Caprylic/capric triglyceride

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder mostly prevalent among elderly people over 65 years of age. It is the most frequent type of dementia, which badly affects the social and personal skills and behavior of the patients. Patients with AD are increasing day by day creating an effective treatment challenge among health professionals worldwide. New studies are being carried out to incorporate medicinal-based food along with traditional medicines to improve the efficiency of treatment. Caprylic acid is one among various medicinal foods that have special health-promoting benefits and disease control properties. It is a medium chain fatty acid found naturally in palm kernel oil, coconut oil, and some dairy products. In AD, it induces the process of ketosis to provide extra energy to the brain, hence it improves cognitive functions. Research has been carried out to find its effectiveness in the treatment of AD. This chapter focuses on caprylic acid, its properties, and its application in AD.