Over the years, several diets have entered the mainstream geared towards people looking to improve their health, body composition, and performance. Many people have either tried, are currently doing, or have at least heard of such diets like ketogenic, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, or low-carb. Adopting one of these diets can lead to major health benefits depending on how you approach them. Whole foods, nutrient density, and not overeating are keys to making sure the nutrition protocol is sound and will fuel your body to perform its best.
When looking for quality MCT Powder, C8 (Caprylic Acid) is the way to go, and C8Vantage from NNB Nutrition is where to get it. Read more here and on NNBNutrition.com
The supplement industry has fully taken advantage of these diet trends by formulating products specifically targeting these types of dieters (and more). As long as your diet, exercise, and sleep are dialed in, then certain supplements can help you get the boost you’re looking for and put you on a faster track towards reaching your goals.
However, not all supplements are created equal and most formulators and ingredient suppliers fully recognize this. They’re the ones that become the true leaders and solution providers in the industry by digging into the latest research and testing countless ingredients, allowing them to discover what’s truly the best.
One such ingredient that’s taken the world by storm is MCT Oil, with “MCT” short for Medium Chain Triglyceride. As it turns out, not all MCT is the same, and there are specific fatty acids that are more impressive than others.
Introducing C8Vantage: MCT’s Optimized
MCT’s optimized for performance and health!
In this article we’re going to focus on a unique product called C8Vantage made by an even more unique supplement ingredient supplier, NNB Nutrition. This is a pure MCT that can enhance the body’s ability to create ketones, thus resulting in increased energy, mental clarity, appetite control and performance.[1] We’ve long been aware of the benefits of MCT supplementation, most of which are discussed below.
However, the industry has been slow to catch up to the research, which identified certain fatty acid chains such as caprylic acid to have more potency than others. The days of using “generic MCT” are over, and with C8Vantage, we expect a wide variety of benefits, all discussed in this article.
Before we dive into everything C8Vantage can offer (and who will benefit most from using it), make sure you’re subscribed to PricePlow so you don’t miss out on what’s coming next from NNB and get the best deals on products using these new, innovative ingredients!
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As we mentioned above, a growing number of individuals are following low-carb diets. Some of those diets are so low in carbohydrates that they force the body to use fat (converted into ketones) for its primary fuel instead of glucose.
Our first step is to cover the pros and cons of these types of diets and then show you how C8Vantage can help solve some of these problems.
Benefits of Low-Carb/Ketogenic Diets
NNB Nutrition offers several innovative ingredients that are some of the best we’ve seen.
A lot of people love how very low carb diets make them feel (especially once they’ve adapted), and report several benefits such as increased satiety, fat loss, mental clarity, and sustained energy throughout the day. When some people eat carbs, they may feel a boost of energy but then get the dreaded energy crash, subsequent hunger, and even anxiety as their blood sugar levels drop.
The high-fat ketogenic diet was originally created as a medical treatment for people with seizures and epilepsy back in the early 1900s. During the second half of the 2010s, the keto diet exploded in popularity as a method to help people lose weight and improve insulin sensitivity, since diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, and other chronic metabolic illnesses are both major problems today. Those conditions lead to a host of other health detriments, so finding ways to protect against them is crucial, and the keto diet has been the answer for many – especially when combined with intermittent fasting.
Cons of Low-Carb Diets
There is a transition period for nearly everyone who converts from being a “sugar burner” to a “ketone burner”, and for some it is rougher and longer than others. This is known as the “keto flu”, and although it’s inevitable for some, there are a few things you can do to help get over it faster (hint: C8Vantage may help!).
Athletic advantage? Depends on the type of athlete…
C8Vantage will help you boost your performance!
Athletes who adopt an ultra low carbohydrate diet often notice an increase in ultra endurance performance (once “fat adapted”), but many suffer from strength and other short-burst perfor
mance issues for quite a while during the transition. In general, the higher the intensity of exercise, the more the body needs energy fast, so relying on fats and ketones are not the best option since they’re slower to generate and metabolize. Once local glycogen stores are depleted, strength and sprint athletes who aren’t ingesting carbohydrates may run into performance issues.
On the other hand, endurance athletes primarily use fats for fuel because their sport is steady state, not quick and explosive, and generally love a fat-fueled diet.
Thus depending on the activity, you may notice a decrease in performance. However, we know many of our readers are not elite athletes, but still want to perform optimally in the gym and reap the other health benefits that come from low-carb or keto diets. In order to get the best of both worlds, many people supplement with MCT oil or powder because its a medium-chain fatty acid that can be quickly converted to ketones for fuel, as opposed to long-chain triglycerides which take longer to breakdown.
