Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is said to contain 50% of lauric acid. When the body digests the acid, it forms a substance called monolaurin. Both monolaurin and lauric acid can work hand in hand in fighting bacteria and viruses inside the body. According to researchers, it works in a way that disintegrates the virus envelope, causes late maturation stage in the virus replicative cycle and prevents the binding of viral proteins to the host cell membrane. Thus, the use of VCO as an antiviral supplement for the body is evidently understandable.
In the present times, the COVID-19 outbreak is always a great consideration when talking about viruses and products available in the market to fight them. The world today is experiencing a shortage in the supply of hand sanitizers, alcohol and other forms of disinfectant products available for purchase. When this happens, one must take advantage of the idea that there could be alternative solutions for this problem and one example is resorting to using VCO. Below are pros and cons of using VCO instead of the normal alcohol.
Advantages
- VCO is more effective than alcohol. The normal alcohol that kills germs in the human body must be at least 70% concentrated. VCO is said to be as effective as an alcohol that is 85% concentrated.
- VCO derivatives i.e. lauric acid and monolaurin content act as lipids (fats) that stay longer on skin.
- It gives moisturizing effects for the skin that lasts longer due to its oily properties. Alcohol also evaporates quickly and frequently causes dry skin after using it.
- The availability of the supply is very abundant especially in tropical countries such as the Philippines.
Disadvantages
- Compared to VCO, alcohol is more affordable and is always readily available in the nearest store / supermarket (though the COVID-19 crisis brought an exception.)
- In times of crisis, people might resort to cheaper alternatives. In the case of physical hygiene to prevent from being infected, hand washing with soap and water could be preferred rather than resorting to a more effective but expensive product.
- Though availability of supply is abundant in the country, lack of common knowledge to its helpful effects may hinder the use of VCO.
Previous studies have also proven the use of VCO to help in the treatment of many other ailments such as the Junin Virus (Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever), vesicular stomatitis and even avian influenza virus in chickens. VCO also helped in curing patients with sexually transmitted diseases e.g. HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Its antiviral properties are safe for both humans and animals, which is why VCO components are now used as feed supplements for dogs, chickens and swine.
In the Philippines, most recent studies are considering greatly the use of VCO as a cure for COVID-19. This is a great breakthrough for the country and for the whole world as well should the results be favorable. As per the news reports regarding the matter, medical experts are presently conducting the clinic-based and community-based trials to patients and PUIs in hospitals and selected communities under quarantine. The timeline for the experiment should last for at least a month and progress regarding the study should be anticipated soon.
VCO has proven and is still proving a lot in terms of health benefits. Now, it is not limited as beneficial only for burning fats, providing energy for the body, helping in weight-loss dietary regimens, boosting heart health, and protecting hair, skin and teeth. With today’s tireless research and development advancing human knowledge on natural products such as VCO, the possibilities to benefit the human race could always be limitless.