Coconut Oil Benefits, Side Effects and Reviews

Oh Coconut Oil... Where to begin...

I have been using coconut oil for 4 months now on and inside my body. I will say first off that I do not believe in this systemic candida issue and these "die-offs. " I do, however, believe in eliminating processed foods from my diet, while eating locally, organically, and sustainable. It is a learning process. So organic virgin coconut oil is great stuff. Here is what I have used it for.

Yeast infection: I am currently suffering from repeated yeast infections... Check that... I am just not getting rid this yeast infection completely. I have tried the prescription pills and OTC creams. Coconut oil is great for relieving symptoms and the infection temporarily. It has been more effective than the creams or prescriptions thus far. My infection has always been minor/mild. I am getting insurance in a few weeks, so I have not been to the doctor recently, so it is undiagnosed, and I am very well aware that I could be misdiagnosing (but after hours and hours and months of reading, I don't think that I am). It began with diagnosed BV and antibiotics (so I know the difference).

Put some coconut oil in a glass, and put that glass in a stopped sink with hot water (about an inch worth). The oil will melt pretty quickly while you brush you do your bathroom routine. Dip an organic cotton tampon in, swirl it around in the oil, and put it on up there. It is pretty much instant relief for me. I leave it in 2-6 hours. After doing this for three days my symptoms will disappear but always temporarily. Basically it gets rid of the problem on the surface but not entirely.

May I suggest that EVERYONE read the V Book. There is a crazy amount of misinformation on this site. Read this book. The chapter on yeast infections is online so just google it. Learn about your body apart from only second hand naturopath advice which, if you understand the complexity of scientific experimentation- studies, you will understand that a naturopath (though sometimes helpful) is not a substitute for a doctor... Meh.. But to each their own. If you have reoccurring yeast infections, put some coconut oil up there to get you through and insist on a culture from your gyno.

Please do not get into these year/s long extraordinarily restrictive diets that drive you to the point of thinking every ache and pain is the candida monster thriving inside of you. Eating a little sugar does not cause yeast infections... Now, if you are drinking a liter of pop a day and over a quarter of milk with a bunch of cookies, etc...well...

Moisturizer/stretch marks: Coconut oil makes a great moisturizer. My boyfriend loves it. I would like to use it as a sexual lubricant as well.

After a month of regular use there is no noticeable difference in my stretch marks.

I do use it on my face and upper shoulders where I have the occasion pimple break out. Coconut oil does not reduce nor cause pimples as far as I can tell. I definitely do not breakout from coconut oil, but it does not seem to have much of an effect on existing pimples. Things are pretty much as they ever were, though I have received compliments on my skin.

Toothpaste: Google a recipe. I have been using it as a homemade toothpaste base for only a week now. Nothing incredible to report, but I do not think that I have bad breath.

Shaving cream: I only shave with coconut oil now! I put a little melted oil on my legs and shave away. It is great! Razor burn is not completely eliminated, but definitely greatly reduced.

Consumption/Internal Use: Okay... I have added 1-3 T in my coffee for... 4 months now, every morning. This does _not_ eliminate yeast infections. It does absolutely nothing as far as preventing/stopping yeast infections. No changes whatsoever from ingesting.

Eating this stuff does increase your metabolism. This means your heart rate will increase and your body temp increases so you will sweat more. I hate this. I have not lost weight (getting back into my yoga routine now.. Exercise and eating right is the only way to lose weight... There is no special tonic). The increased sweating (especially at school or in work when I tend to be more nervous) is terrible. I don't like it. I don't smell great from it either.

This is not a herx reaction or any kind of toxin die off. People that throw out "herx" every time someone has a negative reaction (most of them either allergic or due to severely depriving oneself of carbohydrates/sodium/sugar) make me insane. Look up coconut oil. It raises metabolism and heart rate. I do not have a mysterious systemic candida condition that everyone has and every single doctor ever attempts to mask from their patient's eyes in order to line their pockets with more yeast money. If you are sensitive to raised heart rates (I am and the first day was kind of rough so I had to start smaller and build up the dose) then start with just a little and work your way up. I am going to work my way back down on this one as I am not sure that a little increased energy is worth the sweatiness and warm sensation all day. We will see.

