Comparison guide
MCT oil or caprylic acid (C8)?
C8 is one of the fats in MCT oil, sold on its own either as a more efficient ketone source or as a candida remedy. Both reliably raise blood ketones; what differs is price, and the fact that the candida claim for C8 has never been tested in humans.
The options, compared
| Option | Evidence | Best for | The honest note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCT Oil | Moderate evidence | Most people | Cheaper and better studied: 15–30 g a day reliably raises ketones, and substituting it for other fats cut body weight by about 0.5 kg in trials. Added on top of your usual diet it is just extra calories. | View |
| Caprylic Acid (C8) | Limited evidence | Faster ketones, not candida | C8 raises ketones most efficiently, at the 10–30 g a day used in ketogenesis studies. The 500–1,000 mg capsules sold for candida have no human trials behind them. | View |
Our verdict
Plain MCT oil is adequate for most uses and costs less; pay for C8 only if a somewhat faster ketone rise matters to you. With either, start at 5 g a day and build up over 1–2 weeks to avoid cramping and diarrhoea, and do not use caprylic acid to self-treat suspected candida.