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Table 1 Study and participant characteristics of the included studies. Data are expressed as mean (standard deviation), unless otherwise stated

From: Medium-chain triglycerides may improve memory in non-demented older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Study, year

Study design

Total

MCT

Control

Treatment dose (g/d)

Treatment duration

Control

Health status

Memory

Outcomes

n

(M/F)

n

(M/F)

Age

n

(M/F)

Age

     

Mutoh, 2022 [22]

Double-blind RCT

63

32 (10/22)

69.8 (4.0)

31 (10/21)

70.3 (4.1)

18

3 months

Placebo (LCT)

Healthy

-LM-IA

-LM-IB

-LM-IIA

-LM-IIB

(immediate & delayed logical memory)

Yomogida, 2021 [21]

Double-blind crossover RCT

20 (6/14)

20 (6/14)

65.7 (3.9)

15 (13/2)

61 (9.4)

19.9a

6.9 (0.3) days

Placebo (LCT)

Healthy

-Working memory

(N-back test)

Abe, 2020 [20]

Single-blind RCT

31

16

85.5 (6.8) All

15

85.5 (6.8) All

6

3 months

Placebo (LCT)

Nursing home residents

-MMSE (memory recall)

-NM (logical memory)

O’neill, 2019 [19]

Double-blind RCT

80

38

65.4 (6.2)

42

65.4 (6.2)

10, 20, 30, or 40

2 weeks

Placebo

Healthy

-Immediate and delayed memory

(VRM task)

-Spatial working memory

(SWM task)

Abe, 2017 [18]

Single-blind RCT

25 (7/18)

13 (4/9)

85.5 (3.7)

12 (3/9)

86.8 (6.5)

6 & 1.2 g leucine & 20 μg cholecalciferol

3 months

LCT & 1.2 g leucine & 20 μg cholecalciferol

Nursing home residents

-MMSE (memory recall)

-NM (logical memory)

Ota, 2016 [16]

Double-blind crossover RCT

19 (6/13)

19 (6/13)

66.1 (2.9)

19 (6/13)

66.1 (2.9)

20a

9.5 (6.9) days

Placebo

Healthy

-Working memory (Digit span test)

-Visual memory (visual memory span test)

-Short-term memory (letter-number sequencing test)

  1. LCT Long-chain triglycerides, LM-I Logical memory-immediate recall, LM-II Logical memory-delayed recall, MCT Medium-chain triglycerides, MMSE Mini-mental state exam, NM Nishimura geriatric rating scale for mental status, RCT Randomised controlled trial, SWM Spatial working memory, VRM Verbal recognition memory
  2. aData were collected in two separate visits and not daily