But most importantly, eating coconut oil does not do anything for yeast infections... At least not for mine. I will say that topical application as described above has worked better than Apple Cider Vinegar (did nothing... I started using Apple Cider Vinegar for everything and it did nothing for anything, but I do use it to cook), garlic (did nothing... Ingested and stuck some up there overnight a few times), yogurt (did nothing), probiotics (love for digestion but as suppositories they do nothing for me, and I have tried all of the most recommended brands made especially for vaginal flora harmony).

Wow, I have tried many of what was mentioned and couldn't disagree more. I have found coconut oil to be miraculous and organic apple cider vinegar likewise....As I read along I kept thinking this person sounds like a troll, someone paid to discredit natural remedies as they are competition to corporations bottom line...But that's just me...

It is all because of the CHOLESTROL SCAM for the past 50 years. Media and medical industry promoted Sunflower oil, Corn Oil which is zero transfat and cholestrol free.

Really, sunflower oil and corn oil are not real traditional cooking oil.

The traditional cooking oils are:

Olive Oil
Coconut Oil
Sesame Oil

which can be used in any amount in cooking.

In India, the medical industry persuaded Coconut is rich in Cholestrol and convinced people to use sunflower oil.

But, cocounut oil is rich in Vitamin E which promotes proper blood flow in the body, prevents oxidation and balances the cholestrol. Foods cooked in coconut oil is very delicioius when compared with sunflower oil.

IT IS ALL BECAUSE OF SCAM, PEOPLE LOOSE THEIR TRADITIONAL VALUE ALL OVER THE WORLD.

Regular coconut oil is fine for external use I.E. Skin, hair. For consumption, personally I am creeped out by anything except the organic VCO. You might not feel you need organic, but use at least VCO for consumption. It is going to retain more of its beneficial qualities.

I like to put coconut oil in my oatmeal. You can just swallow it from a spoon as well but it gets my gag reflex going.... I fry my eggs in it and love using for oriental cooking and curry. Curried butternut squash soup is fabulous with coconut oil in it.

With the coconut oil, do you heat it in the microwave so it dissolves or you just melt the solid in your mouth?

I have had a thyroid problem for 9 years and before that I never ate sweet things. I became a sugar junkie and could not control my sugar cravings. Since discovering coconut oil I don't have the overwhelming urge to eat sugar and have much more energy. I also have lost some weight and feel so much better. I eat 2-3 dessert spoons of coconut oil and use it for my face and body. I have smooth beautiful skin and its so much cheaper than all those expensive products I use to buy. Thank you Earth Clinic for another amazing discovery.

Hi there! I've been a fan of coconut oil for some time now - been using it on my skin for the past two months and my acne problem had almost disappeared.

Then I read about taking it internally and decided to try that for the other health benefits as well. I weigh 45 kilos, so Ive been taking only a tablespoon VCO a day in the morning.

The first day I felt nothing, the second I broke out on the right sid of my face something bad. It was a cluster of pimples that refused to surface and just sat there under the skin! It was very painful. The third day, I had more painful spots along my jaw and the left side had two more painful pimples. But I stuck to the oil, halved my carbs intake and kept up a topical application of VCO. By day four, the pain was less, and it kept getting better throughout the day! Now it's day five and the pimples are coming to a head, are completely painless and my complexion has brightened! Over the last year my skin had gotten pretty dark and I thought maybe it was the coconut oil that was pushing the day's tan along. But today, suddenly, my face is three shades lighter! It's strange, I was even in the sun all day today! I guess it's the internal coconut oil working to push out toxins.

Now that I'm taking the VCO internally, I find I have a lot more energy, my skin has a healthy (albiet, pimply) glow and I feel great! I apply VCO on my face and rub it in gently, leaving it on overnight and washing in the morning.

My teeth are whiter too! I simply brush with coconut oil every day, no Western toothpaste for me, haha! I had a problem with pretty yellow incissors and now they are slowly becoming whiter and whiter and my mouth feels super clean!

I love VCO!

All of us LOVE coconut oil and its benefits, my man, my cat, and my entire body!

