{"id":3642,"date":"2021-02-23T22:59:01","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T22:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/?p=3642"},"modified":"2026-02-22T13:45:42","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T13:45:42","slug":"vaping-mct-oil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/weedmaps.com\/learn\/products-and-how-to-consume\/vaping-mct-oil","title":{"rendered":"Is vaping MCT oil dangerous?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Vaping illness<\/a> has been a frequent topic in the news since August of 2019 when the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) began tracking cases. Formally called EVALI \u2014 e-cigarette, or vaping, product use\u2013associated lung injury \u2014 the condition has affected thousands of vape product consumers<\/a>, most of them under the age of 35. Many were hospitalized due to lung injuries and a small number of them died. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medical tests revealed vitamin E acetate in the lung fluid of EVALI patients and the compound became closely linked with the disease. While vitamin E, also known as tocopheryl acetate, is generally safe and commonly used in dietary supplements and cosmetics, inhalation of the vapors hadn't previously been tested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the EVALI outbreak, scientific research, including a 2020 study published in the New England Journal of Medical Science, found that vitamin E is very harmful to lung tissue<\/a>. Coconut oil and medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) were also found in the lung fluid of EVALI patients but not in significant numbers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here you'll learn more about MCT oil and whether it is unsafe to vape like Vitamin E acetate. You'll also learn which other substances may be harmful to vape, and how to shop for vapes safely. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tWhat is MCT oil? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

MCT oil is made from the fat contained in medium-chain triglycerides. Coconut oil and palm oil are two of the most common oils from which MCT is derived. Through a process called fractionation, MCT oil is separated from coconut or palm oil and concentrated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research is emerging on potential therapeutic usages of MCT oil, including as a weight loss aide. One 2008 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that MCT oil led to a greater rate of weight and fat mass loss<\/a> than olive oil did. Another study, published in 2018 in the journal PLoS One, found that medium-chain triglycerides enhanced exercise endurance<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people have used MCT oil for its possible ability to manage blood sugar levels and reduce risk factors for heart disease. But the way individuals consume MCT oil could mean the difference between providing therapeutic benefits and harming the body. Powdered MCT oil may be relatively safe to add to coffee or smoothies, but is it safe to vape the substance?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\tIs it dangerous to vape MCT oil? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe short answer: we don't know if it is dangerous or not,\u201d according to Dr. Adie Rae, a neuroscientist and scientific adviser to Weedmaps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are, however, parallels between the vitamin E acetate involved in the EVALI cases and MCT oil. \u201cExactly like vitamin E acetate, MCT oil (from coconut) is safe to swallow and apply to your skin, which is why it is an FDA-approved substance. However, prior to the EVALI outbreak, these oils were never studied as inhalable substances in either humans or animals. The FDA could never have predicted that humans would be vaporizing these substances and breathing them,\u201d Rae explained. <\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t

\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"man\n\t\t\t<\/a>Photo by: Gina Coleman\/Weedmaps<\/cite>
Occasionally vaping MCT oil may or may not be harmful to the lungs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\t\t\t