Does coconut oil raise cholesterol?

Yes, compared with the liquid vegetable oils it usually replaces. The largest meta-analysis, 16 trials, found coconut oil raised LDL cholesterol by 10.47 mg/dL (95% CI 3.01 to 17.94) against nontropical oils such as soybean, olive and safflower, with results varying widely between trials. It also raised HDL by 4.00 mg/dL. Against butter the picture flips, and coconut oil comes out lower.

Unsettled. The answer depends on the comparison, and the reviews disagree at the edges. A smaller 2022 meta-analysis of 7 randomized trials in 515 adults found no significant change in LDL, on evidence it graded very low certainty. A 2024 umbrella review of 48 studies rated the evidence that coconut and palm oil raise total and LDL cholesterol as low to very low certainty.

What the trials found

Against liquid oils, LDL goes up

The 2020 meta-analysis pooled 16 trials of at least 2 weeks that compared coconut oil with other fats. Against nontropical vegetable oils, LDL rose by 10.47 mg/dL and HDL by 4.00 mg/dL. Trials differed a lot from each other (I2 84% for LDL), and the result held when the authors dropped nonrandomised and low quality trials. The same analysis found no significant change in blood sugar, inflammation, body weight or body fat, though only 4 to 8 trials measured each of those.

The 2022 analysis restricted to randomized trials reached a weaker result. In 7 trials with 515 adults, LDL changed by -1.67 mg/dL (95% CI -6.93 to 3.59), which is no clear change, and HDL rose by 3.28 mg/dL. Its trials were at high risk of bias. Its authors still advise choosing other oils over coconut oil.

An umbrella review of 9 meta-analyses, searching to 2018, looked at replacing polyunsaturated oils with coconut oil. Total cholesterol rose by 5.88 mg/dL (0.21 to 11.55) and HDL by 2.27 mg/dL, with no significant change in LDL. That review predates the 2020 analysis.

Against butter, LDL goes down

Established. Coconut oil lowers LDL compared with butter. A network meta-analysis of 54 randomized trials found that the oils it tested, coconut oil among them, lowered LDL by 8.9 to 16 mg/dL (0.23 to 0.42 mmol/L) against butter, depending on the oil. Safflower and rapeseed oils did best for LDL. Coconut oil ranked first for raising HDL.

A UK trial in 94 healthy adults aged 50 to 75 showed the same split. Over 4 weeks on 50 g a day, butter raised LDL by 16 mg/dL (95% CI 7.3 to 25; metric: 0.42 mmol/L, 0.19 to 0.65) more than coconut oil. Coconut oil and olive oil did not differ (-0.04 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.27 to 0.19). The trial was short and unblinded, and its authors say it does not change the advice to cut saturated fat.

Virgin coconut oil

A 2025 meta-analysis of 14 randomized trials in 1,049 adults looked only at virgin coconut oil. It found triglycerides fell by 12.12 mg/dL and HDL rose by 7.91 mg/dL, with no significant change in other lipid markers, blood sugar, blood pressure or CRP. The trials ran 2 to 24 weeks and tested the oil as a supplement, so they say little about choosing between oils.

Head to head against olive oil, virgin coconut oil did worse. In 156 adults with central obesity, 12 weeks on an extra virgin olive oil diet gave lower LDL than an extra virgin coconut oil diet. The abstract does not give the size of that difference.

Heart patients

In 200 Indian patients with stable heart disease, cooking with coconut oil instead of sunflower oil for 2 years made no significant difference to lipids, vascular function or cardiovascular events. These patients were on standard medical care, and the study was a single-center pilot, so it cannot show what coconut oil does without that care. The HDL rise seen in the reviews above is consistent, but none of our cards shows what it means for heart disease.

Who should be careful

Not for everyone. In people with metabolic syndrome, the one trial we have saw LDL go up. In 48 adults with metabolic syndrome, 2 tbsp (30 ml) a day of virgin coconut oil for 4 weeks raised total cholesterol, LDL and HDL against their usual diet, and lowered triglycerides. The trial was small and unblinded, and its authors urge caution.

The LDL rise against liquid oils in the 16-trial analysis is the main safety signal on this page. WHO recommends that adults and children keep saturated fat to 10% of their energy intake, and coconut oil is mostly saturated fat. We have no card on coconut oil and allergy, pregnancy or medicines, so this page says nothing about those.

What expert bodies say

WHO's 2023 guideline makes a strong recommendation to keep saturated fat to 10% of energy, and to replace it with polyunsaturated or plant monounsaturated fats. A WHO-commissioned 2022 review of observational studies concludes that dietary fats should come mostly from seeds, nuts or liquid vegetable oils such as olive and canola, rather than from hydrogenated fats, land animal fats and coconut oil. That review pooled observational data, so it shows association, not cause. We could not read the American Heart Association's 2017 advisory in full, and NICE and EFSA have no position on coconut oil specifically in the sources we hold.

