Cod liver oil does not prevent Respiratory Infections (no surprise, only 400 IU of vitamin D) RCT

Prevention of covid-19 and other acute respiratory infections with cod liver oil supplementation, a low dose vitamin D supplement: quadruple blinded, randomised placebo controlled trial

BMJ 2022; 378 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2022-071245

Sonja H Brunvoll, postdoctoral researcher1, Anders B Nygaard, postdoctoral researcher1, Merete Ellingjord-Dale, postdoctoral researcher1, Petter Holland, postdoctoral researcher1, Mette Stausland Istre, research engineer1, Karl Trygve Kalleberg, chief executive officer2, Camilla L Søraas, junior doctor3, Kirsten B Holven, professor4 5, Stine M Ulven, professor4, Anette Hjartåker, professor4, Trond Haider, senior statistician6, Fridtjof Lund-Johansen, senior scientist7, John Arne Dahl, group leader1, Haakon E Meyer, professor8 9, Arne Søraas, principal investigator1

Objective To determine if daily supplementation with cod liver oil, a low dose vitamin D supplement, in winter, prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection, serious covid-19, or other acute respiratory infections in adults in Norway.

Design Quadruple blinded, randomised placebo controlled trial.

Setting Norway, 10 November 2020 to 2 June 2021.

Participants 34 601 adults (aged 18-75 years), not taking daily vitamin D supplements.

Intervention 5 mL/day of cod liver oil (10 µg of vitamin D, n=17 278) or placebo (n=17 323) for up to six months.

Main outcome measures Four co-primary endpoints were predefined: the first was a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result determined by reverse transcriptase-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and the second was serious covid-19, defined as self-reported dyspnoea, admission to hospital, or death. Other acute respiratory infections were indicated by the third and fourth co-primary endpoints: a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result and self-reported symptoms. Side effects related to the supplementation were self-reported. The fallback method was used to handle multiple comparisons.

Results Supplementation with cod liver oil was not associated with a reduced risk of any of the co-primary endpoints. Participants took the supplement (cod liver oil or placebo) for a median of 164 days, and 227 (1.31%) participants in the cod liver oil group and 228 (1.32%) participants in the placebo group had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result (relative risk 1.00, multiple comparison adjusted confidence interval 0.82 to 1.22). Serious covid-19 was identified in 121 (0.70%) participants in the cod liver oil group and in 101 (0.58%) participants in the placebo group (1.20, 0.87 to 1.65). 8546 (49.46%) and 8565 (49.44%) participants in the cod liver oil and placebo groups, respectively, had ≥1 negative SARS-CoV-2 test results (1.00, 0.97 to 1.04). 3964 (22.94%) and 3834 (22.13%) participants in the cod liver oil and placebo groups, respectively, reported ≥1 acute respiratory infections (1.04, 0.97 to 1.11). Only low grade side effects were reported in the cod liver oil and placebo groups.

Conclusion Supplementation with cod liver oil in the winter did not reduce the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, serious covid-19, or other acute respiratory infections compared with placebo.

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