Is Coconut Oil Natures answer to Tamiflu?

Could Coconut Oil be nature’s answer to Tamiflu?

The current Swine Flu pandemic is like nothing ever experienced before. The illness is milder but this strain is more infectious than previous ones. The government has made a tremendous effort to make the Tamiflu antiviral available and the media has played its part in galvanising the population into hysteria and a sense of panic. So how good is Tamiflu which offers about a 20% reduction in severity and duration of infection. Are there any side effects to cause concern and is there an alternative? The answer to both of these questions is yes.

The public perception is that all saturated fats are bad for you - and many of them are. However, recent research (not widely publicised in the press) shows some saturated fats are essential and give a huge boost to the immune system. One such example is Coconut oil which, although it contains high levels of saturated fat, these are part of a group known as MCTs (medium chain triglycerides). Coconut Oil is not something new and has been known to have health promoting properties and no side effects for about nearly 4000 years. Rural communities in places like Indonesia and Thailand, with no sanitation or fresh water supply rely on up to 60% of their daily energy requirements from coconuts. Yet, despite meagre diets young children play in murkey canals and infested river waters remaining apparently happy, healthy and free of infection.

The same cannot be said about the Tamiflu experience in Japan. A “New Scientist” Health report dated 18 November 2005 states that 12 children taking Tamiflu had died and 32 others were reported to suffer neuropsychiatric events such as hallucination, convulsions and brain inflammation. By 2007 of 54 identifiable deaths reported, 18 were of children dying of self-destructive behaviour; mostly aged between 10 and 19 years. As a result Tokyo’s Ministry of Health issued a warning not to give Tamiflu to patients aged between 10 and 19 because of irrational behaviour (Times on line 21st March 2007). One 14 year old after taking two tablets straddled the balcony of an eleventh floor apartment and, despite his mother’s warning cries fell to his death. Another 17 year old walked to his death in front of a truck, in a blizzard, wearing only pyjamas. According to the driver he was smiling at the moment of impact. During the same three year period 36 adult deaths were considered due to specific organ failures. These are worrying figures since Japan has to date, prescribed more than 60% of the world’s supply of Tamiflu. Europe and the US have decided this difference may be due to neuropsychiatric events associated with some cases of influenza in general and not to Tamiflu - evidence of this link however is thin. With Tamiflu not yet widely prescribed in the UK it is still too early to say what effects may be uncovered.

The truth on Tamiflu will only become clear as Swine Flu spreads. Looking at an alternative however there is now good scientific evidence that most of the fats in Coconut oil have strong complementary antimicrobial properties which will help you to fight off infection. In 1994, a US patent was granted for development of the most active antiviral ingredient, “monolaurin” which can now be obtained as a concentrate. Published data from the same research group describe these concentration dependent benefits as cumulative indicating regular consumption could provide a substantial level of protection. The first clinical trial in the Philippines in 2000 showed Coconut oil to be more effective in reducing HIV virus load in AIDs patients than monolaurin capsules. The antiviral in Coconut oil is only effective against viruses with a fatty coat which includes Swine Flu virus. This may, therefore, be a safer alternative, particularly for children and young adults given the current time frame for a massive increase in spread in Swine Flu later this year. Of course the benefits do not stop at Swine Flu as the antimicrobial protection works against a wide variety of infections.

Coconut Oil is not the only substance to contain the good MCT fats – other common sources include mother’s milk. butter and cream.

Ultimately we must all make up our own minds on how to protect ourselves from the almost inevitable bout of Swine Flu in the coming winter. By introducing some good fat into your diet you may be able to fight off the infection that much better.