How we searched

What would change this answer

• A long randomized trial with heart attacks and strokes as outcomes, comparing coconut oil with a liquid oil. Every trial here measured blood lipids, and the only one with events was a 200-person pilot.
• Trials of virgin coconut oil against a liquid oil, not against a usual diet, to test whether the virgin form behaves differently from refined coconut oil.
• Evidence on whether the HDL rise from coconut oil changes heart risk at all.
• The full American Heart Association advisory, which would add a cardiology body's position.

Nutrition facts and the rest of what we know about coconut oil are on the coconut oil page, and the two oils side by side are in coconut oil and olive oil.

Sources

1. ev-cocc-01 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials · n = 16 trials
   Coconut oil consumption significantly increased LDL-cholesterol by 10.47 mg/dL (95% CI: 3.01, 17.94; I2 = 84%, N=16) and HDL-cholesterol by 4.00 mg/dL (95% CI: 2.26, 5.73; I2 = 72%, N=16) as compared with nontropical vegetable oils.
   
   Who: adults in clinical trials comparing coconut oil with other fats for at least 2 weeks
   Effect: LDL-C +10.47 mg/dL (95% CI 3.01 to 17.94, I2 84%); HDL-C +4.00 mg/dL (95% CI 2.26 to 5.73); robust to excluding nonrandomised and low-quality trials
   Certainty: High heterogeneity; comparators were nontropical vegetable oils (soybean, olive, safflower, etc.).
   Circulation, 2020 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
2. ev-cocc-02 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials · n = 16 trials
   Coconut oil consumption did not significantly affect markers of glycemia, inflammation, and adiposity as compared with nontropical vegetable oils.
   
   Who: adults in clinical trials comparing coconut oil with other fats
   Effect: no significant effect on glycemia (4 trials), CRP (5 trials), body weight (8 trials), body fat (5 trials)
   Certainty: Few trials per non-lipid outcome.
   Circulation, 2020 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
3. ev-cocc-03 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials · n = 515
   However, coconut oil intake was associated with a small increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (MD 3.28 mg/dL, 95% CI 0.66 to 5.90 mg/dL).
   
   Who: adults in randomized clinical trials of coconut oil versus other oils or fats
   Effect: LDL-C MD -1.67 mg/dL (95% CI -6.93 to 3.59); HDL-C MD +3.28 mg/dL (95% CI 0.66 to 5.90); TG MD -0.24 mg/dL
   Certainty: High risk of bias, very low certainty (GRADE); authors still advise other oils over coconut oil.
   Lipids Health Dis, 2022 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
4. ev-cocc-04 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses · n = 9 meta-analyses
   Replacement of PUFAs with coconut oil significantly increased HDL-c and total cholesterol -by 2.27 (0.93-3.6) mg/dL and 5.88 (0.21-11.55) mg/dL, respectively-but not LDL-c.
   
   Who: adults in meta-analyses of dietary oil trials, tropical and Asian countries focus
   Effect: total cholesterol +5.88 mg/dL (0.21 to 11.55); HDL-C +2.27 mg/dL (0.93 to 3.6); LDL-C not significant
   Certainty: Search to 2018, predates Neelakantan 2020.
   Nutrients, 2021 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
5. ev-cocc-05 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses · n = 48 studies (206 meta-analyses)
   Conversely, low to very low certainty evidence suggests that oils high in saturated fats, such as coconut oil and palm oil, increase total cholesterol and LDL concentrations but also raise high-density lipoprotein concentrations.
   
   Who: adults in meta-analyses of vegetable oil consumption
   Effect: coconut and palm oil: higher total cholesterol and LDL, higher HDL (low to very low certainty)
   Certainty: GRADE low to very low for coconut oil lipid outcomes.
   Adv Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
6. ev-cocc-06 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized trials · n = 54 trials
   Safflower, sunflower, rapeseed, flaxseed, corn, olive, soybean, palm, and coconut oil as well beef fat were more effective in reducing LDL-C (-0.42 to -0.23 mmol/l) as compared with butter.
   
