DOST: VCO found to ease chances of severity of COVID-19 on suspect, probable cases

The Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) on Thursday disclosed that virgin coconut oil (VCO) was found to be an effective treatment in decreasing chances for suspected and probable COVID-19 cases to become severe.

DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Peña said that this was found in the assessment done for 57 patients at the community-based hospital in Laguna.

The trial involved incorporating virgin coconut oil in the food taken by half of the participants while the others were only given the usual treatment for COVID-19.

In the following days, it was found that the group who received VCO as an adjunct treatment had a faster recovery as compared to the other set of individuals.

“The results of the VCO study showed that five of the 29 patients in the VCO group manifested diminishing signs and symptoms as early as the second day while only one from the control group showed [a] similar improvement,” he said in a briefing.

“The VCO group showed no COVID-19 related symptoms anymore at Day 18 while symptoms are still persistent in some patients of the controlled group until Day 23,” Dela Peña also added.

However, experts said that further studies are still needed not only for other levels of COVID-19 but also for those with comorbidities.

“In a way it’s [a] prophylaxis….but we have not yet studied it on high viral load,” said Dr. Fabian Dayrit, who initially proposed the study.

Meanwhile, the DOST said that they are still waiting for further developments in the other arm of VCO trials this time conducted among severe and critical cases of disease held at the Philippine General Hospital.

At present, the Philippines has recorded over 434,000 cases of COVID-19 where the highest number is still among mild cases at 84.7 percent and asymptomatic at 7.1 percent.