My man noticed I changed my recipe for brownies by using coconut oil in place of the usual bottled, vegetable oil. He said they were moist, chewy, and delicious! He's the kinda guy that rarely says anything about a great meal, but I know after 15 years together, if he eats "it", he loves "it"! So, any form of a compliment means "it" gets a "5 star" rating.

My cat began enjoying coconut oil about 2 months ago when he began licking my hands after I applied the oil to moisturize my face and hands. I knew cats had been given coconut oil to remedy ailments but I knew my cat was not going to allow me to introduce anything to him. He's Top Cat and he decides! Now, gets his tablespoons full of coconut oil whenever he tells me. His coat is definitely sleeker and he seems more relaxed. I look forward to seeing more health benefits of his consumption of coconut oil "candy"!

My entire 55 year young, entire body, is showing signs of coconut oil benefits, too. I use to moisturize my face and hands after I use hydrogen peroxide as an astringent. I try to eat a tablespoonful of oil daily, and it is so satisfiying as it melts in my mouth. Yum!

I have been using this miracle food for a month or so now, and it has benefitted me in ways that I can't fathom would be possible with any other store-bought stuff, such as lotion. In the Winter, my hands crack and get very dry and have broken skin spots all over my palms. Since I've been using coconut oil in my hair as a natural gel, a face moisturizer, chap stick, and lotion, just having the oil on my hands has made perfectly soft and healthy and crack-free.

I use the oil to make a toothpaste and natural deodorant, which works wonders. I also have been losing much bad weight by taking a tablespoon of it daily by mouth. I've been cooking with it, and let me say, it seems to bring out the flavor in my food, rather make it taste oily and greasy like other cooking oils. My partner has been taking the oil by mouth each day also, and it has cured his gingivitis completely. The oil is a godsend, truly. I find that it has boosted my immune system, also.

Come on, you don't honestly believe that swishing a bit of oil around in your mouth gives you depression, do you? I have to be honest, sometimes I think that there are people who infiltrate sites like this trying to prove that the people here are wackes and if that is the case it is very wrong. It can be that you honestly believe what you are saying, some people just have to blame anything they are feeling on what they are trying out but come on, getting depression from swishing a bit of oil around in your mouth, once a day for three days.......

Hi, I was pretty open to trying coconut oil being a lover of all things coconutty from young. I started taking 3 tablespoons of this oil daily and applying this oil on my face. I can report the following benefits so far: very good bowel movements (not that I had bad ones before but there is a definite improvement), more restful sleep and my complexion is certainly looking and feeling softer. I didn't think I'd describe it such but it really feels that way. [Would like to see some weight loss off me... There's been about 3 pounds shed... So, we'll see]. This has only been for a month since I started using (consuming and applying externally) it.

Recently, I've started having this itchy scalp which has so called 'degenerated' into dry flakiness as well! I've tried every anti-dandruff shampoo there is available - the bottles line my shelf in the bathroom, believe me! - yet I'm still scratching my itchy flaky head like mad! Anyhow, last night, I've decided that I'll massage coconut oil to my scalp each night and shampoo my hair in the morning daily and see how it goes... Today's the first day after a coconut oil hair treatment and the itching is less intense. At least I got by today's work without having to scratch my head silly behind closed doors!!!

Watch this space, folks... and to all you consumers of coconut oil, I hope you're enjoying a better quality of life now...

Time to give my head that coconut-oil massage now... :)

If I may - Dental conditions rather automatically involve swallowing some of the contaminants in your mouth with saliva or food, so it would be a good idea to begin ingesting a separate spoonful of coconut oil just to be on the safe side. It would also help to get into the habit of brushing your tongue and the soft tissues of your mouth with the oil to be thorough.

Let me also add that feeding this to your cat, dog and/or horse will help their teeth and breath also in addition to being very good for their coats and digestion.

I started taking coconut oil 2 weeks ago, my local vitamin store(I live in a small town)and they only had coconut oil pills, I have been taking two pills a day(knowing that starting in moderation was the best idea). The bottle lists them as extra virgin, pure nature coconut oil, cold pressed.

