MCT Wellness is a dietary supplement used for weight loss and cognitive function that’s manufactured by a brand called Gundry MD. The brand describes this supplement as being perfect for consumers who want “a body that can act like a fat-burning furnace” and “a sharp mind that stays focused.”
But are medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) actually proven to cause fat loss and improved cognitive function or are these just marketing claims? Is it dosed high enough in this supplement to have any effect? Does MCT Wellness have any questionable additive ingredients? And how do real users rate and describe this product?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we review every ingredient in MCT Wellness based on medical studies to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective for fat loss and improved brain function. We’ll also share customer reviews of the product.
Will MCT Wellness Cause Weight Loss?
A prebiotic blend including MCT oil and acacia gum is the first active ingredient in this formulation, at a combined dose of 5,500 milligrams (mg).
MCT oil is an effective weight loss ingredient and appears to be effectively dosed in this supplement. A meta-study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics analyzed results from clinical trials on MCT oil and weight loss, and documented an average weight loss of 1.12 pounds after 10 weeks of daily use.
The effective dosing range was between 1,700 mg and 10,000 mg per day, and the average ingredient dose in this blend is 2,750 mg.
Acacia gum is a type of fiber, and while increased fiber intake can improve overall health, we do not consider this ingredient likely to cause any substantial weight loss, as there is only 2 grams (g) of dietary fiber per serving of this supplement. That’s less than the amount of fiber in one small banana according to the USDA.
MitoHeal is a patented extract of redcurrant and blackcurrant. We find this to be a strange inclusion in a weight loss or cognition supplement and we cannot identify any clinical studies proving it to be effective for either outcome.
The manufacturer’s own website describes MitoHeal primarily as a beauty ingredient that can “reduce fine lines and wrinkles.”
CogniGrape is a trademarked extract of red grape, and as suggested by the name it’s been studied for effects on cognition rather than weight loss.
Overall we consider MCT Wellness likely to cause a modest amount of weight loss given that it contains an effective dose of MCT oil, however we do not recommend this supplement overall as we consider it a cost-ineffective way to supplement with MCT oil.
Will MCT Wellness Improve Cognitive Function?
MCT oil has been studied for its nootropic (cognitive-enhancing) properties in clinical studies. A 2021 clinical trial found that MCT oil improved cognitive function in young, healthy adults, but the minimally-effective dose was documented to be 12 g, or over 4x the amount in MCT Wellness.
We are unable to identify any medical studies suggesting that MCT oil at as low a dose as in this supplement improves cognition, and Gundry MD does not cite any on the product page.
We cannot identify any medical evidence that MitoHeal improves cognitive function.
CogniGrape was shown in a clinical trial published in the Frontiers in Pharmacology to improve cognitive function in healthy, older adults. Attention, language, immediate memory and delayed memory were all improved and there was also a reduction in depression scores of over 15% and a reduction in anxiety scores of over 24%.
We consider MCT Wellness likely to improve cognitive function because of its effective dose of CogniGrape.
Does MCT Wellness Cause Side Effects?
MCT Wellness does not appear to have been studied in any clinical trials, so it’s impossible to say for certain whether the supplement causes side effects. What we can do is analyze the ingredients to give an educated guess.
All of the ingredients in MCT Wellness are safe and well-studied, so we do not consider this supplement likely to cause any side effects.
MCT oil can cause gastrointestinal distress when taken at large doses according to the Cleveland Clinic, but we would not categorize the amount in this supplement as a large dose.
Some individuals online report anxiety after taking MCT oil, but we can’t find any evidence of this effect in clinical research.
Any individual can react negatively to any food or supplement, but we do not consider this product to be a risk in regard to side effects.
Questionable Additive Ingredients
MCT Wellness contains two inactive ingredients that we recommend avoiding.
Citric acid was shown in a medical review published in the Toxicology Reports journal to cause whole-body inflammation in a small subset of individuals. This ingredient can be derived from citrus fruits like lemons and limes, but over 90% of the citric acid used in manufacturing is derived from a fungus called Aspergillus niger according to the above-linked review.
Natural flavor is a broad categorization that fails to describe the specific chemical compounds used as flavoring agents. As we documented in our review of the 310 Shake, there is medical evidence that some natural flavoring agents have toxicity concerns.
While we don’t recommend MCT Wellness due to the inclusion of these inactive ingredients, it’s a good thing that the supplement is free of unhealthier additives like added sugar, artificial dyes and artificial flavors. These additives are relatively minor considerations.
Real People Try MCT Wellness
A YouTube creator named “risortiz” reviewed MCT Wellness and included an unboxing and product demo:
A YouTube creator named “AGStros” claims that MCT Wellness was ineffective for him:
Our Clean Weight Loss Picks
There are food-based nutrients which have been shown in medical studies to be effective for weight loss.
Dietary fiber was shown in a medical review published in The Journal of Nutrition to cause 16 pounds of weight loss in 6 months when combined with moderate caloric restriction (750 calories per day below baseline).
MBG Organic Fiber Potency+ is our top fiber pick because it's certified organic, provides 7 g of fiber per serving and costs under $1.85 per serving at the time of updating this article.
MCT oil was shown in a meta-study to cause more than one pound of weight loss over 10 weeks. This equates to potential annualized weight loss of 6 pounds per year with less than one tablespoon's worth of MCT oil per day.
Performance Lab MCT Oil is our top MCT oil pick because it's certified organic.
Ginger intake "significantly decreased body weight" according to a 2019 meta-study on ginger and weight loss that analyzed data from 14 clinical trials.
Pique La Ginger is our top ginger product, because it's an organic tea in convenient crystallized form, and all that's needed is to pour the powder into a glass and add hot water.
All three of the products mentioned in this section are entirely free of additive ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
Where to Get the Best Price
MCT Wellness is sold at the brand's website and on Amazon. Here's a price breakdown for a one-time purchase at the time of updating this article:
Brand website: $79.95 (free shipping, link)
Amazon: $54.95 (free shipping, link to official Amazon listing)
MCT Wellness is 31% cheaper on Amazon than on the brand's website at the time of updating this article.
MCT Wellness Pros and Cons
Here are the pros and cons of this product in our opinion.
Pros:
- Likely effective for weight loss
- Likely effective for cognitive enhancement
- Positive user reviews online
Cons:
- Contains citric acid
- Contains natural flavor
- Expensive
- Proprietary formulation that’s not clinically proven to work
