VCO can ease symptoms of suspected COVID-19 patients, study finds
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 3) — Here is some positive news amid the pandemic.
Virgin coconut oil has helped reduce the severity of symptoms of suspected COVID-19 patients, a community-based study by the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute has found.
"VCO could be used as an adjunct supplement to probable and suspect COVID-19 cases," DOST Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said Thursday in a briefing on the results of the VCO study in Laguna. However, dela Peña noted that more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of VCO in COVID-19 cases with pre-existing medical conditions.
Researchers tested the effectiveness of VCO on 57 probable and suspected COVID-19 cases at the Santa Rosa Community Quarantine Facility and at the Santa Rosa Community Hospital in Laguna for 28 days.
The trial did not include probable and suspected cases with a history of heart ailment, those taking medications for heart diseases, those with high cholesterol levels, those who are pregnant, and those who are asymptomatic.
The VCO group or around half or 29 participants received standard meals containing VCO, while the control group consisting of 28 cases got the same meals without VCO.
For the first three days of the trial, the VCO group was given .6 milliliters of VCO per kilogram of body weight, Dr. Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa, lead of the VCO study, said in the same virtual briefing. The dose was increased to 1.2 milliliters of VCO per kilogram of body weight beginning day four to day 28, Angeles-Agdeppa added.
Dela Peña noted that positive effects were observed in the VCO group as early as the second day of the study while the control group did not show improvement until the third day. He added that the VCO group was free of symptoms on day 18, while the control group only stopped exhibiting symptoms on day 23.
These findings were supported by the participants' C-reactive protein, which is a marker used to find inflammation in the body, the DOST chief said.
VCO not a COVID-19 treatment
Angeles-Agdeppa echoed dela Peña in saying people should not rely solely on VCO, and it has to be taken in combination with other coronavirus treatments.
"It is an adjunct supplement para maibsan ang sintomas ng ating suspect and probable cases ng COVID-19 para hindi tutuloy na maging severe case. Hindi po siya treatment," the researcher said.
[Translation: It is an adjunct supplement to relieve symptoms of our suspect and probable cases of COVID-19, so their conditions would not progress to a severe case.]
