Yes, it’s that time of year where the seasons are changing, bringing with us beautiful nature sights to see. For those who often suffer from ear, nose and throat issues, this may be the time you dread the most because it comes with finding the best ways to alleviate flu-like symptoms.

Whether its seasonal flu or allergies, an over-production of mucus can give you that sore throat that is keeping you from shining bright. Going for the over-the-counter types of meds are great, but we are always for choosing what comes naturally.

Over the past decade, there have been lots of eye-opening studies done on the soothing and powerful benefits of coconut oil. Coconut oil is also grown in its popularity for those following the Keto or Banting lifestyle as it is highly nutritious and low in carbohydrates. 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil contains 14 grams of fat and no carbohydrates.

Coconut oil is known to have anti-viral, antibacterial and antifungal benefits. This makes it a great option to use as a soothing and effective mouthwash and throat gargle or a natural remedy for mouth ulcers.

A recent study was published by the Ateneo De Manila University that is showing a lot of potential in using Coconut to alleviate flu-like symptoms and an anti-viral power tool. 

Below is an excerpt taken from the article about the mechanism of how coconut oil can destroy a virus.  Read the full study HERE.

Lauric acid (C12) and monolaurin, its derivative, have been known for many years to have significant antiviral activity. Lauric acid is a medium-chain fatty acid which makes up about 50% of coconut oil; monolaurin is a metabolite that is naturally produced by the body’s own enzymes upon ingestion of coconut oil and is also available in pure form as a supplement. Sodium lauryl sulphate, a common surfactant that is made from lauric acid, has been shown to have potent antiviral properties. Lauric acid, monolaurin, and sodium lauryl sulfate (which is also known as sodium dodecyl sulphate) are used in a wide range of products for their antiviral properties.

Mechanisms of Action

Three mechanisms have been proposed to explain the antiviral activity of lauric acid and monolaurin: first, they cause disintegration of the virus envelope; second, they can inhibit late maturation stage in the virus replicative cycle; and third, they can prevent the binding of viral proteins to the host cell membrane.

1. Disintegration of the virus membrane. The antiviral activities of lauric acid and monolaurin were first noted by Sands and co-workers (1979) and later by Hierholzer & Kabara (1982). In particular, Hierholzer & Kabara showed that monolaurin was able to reduce infectivity of 14 human RNA and DNA enveloped viruses in cell culture by >99.9%, and that monolaurin acted by disintegrating the virus envelope. Thormar and co-workers (1987) confirmed the ability of lauric acid and monolaurin to inactivate viruses by disintegration of the cell membrane. Sodium lauryl sulphate has been shown to be able to solubilize and denature the viral envelope (Piret 2000, 2002).
2. Inhibits virus maturation. The Junin virus (JUNV) is the causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever. In a comparison among the saturated fatty acids from C10 to C18 against JUNV infection, Bartolotta and co-workers (2001) showed that lauric acid was the most active inhibitor. From mechanistic studies, it was concluded that lauric acid inhibited a late maturation stage in the replicative cycle of JUNV. From transmission electron microscope images, JUNV is an enveloped virus featuring glycoproteins that are embedded in the lipid bilayer forming viral spikes (Grant et al., 2012); this is similar to nCoV-2019.
3. Prevents binding of viral proteins to the host cell membrane. Hornung and co-workers (1994) showed that in the presence of lauric acid, the production of infectious vesicular stomatitis virus was inhibited in a dose-dependent and reversible manner: after removal of lauric acid, the antiviral effect disappeared. They observed that lauric acid did not influence viral membrane (M) protein synthesis, but prevented the binding of viral M proteins to the host cell membrane.

Have you used our range of Cocobaci Oil Pulling packs yet?

Start the #CocobaciChallenge and you could win a Cocobaci hamper! See details HERE.