Vitamin D, Fish Oil, and Autoimmune Disease

Vitamin D, Fish Oil, and Autoimmune Disease Posted By:
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A recently published ancillary study found that patients 50 years of age and older who took daily vitamin D and fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids) supplements had a lower rate of developing autoimmune disorders than those who did not. This randomized controlled trial, VITAL, analyzed 25,871 men and women (≥50 and ≥55 years of age, respectively) with mean age of 67.1 years over a median follow-up of 5.3 years. Participants were given either a) vitamin D 2000 IU/d + omega-3 fatty acids 1000 mg/d, b) vitamin D 2000 IU/d + placebo, c) placebo + omega-3 fatty acids 1000 mg/d, or d) placebo + placebo. The original study was investigating whether the supplementation had an effect on cancer, heart disease, or stroke development in those without a history of the diseases; the primary endpoint of the ancillary study was confirmed incident autoimmune disease.

It was found that male patients ≥50 years and female patients ≥55 years who took vitamin D 2000 IU/d for 5 years—with or without omega-3 supplement—had a 22% lower rate of developing confirmed autoimmune disease. Considering only the last 3 years of data (out of 5), the rate of autoimmune disease prevention was 39%. Those who received omega-3 with or without vitamin D did not have a statistically significant reduction in confirmed autoimmune disease, but there was a statistically significant association when probable—not just confirmed—cases were included in analysis. In the group receiving both vitamin D and omega-3 supplementation, incident autoimmune disease was decreased by about 30% vs placebo.

However, VITAL did not find a significant association between taking these specific supplements at these doses in preventing cardiovascular disease or cancer. There are several other ancillary studies being completed on diabetes, depression, and other disease states; more results are expected in the near future.

References
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital. VITAL researchers announce landmark trial findings. www.vitalstudy.org/findings.html. Accessed Feb 15, 2022.
  • Hahn J, et al. CCBYNC Open access Research Vitamin D and marine omega 3 fatty acid supplementation and incident autoimmune disease: VITAL randomized controlled trial. BMJ. 2022;376:e066452.

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Filed under: Public Health , Curbside Consultations

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