Today, I got regular coconut oil by mail, and also found to my surprise that a local grocery store carried it, but it is more expensive than the mail order.

I am a female who is 38 years old, I was put on simvastatin for high cholesteral, and was having really bad side affects, then I started researching "statins" on the internet and could not believe the potential damage they can do to your body, including destroying muscle tissue! I quit taking the cholesterol pills.

Here are some benefits I have had from taking the coconut oil pills so far:

Menstrual- My period started early, usually painful, this time it was not, however my "flow" was heavy, and only lasted 4 days! I am happy about that.

Reduction in hunger-Often, at night I would wake up hungry, that does not happen since I have started taking the coconut oil pills. I believe I have also lost some weight as well. My hunger is not as "demanding" as it was before.

Sinus Issues-I while back I was diagnosed with chronic sinusitis, and had sinus infection and general problems on a regular basis, my sinus issues have pretty much stopped entirely since starting on these pills.

Acid Reflux/Bad Digestion-Gone! I have had this problem for a LONG time, now it is gone. After trying different enzymes, prevacid, and tons of other stuff, no more stomach problems! It is hard to believe.

When I first started taking the pills, I did experience a feeling that kind of fit the term "brain fog", I have since started only taking them later in the evening after I eat dinner, (since I experience problems with insomnia, I am also seeing if they help with that)and that seems to be a better time for me to take them.

I am trying the new oil on my hair and skin, before I shower, as I type this.

The oil tastes so much better than I expected! It is expeller pressed, so there is no overly strong coconut scent, it is a very lite, slightly creamy taste, and is less expensive. I will def. eventually try cooking with it as well.

I have had diarrhea twice since starting to take the COP's, however, this is something I have had off and on before, and at the first sign of it, I took two charcoal pills, and it did not continue.

I am going to also experiment and see if I get different results from the straight oil versus the pills.

I have been using Organic "Unrefined" Coconut Oil for going on nine years. It has cured my Fibromyalgia and Arthiritis as well as my weight problem. Please note that I also changed my diet to an organic way of eating. My skin is beautiful and ageless. IT Works! End of story.

Hey Cathy, I don't know why some say not to put it on your face. I clean my face with 1/2 strength acv, I use cotton pads soked in it and rub my face really briskly all over, and don't forget your nose, then rinse with warm water, let dry, then take a pea size piece of Virgin Coconut Oil and melt it in my palm. Rub my hands together and put it on my face, neck, hairline, behind my ears, and take Q-tip and clean my ears, etc, etc get the picture- and if my hair is dry after that I rub both hand over my hair. All on one pea size vco, I eat 2 or 3 Tablespoons a day on my food, I am 63 and have no wrinkles- other women my age hate me :)

Treatment for herpes

If anyone there is suffering from herpes virus, please try applying coconut oil on the affected area. Even if you don't have an outbreak you can still rub coconut oil on the affected areas twice daily to stop an outbreak. Coconut oils are easily available in any Indian shops. You can also make it at home. Take some milk from coconut and boil it under high temperature. Keep boiling until all the milk evaporaes. Squeeze the white substance that is left and you will get pure coconut oil. Please try, this oil treatment it really works. You don't have to spend so much money on antibiotics and it is harmless to your body. Goodluck and best wishes

Coconut Oil Recipe: Try spreading coconut oil on cinnamon raisin toast. Delicious!!! :)

My husband and I use coconut oil as a rub for aches and pains. Hubby had his right shoulder replaced 10 years ago and coconut oil keeps him pain free. I need back surgery but am too old so I use coconut oil to relieve pain. We also use it to rub arthritic knees, hips, elbows and hands. We were in Majuro for 18 months five years ago and were introduced to coconut oil by the natives when I stepped onto a red ant pile and was severely bitten all over my legs. Instant relief from coconut oil. We don't measure, we just scoop out a little and rub it on. It has to be 100% pure coconut oil to work.

