People often ask what the difference is between regular MCT oil, Bulletproof XCT and Brain Octane.
The difference is made by the different fatty acids it contains. All the oils mentioned contain medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).
– MCT ? Fatty acids with chain length C8, C10, C12
– “XCT” ? C8, C10
– “Brain Octane” ? C8
Apparently, the C8 fatty acid (called octanoate or octanoic acid / caprylic acid) is the only medium-chain fatty acid that can pass through the blood-brain barrier and act as an additional energy carrier for brain cells, without the detour via ketone body formation.
The other medium-chain fatty acids are first metabolized to ketone bodies and can then be available to the brain as an energy source.
