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Coconut Oil Side Effects

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Posted by Lizzy (Suffolk, UK) on 03/23/2006

Reading the feedback on nausea following the first few days of the oil was helpful if only i had found it earlier starting slowly is so important as after initial dose of only one dessert spoon i was sick with terrible headaches almost ten minutes after first dose felt sick rest of day. so i am now proceeding with a little caution.... as I don't want to miss out on all the benefits i read about. will update on progress soon.

Side Effects
Posted by J (Knox TN) on 03/18/2006

Coconut oil helps me with digestive problems and sinus issues. I have less upset stomach than before. I would highly recommend that you don't just eat the oil with food... but use it to cook food like veggies or eggs. You will still get the benefits. Think about it. You wouldn't dip into a tub of butter and just eat it... or drink vegetable oil. Treat this the same way... use it in food or to cook food.... you may find that you tolerate it much better this way. Also do not confuse coconut oil with coconut milk or juice... they are three different things.

Side Effects
Posted by Mary (Nevada City) on 03/06/2006
 ★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

My son and i are both celiac - so we must totally avoid gluten. Even so, we still had lingering health problems. I bought coconut oil and used it as a replacement oil in cooking and baking. (It's great that way) In about three days my son and I both had a herx "die-off reaction" of some sort and then things seemed to go better for us. He really started to look healthy. It was a few years ago - so that it all I recall right now. It took may things to bring our health back. Later, I cut back on coconut oil and I have only recently re introduced it to fight a serious cold in the sinuses and the throat and the lungs. It helped immensely. But i believe it is important to keep other known healthy oil in the diet, too. Olive, fish, etc.

Side Effects
Posted by Dani (Sydney NSW) on 02/27/2006
 ★★★☆☆

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

Been taking coconut oil for over one month so far. Unfortunately, i wasn't aware of the "side-effects" when i started, and started taking the standard 3 - 5 tbsp daily, thinking this is good for me. The nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting were not pleasant. I would become nauseous around 8 - 10 hours later, diarrhea would follow, and sometimes i'd wake in the middle of the night to vomit. It took a while to work out these symptoms were caused by the coconut oil. I kept thinking it was food poisoning. I stopped taking coconut oil temporarily, and the symptoms disappeared. Started the coconut oil again, and the symptoms returned -- just like clockwork. I found the trick is to start off with smaller doses, say 1 tsp the first week, then gradually increase. Wish i'd known this prior to starting, would've saved me nearly a month of continually feeling nauseous and ill. On the plus, it has helped with a few things -- it's diminished cravings for sweets and alcohol. And that's great! I'm hoping the longer i take this oil, the more i'll receive some of the other wonderful benefits that i've read about.

Replied by Michael
(Brisbane, Queensland, Australia)
04/19/2010

If after you take the oil, it is mobilising the toxins in your body, thats why your body wants to get it out, once the side effects start you should mix a teaspoon of activated charcoal, with water and drink it, the charcoal will soak up all the toxins and you will notice the side effects aren't as bad, you can use ghee as well as coconut oil for the same toxic flush

Side Effects
Posted by Joanna (Los Angeles) on 02/24/2006

I put a teaspoon of organic virgin coconut oil in my tea after dinner a month or so ago and within 30 minutes I was throwing up! Yuck. Now I can't stand the smell of coconut oil. But I do rub it on my hands every day (and rub in another moisturizer on top of it to mask the smell). I have the softest hands now!

Side Effects
Posted by Yvonne (Lancaster, PA) on 02/22/2006

I have a question for the people who say that they got a severe upset stomach and/or diarrhea. What type of coconut oil did they eat? I have been using coconut oil in cooking and only use organic Virgin Coconut Oil and my family has never experienced any symptoms like that. I understand there is a huge difference between Virgin Coconut oil and coconut oil.

Replied by Jorge
(Beltsville, Maryland Usa)
05/25/2012

Well, I been using coconut oil for cooking, drinking it for more than 6 months with no side effects. The only effects that I feel is that I do not feel the pains, high blood pressure, no more high blood sugar levels, no headaches, no more fears about the consequences of DIABETES this coconut oil WORKS FOR ME adjusting my blood/sugar ratios.

