and aids immune system function.
• Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.
• Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart
  disease.
• Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus
  protects against heart disease.
• Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.
• Functions as a protective antioxidant.
• Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote
  premature aging and degenerative disease.
• Does not deplete the body’s antioxidant reserves like other oils do.
• Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from
  oxidation.
• Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia
  (prostate enlargement).
• Reduces epileptic seizures.
• Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.
• Dissolves kidney stones.
• Helps prevent liver disease.
• Is lower in calories than all other fats.
• Supports thyroid function.
• Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.
• Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being
  stored as body fat like other dietary fats.
• Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.
• Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to
  ward of infection.
• Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.
• Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.
• Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.
• Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.
• Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.
• Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation
  from the sun.
• Helps control dandruff.
• Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking
  temperature like other vegetable oils do.
• Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.
• Is completely non-toxic to humans.

Follow my journey @ukblogger

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