TOPLINE:

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who received regular medium-chain triglyceride supplementation showed notable improvement in their health-related quality of life compared with those on a control supplement of long-chain triglycerides. Lipid profiles showed no between-group differences.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial at a rheumatology outpatient practice in Germany to assess the effects of consuming medium-chain triglycerides and fiber in patients with RA.
• They included 61 adults with RA who were randomly assigned to receive either 30 g/d medium-chain triglycerides twice daily for 8 weeks followed by medium-chain triglycerides 30 g/d plus 30 g/d fiber for 8 weeks (n = 34) or long-chain triglycerides followed by long-chain triglycerides plus 30 g/d fiber (n = 27).
• Administration options allowed consumption as a cream or beverage by mixing the powder form with water; assessments occurred at baseline and weeks 8 and 16.
• The primary outcome was the change in Simple Disease Activity Index from baseline to week 16, and a previous article described positive results in this outcome in Nutrients.
• The secondary outcomes were patient-reported outcomes, morning stiffness (duration and intensity), pain on a visual analog scale, and lipid profile.

TAKEAWAY:

• Short Form-36 domains for quality-of-life assessments favored medium-chain triglycerides: Mental health improved from baseline to 8 weeks (P = .0063) and 16 weeks (P = .0003), vitality improved from baseline to 8 weeks (P = .0130) and 16 weeks (P = .0056). Role emotional (P = .0087) and social functioning (P = .0144) improved from baseline to 16 weeks; these changes exceeded the minimal clinically important difference of 5 points or more.
• The medium-chain triglyceride group experienced reductions in duration and intensity of morning stiffness from baseline to week 8 (P = .0003 and P = .0002, respectively) and from baseline to week 16 (P = .0004 and P = .0002, respectively).
• Physician-assessed pain decreased more in the medium-chain triglyceride group than in the control group from baseline to week 8 (P = .0426) and week 16 (P = .0047).
• Lipid profiles showed no significant between-group differences; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased in the control group from baseline to 8 weeks (P = .0062) and 16 weeks (P = .0129), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased in the medium-chain triglyceride group from baseline to 8 weeks (P = .0376).

IN PRACTICE:

“Our current evidence suggests that MCTs [medium-chain triglycerides] have the potential to enhance cognitive function and overall well-being in these patients. Therefore, we propose that MCTs could serve as a promising dietary complementary intervention,” the authors of the study wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Giulia Gaudioso, PhD, Dr Schär SPA, Burgstall, Italy. It was published online on February 16, 2026, in RMD Open.

LIMITATIONS:

Generalizability may be constrained by the single-center design. Lipid findings covered only short-term effects, suggesting the need for longer follow-up.

DISCLOSURES:

Dr Schär AG/SPA provided an unrestricted research grant supporting the work. One author disclosed receiving a research grant from Dr Schär AG/SPA. Three authors reported being employees of Dr Schär AG/SPA.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.