Virgin coconut oil supports faster recovery from signs and symptoms of COVID-19, based on a study funded by the Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD).

The project entitled “The Beneficial Effects of Virgin Coconut Oil among Suspect and Probable Cases of COVID-19,” led by Dr. Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa of the DOST- Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), conducted a community trial in Sta. Rosa City that evaluated the effects of VCO as an adjunct supplement for COVID-19 by mixing VCO into the cooked meals of suspect and probable COVID-19 cases. In previous studies, VCO has been proven to contain compounds with anti-viral properties.

According to the National Institutes of Health, an adjunct supplement is a secondary treatment used to support or assist the primary treatment given to a patient.

The community trial was completed last October 2020 and showed that individuals who received the VCO added in their meals experienced faster recovery from the signs and symptoms of COVID-19. These results suggest that there is a high possibility to use VCO as an adjunct supplement for suspect and probable COVID-19 cases due to its anti-viral properties.

“These results are proof of our significant progress on the quest to look for accessible, safe, and effective interventions that support COVID-19 recovery. Through these efforts, the DOST-PCHRD hopes to lessen the health burdens of COVID-19 among Filipinos,” said DOST-PCHRD Executive Director Jaime Montoya.

While interim results provide favorable evidence, researchers emphasize that additional confirmatory studies should be done to determine the effectiveness of VCO as an adjunct supplement for COVID-19. Currently, the Valenzuela trials are still ongoing with 17 graduated participants and 12 ongoing participants. The project team is also coordinating with Muntinlupa City as an additional study site that will include participants with mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 which were not covered in the first two study sites.

References:

https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms?expand=A