MCTs 101
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MCTs are a group of triglycerides that consist of a glycerol backbone and three fatty acid chains, which can vary in length between 6-12 carbon atoms.[2-5] The four main types of MCTs that exist are: caproic acid (C6), caprylic acid (C8), capric acid (C10), and lauric acid (C12).[2-5] (As a side note, it’s often disputed that lauric acid is not a ‘true’ MCT since it requires additional processing in the liver, but it’s often included in this list.)
Since the MCTs are shorter in length, they can be transported to the liver quickly and metabolized easily.[6] This allows the body and brain to get access to usable energy more efficiently so it can perform better. MCTs can also serve as a second messenger to enhance biological signaling pathways. Therefore, MCTs can be a great source of energy instead of solely relying on carbs.
Benefits of MCTs
MCTs are known for having a high “ketogenicity”, meaning they can greatly amplify your body’s ability to produce ketones,[7] which is great if you’re on a ketogenic or low carb diet and are looking for added energy or focus. But what else can they do? MCTs have been shown to speed up your metabolism, thus enhancing fat loss.[7] Preliminary research also shows they may improve cognitive function,[8] suppress appetite,[4] and boost performance through increased energy levels.[9]
As you can see, MCTs also have a host of benefits and anybody can use them regardless of what diet you’re on!
Why C8Vantage is Superior To Other MCTs
Like most classes of ingredients, MCTs are not all created equal — there are certain types that can provide more benefits than others. That’s exactly why NNB Nutrition developed C8Vantage, which almost exclusively contains one type of MCT, caprylic acid (C8). C8Vantage is made from natural palm oil and undergoes advanced processing that removes C10, C12, and any long-chain fatty acids.[1] The majority of other MCT oils on the market are a mixture of various MCTs, often with the slower and cheaper C12.
During the low carb renaissance of the 2010s, supplement companies found it incredibly difficult to source just C8! C8Vantage, however, is one of the only products on the market that is not a mixture, which is a huge reason why it yields greater benefits than any other MCT supplement.
Current Research on MCT C8: The research conducted on MCT C8 shows it’s superior to C6, C10, and C12 in several categories, so you can tell NNB is onto something with C8Vantage.
Here are some of the studies’ findings on MCT and C8:
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Greater Ketone Production than Coconut Oil or regular MCT
C8Vantage was formulated based on the latest scientific research that showed MCT C8 produced 300% (4x) more ketones than coconut oil and 21% more ketones than regular MCT oil.[10] It also resulted in the highest ketogenic effect over 4-8 hours,[10] meaning it provides sustained energy.
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Greater beta-oxidation (fat burning) than C10
C8 MCT Oil does some amazing things compared to the other fatty acid chains over the next few hours![10]
Another study performed in 2017 found that C8 led to a 4x greater rate of beta-oxidation than C10.[11] The researchers also speculated that when C8 and C10 are used together, C8 may inhibit C10 beta-oxidation,[11] which will slow down the utilization of both MCTs! Going with this, it may be best to choose one or the other — and NNB Nutrition chose the faster one with the research shown above. Amplified beta-oxidation means greater ketone production and fat burning!
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Reduced appetite and increased satiety
To go along with fat buring, C8Vantage may lead to reduced appetite and increased satiety,[4] which will help stave off hunger cravings that will derail you from losing weight. Preliminary research in animals has shown C8 may reduce overall calorie intake by up to 50% due to decreased appetite.[12]
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Improved endurance and longer time to exhaustion
Furthermore, a study done in 2009, found that MCT supplementation significantly improved time to exhaustion among a group of athletes.[13] So it’s likely you’ll notice some performance benefits with C8Vantage!
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The benefits of MCT, especially with respect to C8Vantage. Image courtesy NNBNutrition.com
Fighting the dreaded keto flu
Finally, C8Vantage could drastically help the transition and keep you on track by boosting ketosis, thus helping to beat the keto flu earlier in the process[9] and potentially shorten the adaptation period.
Other Benefits of C8Vantage
NNB’s goal with C8Vantage was to create a form of MCT that was
- Vegan-friendly
- Non-dairy
- Maltodextrin-free
- Non-GMO
- Made from sustainably-sourced palm oil, and
- a convenient powder
…all while still resulting in the highest ketone production for maximum effects.
Taken from NNBNutrition.com, C8Vantage hosts several benefits over other MCT powders
Those are some high standards, but we’ve found that NNB accepts no less than the best, which is no surprise given the Chief Science Officer, Shawn Wells.
To turn it into a powder, they use plant-based fiber and proteins (specifically pea protein), so C8Vantage has negligible blood glucose or insulin effect and is very allergen-friendly! This is unlike many of the powders sprayed against insulin-spiking maltodextrin — and as we know, keeping your blood sugar in control is important for anyone, especially in cases where you’re not expecting nor wanting a blood sugar spike!
