Coconut Oil for Side Effects
Jennifer (Phoenix, Arizona, USA) on 06/14/2009:
I have had malabsorption issues for sometime. My ND wanted me to introduce 100% virgin coconut oil into my diet because of the medium chain fatty acids. I needed to gain weight and muscle. I was using 2T per day in fruit smoothies, cooking, or on toast. Loved the flavor but the side effects were not good. My ND pooh-poohed my questions about possible side effects so I was extremely relieved to find this forum with postings from a number of people who have experienced what I did. My side effects were: severe stomach and gut pain with bloating and tenderness, bad reflux (which I had never had before), heart palpitations, severe sleeplessness, general anxiety-like symptoms, concentration problems, even gum sensitivity . . . just a general sense of continually deteriorating function the longer I was on it. After researching this forum I went off the oil and the symptoms I listed disappeared within two weeks. Although I have no doubt it is a great product for many people, I will never take it again. It just isn't okay for one food item to make me that ill and affect so many areas of my life. The bottom line for me is to learn to listen to my own body and to respect and act on those messages.
Janice (Lakeland, Fl) on 02/26/2009:
Coconut oil, virgin, capsules: A big NAY for virgin coconut capsules....I am 63 with normal cholesterol and blood pressure. I took it to raise my HDL. I have GERD and it made it worse. I also had chest pain and palpitations and my BP went up to concerned levels. I have NO heart problems and see a doctor twice a year. I would suggest only a trial period for everyone to see what effects one might have. I was only taking one capsule and the bottle said to take four. Thank goodness I didn't. I am no longer on the virgin coconut capsules.
Sherry (Birmingham, AL) on 02/26/2009:
I have taken vco for about 5 months. After I got over the candida die off effects I started to notice my heart racing and pain in my chest area. I just didn't feel right anymore. I started taking my bp when I went to a store that had a monitor and it was high. I have never had bp problems before. It was always around 118/76. I stopped taking the oil (which was only 1 tbsp. a day) and started drinking the apple cider vinegar and my bp is normal (actually a little better than normal 115/74) and the heart and chest pains are gone. I decided to take another tbsp of vco last night and when I went to bed my heart started racing and hurting. I since then had bought bp monitor and got up and took my bp and it was 155/81. It was always the top number that was high (weird, I know). So I am now sure that the vco contributed to my high bp. I actually feel so much better and more energetic now that I am taking the apple cider vinegar. Also I had blood work done a month before I ever started taking the vco and my chol. tests were great, then when I started having the chest pains I had a follow up blood work and my chol. had jumped up 50 points. I am not familiar with chol. tests but I am sure that is alot! So unfortunatly I will not be taking the vco anymore but will def. use it for the other benefits I have gotten from it such as clearing acne, hair cond and my husbands toe nail infection. It works great on the outside, just not the inside. View Entire Thread
Lori (Delta, Colorado ) on 10/20/2008:
I started all my remdies a year ago this month. I don't think that the coconut oil is working for me any longer. I find everytime I cook with it I break out in hot flashes all morning. If I don't eat the coconut oil then I'm fine.The coconut oil is N_____ virgin oil. Has this happened to anyone else? I went to my doc last week and i had not been doing my remedies like I used to and my blood pressure is up I've never had high blood pressure, but I had started using estrogen cream and shortly after started having bloody noses. I stopped the estrogen and started back on my ac vinegar regiment and no more bloody noses and bp dropped some, but now I think I still can't use the coconut oil. Any body else have this happen to them? My thyroid test is high normal meaning almost to hyperthyroid.
Pamela (Otterville, Missouri) on 07/30/2008:
I began taking 1 tablespoon of coconut oil per day - really good in oatmeal. Only problem was that I was also on a Candida cleanse at the same time, and I had a reaction of extremely dry lips - felt like a former reaction I had had to Bactrim, the antibiotic, where it burned my mouth. I think the combination of both at the same time was way too much for my system. I am going to go off of both, and start back on the Candida cleanse alone. Once that is over, then I will begin to try to take the coconut oil again. Not sure if this was the problem, but think perhaps it was. Overload. I would appreciate someone checking this out for me if you have any information that this may be the problem.
Olivia (Brooklyn, New York) on 04/16/2008:
I have tried using coconut oil several times and one thing has been consistent: when I take it by the spoon, even a teaspoon full, I immediately feel my heart racing. This does not happen if I cook with it. Sometimes rubbing it on my neck or face induces a reaction in my pulse but not as severe as drinking. Cooking is ok for me. If anyone can think of a reason I'd be happy to hear of it.
Dawn (Mapleton, MN) on 04/14/2008:
I have been taking 1 to 2 tbsp of coconut oil daily in my tea, as well as using it as a moisturizer for 5 days. after the 3rd day i started to and continue itch in various spots all over my body. I don't want to stop using CO because of all the benefits but its becoming a pain. literally! :) Has this happened to anyone else? Is this normal, could it be the toxins that are fleeing my body? or am i possibly allergic? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
Melissa (Miami, USA) on 02/27/2008:
Hello, just wanted to give some feedback in regards to my experience with coconut oil usage. I took about 1 tbsp. of coconut oil and in less than 1 hour I had intense pain in my stomach along with heartburn (I never get this). After that I developed diarrea and vomited. Those reactions lasted well through the night and for two days after taking the coconut oil the intense stomach pains persisted. If you are going to try cocunut oil it might be a great idea to use it as a cooking agent as suggested by another reader rather than ingesting it.
Becky (Bellefonte, PA) on 12/26/2007:
I've started taking Coconut oil, and for the 1st time in my life I get terrible heartburn. What can I do to rectify this? I really want to try coconut oil for a number of benefits to my health, but what to do???
Beverly Anne (Miami, FL) on 12/19/2007:
Better But With Side Effects
Up to two weeks of v.c.o. usage I've got great looking/feeling skin but my face has broken out and experienced dryness. I've also got diarrhea and nausea with usage but am almost certain it is because of candida die-off symptoms as I understand vco has caprylic acid qualities used in fighting candida infection. Otherwise, I've lost weight, thyroid pulsating has subsided quite a bite and no vaginal discharge. Will up the dosage from 1 TBS. to 1.5 gradually during next week.
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