Two studies show no significant difference in risk for COVID-19 or in four coprimary end points, including SARS-CoV-2, serious COVID-19<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
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THURSDAY, Sept. 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Neither vitamin D supplementation nor cod liver oil supplementation reduce the risk for COVID-19 infection or serious COVID-19, according to two studies published online Sept. 7 in The BMJ<\/em>.<\/p>\n David A. Jolliffe, Ph.D., from the Queen Mary University of London, and colleagues conducted a phase 3 randomized trial involving 6,200 people aged 16 years and older. A total of 3,100 individuals were offered a vitamin D test; 2,674 had 25-hydroxyvitamin D <75 nmol\/L and received supplements (1,328 lower dose; 1,346 higher dose); 3,100 were not offered testing or supplementation. The researchers found that at least one acute respiratory tract infection occurred in 5.7 and 5.0 percent of the lower- and higher-dose groups, respectively, compared with 4.6 percent in the no-offer group, although the differences were not significant. COVID-19 developed in 3.6 and 3.0 percent of those in the lower- and higher-dose groups, respectively, compared with 2.6 percent in the no-offer group, with the differences not statistically significant.<\/p>\n Sonja H. Brunvoll, Ph.D., from Oslo University Hospital in Norway, and colleagues randomly assigned 34,601 adults (aged 18 to 75 years) not taking daily vitamin D supplements to receive cod liver oil (17,278 participants) or placebo (17,323 participants). The researchers observed no association between supplementation with cod liver oil and a reduced risk for any of the coprimary end points (positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 [SARS-CoV-2] test result, serious COVID-19, negative SARS-CoV-2 test result, and self-reported symptoms, with the third and fourth indicating other acute respiratory infections).<\/p>\n “Vaccination is still the most effective way to protect people from COVID-19, and vitamin D and cod liver oil supplementation should not be offered to healthy people with normal vitamin D levels,” write the authors of an accompanying editorial.<\/p>\n Several authors from the Jolliffe study disclosed financial ties to the pharmaceutical and supplement industries; several authors from the Brunvoll study disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry. <\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text – Jolliffe<\/a><\/p>\n Abstract\/Full Text – Brunvoll<\/a><\/p>\n