See the effects (or lack thereof!) on blood sugar levels on our YouTube video:
Update: A dairy option now available!
Since publishing this article, NNB Nutrition has released a dairy-based version of C8Vantage, which is sprayed against a milk protein rather than pea protein. This provides a creamier texture, which is great for dairy-friendly consumers who want a delicious and creamy product such as an MCT coffee creamer, or want to add it to a dairy-based protein powder (such as whey or whey protein isolate).
How C8Vantage Can Be Utilized
NNB Nutrition recommends taking 8-10 grams of C8Vantage 1-3 times per day to get the maximum benefits. It’s extremely versatile and can be used in shakes, smoothies, coffee creamers, or various low-carb recipes!
For supplement manufacturers or distributors, C8Vantage can be put into capsules, powders, beverages or other functional foods.
C8Vantage in the wild
Nutrex Plant Protein uses C8Vantage to improve the flavor and creaminess of the powder!
For example, Nutrex Research, a top supplement company, used C8Vantage in the famous Nutrex Plant Protein to add some healthy fats while boosting the flavor and thickness of the powder. They even took first overall in PricePlow’s Top 5 Vegan Protein Powders for 2019, so Nutrex is clearly onto something here!Another company that’s using C8Vantage is Nutrabolics in their MCT oil supplement, appropriately named C8 Elite.
C8Vantage is the King of MCTs
From the research, you can see that C8 holds the MCT throne, and given the formulation of C8Vantage, it can be used by practically anyone despite their diet. This product could help a wide variety of people, but it will most benefit low-carb dieters who are fat adapted or on their way to fat adaptation.
If you’re looking a trusted and tested form of C8 MCT that doesn’t have C10 (and definitely not slower C12 lauric acid) spiked in, C8Vantage is the first thing to search for.
Watch our videos on MCT Oil
Watch as Mike from PricePlow and Shawn Wells of NNB Nutrition get together on Instagram Live and chat about MCT Oil, which also comes with a great round of Q&A:
Who is NNB Nutrition?
GlucoVantage from NNB Nutrition is a pure form of Dihydroberberine (DHB) and is known as “The Super Berberine”.
When looking at the supplement industry’s ingredient developers and raw material suppliers, one company that’s quickly rising to the top with their relentlessly pursuit of quality is NNB Nutrition. Most consumers only see and recognize the supplement brands who put products on the shelf, but there’s a lot more that goes into a product then people think. NNB is constantly working under the radar and behind the scenes to create new and novel ingredients that other companies can use to boost the value and effectiveness of their products.
Without quality ingredients, the supplements themselves are built on a house of cards foundation. It all starts with the underlying ingredients, and NNB has shared batch lab tests every time we’ve requested, and so far passed audits of a few brands who’ve tested their materials.
NNB Nutrition: Passion, Innovation, and Experience
NNB’s mission is to develop innovative ingredients that can help support longevity, health, and performance. They partner with manufacturers, innovators, supplement and food/beverage companies. With decades of experience, passion, and a team that spans all across the globe, NNB is one of the best ingredient suppliers/developers out there and the products they’ve developed so far have showcased that.
NNB Nutrition has finally brought us a trusted and tested form of L-BAIBA, which we call an “exercise signal” that kickstarts incredible metabolic processes!
PricePlow is a huge advocate for what NNB is doing for the industry because we want exactly what you do, the best ingredients possible to help us reach our goals. We’ve already covered a couple products that NNB has developed such as MitoBurn (L-BAIBA, an amino acid that can aid exercise and fat burning) and GlucoVantageⓇ, a powerful glucose disposal agent fueled by dihydroberberine that results in improved insulin sensitivity.After testing out those two products, we could tell NNB is onto some major things and couldn’t wait to see what was next. C8Vantage is the next piece of that puzzle.
NNB Nutrition Never Settles
NNB Nutrition is an innovative ingredient development company with an elite team of over 100 scientists from over 10 countries. Read more about C8Vantage on NNBNutrition.com
NNB Nutrition is always on the hunt for the best ingredients so they can help companies and consumers reach their goals faster. They’re a team of scientists from all over the world that all share the same goals: innovate, perfect, and improve. NNB knows there is much more to add to the supplement industry and all the products they’ve produced are a showcase of that. It just takes a lot of time, research, and passion to develop them. However, it’s all worth it and PricePlow loves to see a company that’s so driven to make the industry better.
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When looking for quality MCT Powder, C8 (Caprylic Acid) is the way to go, and C8Vantage from NNB Nutrition is where to get it. Read more here and on NNBNutrition.com
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