Two studies conducted by the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) confirmed that virgin coconut oil (VCO) helps ease symptoms for mild and moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.
"We have completed the study a year ago in Sta. Rosa, regarding the people with symptoms who come to the quarantine centers and actually not all of those who have symptoms turned positive but they were still included in the trials," DOST Secretary Fortunato "Boy" de la Peña disclosed in a taped report.
"Yung participants sa Sta. Rosa, blinded trial yun, so hindi nila alam kung sila ay nasa control group or sila ay nasa VCO group. Dun sa Valenzuela, alam nila na sila ay umiinom ng VCO (The participants in Sta. Rosa were in a blinded trial, they didn't know if they were in the control group or they were in the VCO group. In Valenzuela, they knew they were drinking VCO)," he noted.
In the second study conducted in Valenzuela City, all 77 participants have tested reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positive prior to the trials.
The study also found that VCO brought down the level of C-reactive protein (CRP) faster compared to the control group.
"Ang kagandahan nito, na-confirm lang yung una nating findings sa Sta. Rosa na napapaaga ang resolution of symptoms dun sa mga nag-take ng VCO (What's great is that, the second study just confirmed the findings of our first study in Sta. Rosa, hastened the resolution of COVID-19 symptoms)," de la Peña said.
He further explained that in the Valenzuela study, antibiotics and other medicines were also provided to the participants who are confirmed COVID-positive with mild to moderate symptoms.
Meanwhile, in the Sta. Rosa study, VCO was added to the meals and no supportive medicines were given to the participants.