Hi, I know this is an old post, but I recently posted about my accidental success in finding my long lost sex drive after using Magnesium Chloride. I posted under the female hormones/ dysfunction. I was using MgCl (Swanson brand) to balance my urine pH, and insomnia. To give a history, I had cancer at a young age about 27 yrs old. Now, at 43, I have been with out my sex drive for nearly 15 years- when I finished chemotherapy. I have been seeking my health since then but doctors were not able to help. I researched a lot and decided to start with basic vitamins- b complex, methyl b 12, vitamin A, E and benfotiamine( a fat soluble B1). The methyl B12 and benfotiamine helped significantly with chemo induced nerve damage in my feet and hands 15 years ago. Within a week my feet burned and numbness increased and then started to get better. I was taking 150 mg benfotiamine and 3000 ug at the time. Improvement quickly followed. I later increased the b12 to 5000 ug and again the pain increased and then the numbness got even better. My numbness is not 100% but at least 80-90% better. I only feel the numbness now when it's really cold, and it is much much less noticeable. I have been taking these since thanksgiving 2011. A side effect I immediately noted with b12 was a significant increase in body temperature from 97.2 to 98.0-98.6. I also noticed more energy and less fatigue which is huge since I have had chronic fatigue syndrome since completing chemo in 1997. The vitamin A (30,000 iu daily) has kept me from getting all the usual colds and flu. I am normally the first person sick and the last one too since I usually get sick a second time after my family catches the illness from me! I did not get sick once since starting the vitamin A. I tried to reduce the dosage twice but both times started getting something in my lungs within a week or so of lowering the dosage. Needless to say, for now I am staying at the higher dosage. I found accidently that vitamin E reduced my menstrual cramps from needing three days of ibuprofen Every 6-8 hours to not taking any for the last three months. I started taking 1000 iu daily of natural vitamin E but will reduce to 800 iu once this bottle is gone.

Now for the most important fix: sex drive! I was taking magnesium citrate at about 50 mg daily then worked my way up to 200 mg daily internally. I also have ibs and had a low tolerance to Mg as it caused diarrhea. In order to get more Mg, I started MgCl oil and rub it undiluted on my legs and arms and belly just before bed. Most people wash it off but I guess I'm too lazy and just go to bed. If it itches- cuz sometimes it does, I rub on lotion or coconut oil. After about a month, my sex drive started to return. Sex is more enjoyable- no tightness or discomfort of low hormones like before, and the Big O is easier to achieve than ever. The magic of magnesium is worth every penny. And that is not counting the deep sleep, improvement in insomnia, and the reduction of muscle tension I never realized I had. The chiropractor had been adjusting me three times a week since the adjustment just wouldn't stick. Now he adjusts me once a week and only a couple spots compared to all over my back and neck before. I started each supplement individually due to my extreme sensitivities to supplements and foods.

I must say I also have a lot less spasms in my GI from IBS and food sensitivities since taking magnesium!

Ps. I have found this site tremendously helpful and only hope to give back!

Oh yea. Too much benfotiamine can cause diarrhea. I could only tolerate the 150 mg daily although the studies I read used up to 600 mg daily.

Good luck on finding your health and my God bless and heal you.

Well I just want to say thanks sooo much for this remedy!!! I picked my nephew up for a visit this evening and found out he had a high fever when I picked him up. I found this site a few days ago and have been using Coconut oil to treat hypothyroidism which also caused a large nodule to form on my husbands neck... the coconut oil has been AMAZING! He has had anxiety attacks a lot lately but when he was feeling anxious I had him take some and within ten minutes he felt energetic and the anxiousness went away! I started using it myself and notice that I feel better both physically as I have more energy and mentally as I have this wonderful mental clarity. I've started giving it to my son as well and put it on some toast instead of butter or margarine and then added some jam.. tastes great and he cant tell the difference! Also a quick recipe to get kids to take ACV is to add a couple tablespoons to a bag of sliced apples, allow to sit for at least a day and the kids gobble them up!

K back to the fever... My nephews fever was at 102.3 when I looked up on this site what to use, he was feeling horrible with a really bad ache in his leg and his skin was so sensitive he didnt want us touching him. I found the egg white remedy and sent my mom to get four egg whites from downstairs, had him put on socks and soaked them in the eggwhites then bagged his feet so he could lay in bed. After an hour his fever just barely dropped so I got back on wondering what I did wrong... the socks had absorbed all the eggwhites so I got four more eggwhites and poured those into the baggies and this time put a second pair of socks over the bags to keep the egg whites on his feet. His fever started dropping in about 20 min to (99.4) then he got up and started playing with his cousin... so far its been about 45 min since adding the extra egg whites and he is feeling lots better, I cant account for the temp though because he's been running around playing lol. Right now its 101 but I think its cause hes not laying down and resting... I will post back later as to how long it took for his fever to break, I know it hasnt yet since he isnt sweating.

