Virgin Coconut Oil has always helped millions of people fight many problems they’ve faced. From skincare to haircare and weight loss, Virgin Coconut Oil has always had their back. But did you know that Virgin Coconut Oil could potentially help improve the quality of life of HIV patients and save them from deadly infections?
It might come as a surprise to many but the truth is almost always stranger than fiction. When we look into the molecular constituents of Virgin Coconut Oil, we can see that Virgin Coconut Oil consists of about 50% Lauric Acid! The only other place Lauric acid is found naturally occurring in such a high percentage is Human Breast-Milk!
It contains the highest concentration of MCFA fatty acids. The human body can easily absorb Lauric acid and converts it into monolaurin, which prevents and treats various diseases, and boosts the immune system.
Now, let’s go to the interesting part!
“Initial trials have confirmed that coconut oil does have an anti-viral effect and can beneficially reduce the viral load of HIV patients”, says Dr Conrato S. Dayrit, Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology, University of the Philippines.
It is said that medium-chain fatty acids in Virgin Coconut Oil break the virus apart unlike prescribed medications that attack HIV’s genetic material. Since medium-chain fatty acids are similar to the fatty acids that make up the virus’s lipid membrane, they absorb the acid, weakening the membrane until it breaks apart. Thus killing the virus.
Most people who die from HIV/AIDS do not die from the virus but from the so-called “opportunistic infections. HIV infected individuals often experience nutritional deficiencies and chronic infections. Immunity against opportunistic microorganisms like cytomegalovirus, candida and cryptosporidium help the patient live a better and healthier life.
In some recent studies, it is said that individuals infected with HIV progress more rapidly to AIDS when they have a higher viral load (the number of virus in their body is increased). Decreasing the viral load can help improve the patient’s chances of avoiding the disease and reduce the chance of infecting others. This can also ensure that the patient enjoys a good quality of life.
The medium-chain fatty acids in Virgin Coconut Oil not only offers the likelihood of conquering HIV load but kill other harmful organisms as well. Since Virgin Coconut Oil has been proven to improve digestion and energy production, they provide excellent overall health.
If all this information is available, then why is there no research being done? Or less research compared to other diseases.
The reason is simple. There is high demand for a cure or treatment for HIV. Today, the cost of standard medication for a single person can reach over lakhs of rupees per year. The pharmaceutical companies have little to no monetary incentive to fund research for a natural cure that could potentially steal their ‘money’! If Virgin Coconut Oil is universally proven by research, people will depend on it more and pharmaceutical companies cannot patent it as it an already available substance.
Until a comprehensive research paper has been done by an authority like the Indian Government, the above cannot be proven.