Coconut oil works for 70 people that I recommended. All I can said it may not cure diabetes completely but soothes the metabolic failure avoiding the dangerous side effects.

If your system is dirty and full of toxics you will feel the side effects as when you take Fish oil. The side effects you feel is because it's getting rid of all the toxics containing in your system. If I were you I should look from the proper advise of Dr Bruce Fife who knows all the aspects of the coconut oil. thank you

Side Effects
Posted by Kelly (Center Line, MI) on 02/11/2006

Coconut oil also gave me and my mom both major stomach discomfort and diarrhea. We were told it can do that the first few times, but it will quit. I just cut my dose to 1 tsp instead of one tbsp. Starting off real slow, then building up the dose.

Side Effects
Posted by Kylie (Melbourne, Australia) on 02/11/2006

I tried Coconut Oil for the first time yesterday. It gave me an upset stomach, and felt quite nauseous. Nibbling on food helped. About 8-10 hrs later I had terrible diarrhea and continued to feel nauseous. I don't know whether this is an initial reaction... and if I try again I will tolerate it better?? Whilst I didn't mind eating it neat yesterday - the thought of eating it again now makes me feel ill. The sad thing is that I am on Thyroxin for an under active thyroid... and really hoped this would help. :(

Replied by Sylvia
(Hannover, Germany)
01/18/2009

I have an underactive thyroid...and I take Thyroxen early morning, then I have breakfast,(to fill the stomach)..then a Table spoon of Coconut oil ,that I dilute in hot water (put the Coconut oil in something first)..I use this for my metabilism...and it works...I had noticed in the beginning,my heart racing little, but that was my body getting used to it...also use the same method to put in running at water,body is lovely and soft after...or you can apply,the oil as it is...all over body,under and over eyes...fantastic...no puffyness,I suggest,applying over the eyes when you're ready for bed...otherwise it can become a little blurry :-)...

Side Effects
Posted by Lynn (OC) on 02/10/2006

I put a tablespoon of coconut oil in tea after a big meal the other night and got so nauseous after about 15 minutes, I threw up. Later I got diarrhea. I could not stomach the thought of taking it after that so now I bathe in 2 tablespoons. Not sure I am getting the same health benefits as taking it internally, but it sure does soften my skin! I would suggest to others to start with 1/8th teaspoon if they are going to take it internally. 1 teaspoon is probably too much to start. Build up slowly. And don't take it after a big meal!

Replied by Chris
(Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Usa)
05/03/2012

On my jar of oil it says to refrigerate after opening. Could these cases of nausea, etc. be from leaving it out and it has spoiled? I have taken fish oil tablets that went bad after about a year.

Side Effects
Posted by Valerie (Germantown MD) on 02/04/2006

I did not lose any weight with this and after two months, it started to make me ill. It is also very confusing to which is extra virgin or not.

Replied by Maria
(S.J., CA)
11/15/2008

First off, people taking coconut oil or who are thinking of taking c.o. internally must make sure they are ingesting the "Mother" or PURE ORGANIC C.O.. To all the people who are experiencing nausea, diarrhea etc., might want to read up on "candida die-off". Because C.O. is an anti-fungal, these reactions might be the result of big quantities of YEAST cells dieying off creating toxins. It is a good thing as you are killing the yeast fungus living in your body in mass quantities. Picture a thousand rotting corpses left to rot inside a sealed building, can you imagine the gases & smell? (Sorry about the visual, it's the best I can describe the process). That could be why so many people are experiencing the same side effects. There're are more candida die-off symptoms listed. It's a get-worse before-you-get-better deal, that's if were dealing with a yeast overgrowth problem of course. Good luck to all.

Side Effects
Posted by Carol (USA) on 01/26/2006

It gives me terrible stomach pain and diarrhea. Anyone else? How long will it last? It has been about two weeks now?


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