Meta Information

ID:monolaurin

Name:Monolaurin

Schema Version:1.5

Alternate Names

• Glycerol Monolaurate
• GML
• Lauricidin

Active Compound

monolaurin

Intervention Type

therapeutic_agent

Delivery

Route:

oral

Scope:

• systemic

Regulatory Status

• us:dietary_supplement

Indication

Focus:

disease_treatment

Description:

Investigated for its potential antimicrobial effects against enveloped viruses, bacteria, and fungi, based primarily on in-vitro evidence.

Typical Protocol

• Protocols often start at 600-1200 mg daily, titrating up to 3000 mg or more.
• Typically taken in divided doses with food to minimize gastrointestinal upset.

Expected Cost Mean

Low Cost:

20

High Cost:

50

Cost Type:

monthly

Description:

Cost for a monthly supply of oral capsules or pellets; not insurance covered.

Summary

Monolaurin is a chemical derived from lauric acid, found in coconut oil and breast milk. It is proposed to act as an antimicrobial agent by disrupting the lipid envelopes of certain viruses and bacteria. Despite extensive in-vitro (test tube) research, high-quality human clinical trials demonstrating its efficacy for systemically treating specific diseases are currently lacking.

Purpose

A dietary supplement investigated for antimicrobial properties against pathogens.

Card Summary

A coconut oil derivative with in-vitro antimicrobial activity, lacking robust human evidence for systemic disease treatment.

Drug Class

Drugs In Class

Empty Array

Impact

Score:

2.5

Justification:

Strong in-vitro data but lacks human RCTs for systemic disease treatment efficacy.

Evidence

Grade:

C

Score:

3

Justification:

Primarily supported by in-vitro and animal studies; lacks human clinical trial data.

Safety

Score:

3.5

Justification:

Generally recognized as safe (GRAS), but can cause gastrointestinal upset at high doses.

Flags

• High doses may cause gastrointestinal side effects like nausea or diarrhea.
• Potential for a Herxheimer reaction (die-off symptoms) is anecdotally reported.
• Not a substitute for clinically-proven antibiotics or antivirals for serious infections.
• Lacks robust human safety data for long-term, high-dose supplementation.

Verdict

Promising in-vitro antimicrobial, but unproven for treating human disease systemically.

Qualifier

scope: systemic, focused on disease treatment

Created

2026-05-07T01:20:35.712080Z

Ai Model

Gemini 2.5 Pro (High)