Monolaurin is a fat compound found in and made from coconut oil. It’s also present in breast milk. It first became available in the 1960’s as a nutritional formulation with potent antimicrobial with antibacterial and antiviral effects. Monolaurin is used to treat chronic viral and bacterial infections including Epstein Barr, Flu, Herpes, Lyme, Shingles and more
Source: Coconut oil derivative
Benefits:
Antibacterial: Monolaurin has been seen to be effective against gram-positive bacteria. Due to the difference in cell membranes in gram positive and gram negative bacteria, it is less effective in treatment for gram-negative infection
Antiviral: Monolaurin helps to disintegrate the fatty protective coating of viruses, rendering the viral capsule exposed so the immune system can inactivate the virus itself. It is being studied for treatment in chronic EBV, measles, herpes simplex virus, flu, pneumonia and even shown some benefit against HIV.
Antifungal: Studies have shown monolaurin to be effective against overgrowth of Candida albicans
Immune Boosting: Evidence suggests that monolaurin helps immune cell proliferation and in generating T-cells
Risks: People suffering from either Multiple Sclerosis or chronic gut inflammation may not do well with monolaurin supplementation and should be monitored by a treating physician
Pregnant or breastfeeding women should not take monolaurin before consulting with a healthcare professional
Sustainability: Thankfully, coconuts are quite abundant and easy to cultivate. There are no current environmental risks to inhibit the production of monolaurin
Processing: The extracted coconut oil is concentrated in the form of lauric acid and glycerin, then compounded for consumption
Resources:
https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/act.2006.12.310?journalCode=act - Anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12556212 - Effects against herpes
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2812150/ - Activity against Candida albicans overgrowth
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8770497 - Benefits on immune system
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19961546 - Antimicrobial activity
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12556212 - Use as a treatment for herpes