   Who: adults in randomized trials of at least 3 weeks comparing oils and solid fats
   Effect: vs butter: LDL-C -16 to -8.9 mg/dL (-0.42 to -0.23 mmol/l) across oils including coconut; coconut oil SUCRA 88% for HDL-C; safflower and rapeseed best for LDL-C
   Certainty: Comparator matters: coconut oil beats butter but ranks below unsaturated oils for LDL.
   J Lipid Res, 2018 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
7. ev-cocc-07 · Meta-analysis or systematic review · systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · n = 1049
   Pooled analyses showed that VCO significantly reduced triglycerides (WMD: - 12.12 mg/dL; 95% CI: - 23.14 to - 1.09) and increased high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (WMD: 7.91 mg/dL; 95% CI: 4.41 to 11.40).
   
   Who: adults in RCTs of virgin coconut oil supplementation, 11 countries, 2 to 24 weeks
   Effect: TG WMD -12.12 mg/dL (95% CI -23.14 to -1.09); HDL-C WMD +7.91 mg/dL (95% CI 4.41 to 11.40); LDL-C no significant change; TC rose in participants under 50
   Certainty: Short supplementation trials (2 to 24 weeks); comparators not given in the abstract; not in local corpus.
   Diabetology & Metabolic Syndrome, 2025 (Zhang et al.) · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
8. ev-cocc-08 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized clinical trial, 50 g/day for 4 weeks · n = 94
   LDL-C concentrations were significantly increased on butter compared with coconut oil (+0.42, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.65 mmol/L, P<0.0001) and with olive oil (+0.38, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.60 mmol/L, P<0.0001), with no differences in change of LDL-C in coconut oil compared with olive oil (-0.04, 95% CI -0.27 to 0.19 mmol/L, P=0.74).
   
   Who: men and women aged 50-75 years, general community in Cambridgeshire, UK
   Effect: LDL-C coconut vs olive oil -1.5 mg/dL (95% CI -10 to 7.3; metric: -0.04 mmol/L, -0.27 to 0.19); butter vs coconut +16 mg/dL (7.3 to 25; metric: 0.42 mmol/L, 0.19 to 0.65); HDL-C coconut vs olive +6.2 mg/dL (0.16 mmol/L)
   Certainty: Short, unblinded; authors say it does not alter advice to cut saturated fat.
   BMJ Open, 2018 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
9. ev-cocc-09 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · single-center randomized study, cooking oil for 2 years · n = 200
   There was no statistically significant difference in the anthropometric, biochemical, vascular function, and in cardiovascular events after 2 years.
   
   Who: patients with stable CAD on standard medical care, India
   Effect: no significant difference in lipids, Lp(a), apo B/A-1, vascular function or cardiovascular events at 2 years
   Certainty: Single-center pilot in patients on standard medical care; the abstract does not say which drugs.
   Indian Heart J, 2016 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
10. ev-cocc-10 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · parallel single-blind 3-arm randomized controlled trial, isocaloric diets, 12 weeks · n = 156
    EVOO resulted in significantly lower mean LDL cholesterol compared with RPOO and EVCO, despite similar effects on LDL and HDL cholesterol subfractions.
    
    Who: individuals with central obesity, aged 25-45 years
    Effect: mean LDL cholesterol significantly lower with EVOO vs EVCO and red palm olein; hs-CRP similar
    Certainty: LDL difference size not given in abstract.
    Eur J Nutr, 2024 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
11. ev-cocc-11 · Randomized controlled trial(s) · randomized controlled trial, 30 ml/day VCO replacing usual fat, 4 weeks, control usual diet · n = 48
    However, levels of TC, LDL-C, and ADMA elevated by VCO consumption.
    
    Who: subjects, aged 20-50 years, with MetS
    Effect: TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and ADMA increased vs usual diet; TG, VLDL and fasting glucose decreased
    Certainty: Small, unblinded, usual-diet control; authors urge caution.
    Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2021 · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the abstract
12. ev-cocc-12 · Position of an expert body · WHO guideline · n = —
    WHO recommends that adults and children reduce saturated fatty acid intake to 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation).
    
    Who: adults and children
    Effect: SFA at most 10% of total energy intake (strong recommendation); replacement with PUFA (strong)
    Certainty: General limit on saturated fat; not specific to coconut oil.
    WHO, 2023, Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the section
13. ev-cocc-13 · Observational data · systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies (WHO-commissioned) · n = —
    Thus, dietary fats should come largely from seeds, nuts or liquid vegetable oil (olive, canola) rather than hydrogenated vegetable fats or land animal fats and coconut oil.
    
    Who: general population
    Effect: coconut oil grouped with hydrogenated and land animal fats as fats to limit
    Certainty: Recommendation sentence restates guidance; the review itself pools observational studies, hence level C.
    WHO, 2022, Saturated fat and trans-fat intakes and their replacement with other macronutrients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective observational studies · checked 2026-10-07 · we read the section