I've just started taking Extra Virgin Coconut Oil for psoriasis. I always use a pendulum to assess proper dosages when taking herbs or supplements. You can use anything that dangles (I've even used my key chain) and I've made pendulums from a paper clip or safety pin attached to a thread. Hold the item in your left hand and hold the pendulum in your right hand over the object as you ask the question for a "yes" or "no" response. If the pendulum swings from left to right as when a person motions "no" the answer is no. If the pendulum swings from north to south as in a person motioning "yes" then the answer is yes. Or if the pendulum swings clockwise the answer is "yes" and if it swings counterclockwise the answer is no. Simple. In the case of EVCO I first asked "Would it be beneficial for me to take this EVCO now?" The answer was "yes". Then I asked if it would be beneficial to take 1 Tbs. The answer was "no". I asked if it would be beneficial to take 2 tsp. The answer was "no". Then I asked if it would be beneficial to take 1 tsp. The answer was "no". From there I knew I had to take either more than 1 Tbs. or less than 1 tsp. So I asked if it would be beneficial to take 1/2 tsp. and the answer was "yes"! I had my correct dosage for my body. Interestingly, after taking 1/2 tsp. EVCO I had a queasy stomach, but didn't get sick. Imagine how I would have felt had I just gone ahead and taken 1 Tbs. without checking with the pendulum! I will continue with the 1/2 tsp. dosage until my body tells me to increase or decrease the dosage. I hope this will help you too. Karen

Thanks to Lisa from SLC, UT for the VCO/Cocoa Recipe!

I'd like to share my modification of Lisa's recipe:

VCO Chocolate Truffles:
3 T VCO
1 1/2 T Cocoa Powder*
3/4 t powdered sugar (10x Confectioners)

Blend VCO, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder until thoroughly integrated. Form into 3 balls; roll balls in cocoa.

The above recipe will provide a daily recommended dosage of 3 T of VCO. If using the ratios in the above recipe, you can increase the amount to make several days of recommended daily dosages.

*Because I like dark chocolate, I used a special dark chocolate cocoa blend for the truffles and rolled the truffle balls in regular cocoa.

Note: Most special dark chocolate cocoas are a blend of natural and dutched cocoas and therefore have less antioxidants than natural cocoas.

Drawback - This may make it difficult to consume ONLY the daily recommended dosage of VCO.

I wrote in the past that I used coconut oil to treat my cats Rhino Virus and ringworm. For myself I take 1 Tbs orally. I have used in on my hair before I wash it. My hair is so soft afterwards.It's great for dandruff. As for my cats I treated the ringworm topically and the rhino virus was treated orally. My cats seem to really like it. They get about a tsp orally. They like it liquid so I run it under hot water. My dogs get about 1 Tbs and they love it too. It has helped Yeast on the skin and allergies. I work as a groomer so I try it for several skin problems.

I read about Coconut oil on this site and went to my local health store to ask if they had any. They said no, but they suggested I take caprylic acid, which is in coconut oil and helps cure yeast overgrowth. I purchased it to help cure my athlete's foot and stomach discomfort.

I purchased it and I took one 350MG tablet daily as per directions. It did not cure my athlete's foot like I wanted, but I felt less hungry, less tired, and my stomach felt better. I also lost weight without serious effort. I've been taking it for two months now.

Warning: I experienced two things while taking this: stomach discomfort and a slightly yeasty odor coming from my body for a week or two.

The yeasty smell rubbed off on my washcloth and towels. I discovered by accident that putting a capful of hydrogen peroxide (the regular kind from the pharmacy, not the food grade kind) in my bathwater stopped this. It stopped me from emitting the yeasty smell and from transferring it to my wash cloth and towels.