Coconut Oil for Crohn’s Disease

When you’re trying to manage Crohn’s, colitis, or IBD, especially without relying heavily on medications, you start looking at every part of your lifestyle. Diet, stress, supplements, sleep, what you put on your skin, even what oil you cook with.

For me, coconut oil is one of those things that ended up sticking around in both flares and remission. It’s not a cure, and I don’t think it can stop a flare-up on its own, but I’ve used it for years and believe it has anti-inflammatory benefits that help support the gut.

Here’s everything I’ve learned about coconut oil and living with Crohn’s disease, both from digging into research and using it consistently as part of my gut-healing protocol.

Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that causes chronic inflammation in the digestive tract. The symptoms are different for everyone, but for me, it’s mostly shown up as intense urgency, diarrhea, blood, mucus, and fatigue. Other people deal with weight loss, malabsorption, nausea, pain, and joint issues.

Doctors usually treat it with anti-inflammatory meds, immunosuppressants, or biologics. I’ve taken mesalamine, but I’ve avoided biologics and steroids because I didn’t want to deal with the long-term side effects. Instead, I’ve focused on healing my gut through food, lifestyle, and a handful of key supplements. Coconut oil ended up being one of those tools that felt worth keeping around.

Coconut oil is a fat extracted from the meat of coconuts. The kind I use is cold-pressed virgin coconut oil, which hasn’t been refined or bleached. What makes it unique is the high content of medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs. These fats digest differently than long-chain fats like those in seed oils or animal fat.

MCTs are broken down quickly and used for energy, which means they don’t sit around in the digestive system for long. That’s one reason they’re easier to tolerate when the gut is inflamed.

Coconut oil also contains lauric acid, which has been shown to have antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects.

There are also MCT oils on the market, which are extracted from coconut or palm oil and only contain the medium-chain fats. I’ve used both, but I tend to stick with whole coconut oil since it’s less processed.

I started using coconut oil mainly because I was looking for gut-friendly fats that wouldn’t aggravate my symptoms or make digestion harder. A lot of processed oils made me feel worse, but coconut oil felt neutral or even soothing. Over time, I started noticing it was something I could rely on during both flares and remission.

There’s not a ton of research directly on coconut oil and Crohn’s, but there are some relevant studies on how MCTs and lauric acid affect gut health. Lauric acid, for example, has been shown to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines in animal studies. MCTs are known for being more easily absorbed in the small intestine, even when inflammation or malabsorption is present.

Some papers suggest coconut oil can improve gut microbiota balance or support the integrity of the intestinal barrier. But most of the evidence is indirect or based on general gut health, not specifically Crohn’s.

What I go off of is how I feel. I’ve used coconut oil during flare-ups and during long stretches of remission, and it’s consistently felt easy on my digestion. It hasn’t ever caused more symptoms or irritation for me. And when I’ve paired it with other gut-healing staples like bone broth, ginger tea, and clean proteins, I’ve seen improvement in symptoms.

Anti-inflammatory effects

This is the biggest reason I use it. Coconut oil contains lauric acid and other fatty acids that may help reduce inflammation in the gut. I don’t think it’s strong enough on its own to stop a flare, but I do think it plays a supportive role in calming things down when combined with other strategies.

Supports gut barrier function

Leaky gut is something I’ve dealt with, especially early on when I was in constant flare mode. Some research suggests coconut oil might help reduce intestinal permeability and strengthen tight junctions in the gut lining. Again, nothing magic, but one more tool to reinforce the gut wall.

Antimicrobial properties

Coconut oil has been shown to have antifungal and antibacterial effects. That could help reduce overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the gut, which is often a problem for people with IBD. I’m careful not to overdo it, especially if I’m taking other antimicrobial supplements, but I see it as a mild, food-based way to help keep the microbiome in balance.

Improved nutrient absorption

Because MCTs are easier to digest and absorb, coconut oil is a helpful fat when nutrient absorption is a problem. I’ve used it during times when I couldn’t eat much and needed calorie-dense foods that didn’t irritate my gut.

Gentle, digestible fat source

Most other fats made things worse during flare-ups. Seed oils were a disaster, olive oil sometimes felt too heavy, and even ghee didn’t always sit well. Coconut oil was one of the few that never triggered a reaction.

Start small

I always start with about a teaspoon, especially if I’m in a flare. Too much fat too fast can make symptoms worse, even if it’s a clean fat. Once I know it’s sitting well, I might go up to a tablespoon a day, either taken directly or used in cooking.

How I take it

• Added to soup or bone broth during a flare
• Used to roast vegetables or fry eggs
• Blended into coconut flour pancakes or almond flour muffins
• Straight off the spoon with a pinch of sea salt when I need energy

Sometimes I use it topically too, if I’m dealing with dry or irritated skin during a flare. Coconut oil has a mild soothing effect and doesn’t sting.

Coconut oil isn’t perfect for everyone. If I take too much, especially when my digestion is off, it can cause nausea or loose stools. I’ve learned to stay around the 1 to 2 tablespoon range and to spread it throughout the day if I’m not feeling great.

People with FODMAP sensitivity or SIBO might not tolerate it well. I haven’t had that issue, but I know others who do. Also worth noting, coconut oil is high in saturated fat, so some people worry about cholesterol. That hasn’t been a concern for me, but it’s something to keep an eye on if you're doing blood work.

I’ve written a lot about my approach to Crohn’s over at GutMellow.com, and coconut oil is definitely part of that routine. But it's always paired with the bigger foundations: anti-inflammatory meals, bone broth, stress reduction, herbal teas, and strategic supplements.

If you’ve downloaded my Remission Roadmap, you’ve probably seen coconut oil listed as one of the core healthy fats I use alongside olive oil, avocado oil, and beef tallow. It’s part of the fat rotation that feels easiest on my gut and most supportive during recovery.

I also include it in the Grocery List, the Meal Plan, and even in recipes like coconut flour pancakes and almond flour cakes in the Recipes Guide. It shows up across the board because it’s been one of the more reliable foods for me.

Coconut oil has earned a permanent spot in my pantry because it just works for me. It’s not a cure and not a miracle food, but it’s something I can count on to support digestion, provide energy, and help manage inflammation. Whether I’m dealing with an active flare or just trying to stay in remission, it’s part of my daily rhythm.

If you’re curious about how I manage Crohn’s naturally without biologics like Stelara or surgery you can learn more or download the full Remission Roadmap Bundle at GutMellow.com. It includes everything I’ve used to support gut healing: my diet, supplements, safe foods, and more. It’s the blueprint I wish someone had handed me 10 years ago.

After a decade of trial and error, I finally found a combination of strategies that actually worked. I went from constant flare-ups to long-term remission, without biologics or surgery. I created GutMellow to share my experience and help others navigate their own healing journey.

The GutMellow Remission Roadmap includes everything I wish I had when I was first diagnosed. It’s a comprehensive resource that outlines the exact steps I took to regain control of my gut health, including:

This blog is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While I am sharing my personal experience, every individual’s health journey is unique. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, supplements, medications, or lifestyle. Healing is a personal journey, and what worked for me may not work for everyone.