Production, chemical composition, nutraceutical potential and functional benefits of coconut oil in humans and animals: Advancing sustainable livestock production

Coconut oil (CO) has recently gained increasing scientific and industrial attention owing to its rich profile of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and diverse bioactive constituents. These unique components confer promising nutraceutical and functional properties relevant to both human health and sustainable livestock production. This review aims to provide an updated and integrative overview of the biological roles and mechanisms of coconut oil, emphasizing its potential applications in animal nutrition and health promotion. Coconut oil exhibits a wide spectrum of biological activities, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and metabolic regulatory effects. These functions are primarily mediated through modulation of oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, and inflammatory signaling pathways. In animal production, dietary inclusion of coconut oil has been shown to improve growth performance, immune responses, and product quality, although some findings remain inconsistent and context dependent. Despite the increasing interest in its health benefits, clinical validation of coconut oil's long-term effects in humans and animals remains limited. Therefore, understanding its mechanisms of action and standardizing dosages are crucial to ensure safe and effective utilization. In summary, coconut oil represents a promising natural ingredient that bridges human nutrition and sustainable livestock production. However, further mechanistic and clinical investigations are warranted to substantiate its long-term functional and health-promoting effects.