Virgin Coconut Oil Can Supplement COVID Treatment: DOST

Taking virgin coconut oil can help reduce the symptoms of COVID-19 faster, an official of the Department of Science and Technology- Food and Nutrition Research Institute said Tuesday, citing a completed study.

The study showed that suspect and probable COVID-19 cases who were given food along with VCO exhibited a decrease in symptoms of the disease as early as the second day, according to Dr. Imelda Agdeppa, director of the DOST-FNRI.

COVID-19 patients who were not given VCO however showed signs of recovery at a much later period starting at around the fifth or sixth day, Agdeppa said.

"Ito po ay karagdagang lunas or nagdadagdag ng lunas sa COVID-19. Kung mayroon na pong existing na gamot yung pasyente at kung mabibigyan po siya ng VCO, ito yung sinasabi naming makakaragdag ng paggaling ng isang pasyente," she said in an interview on GMA's Unang Balita.

"Nakakapagbilis po ng pagwala ng sintomas ng COVID-19 as early as day two. Nakikita po natin sinasabi nila na gumaganda na ang kanilang pakiramdam at di na sila masyadong inuubo," she said.

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To confirm the findings, Agdeppa said the DOST also tested the blood of patients who took VCO to check on their C-Reactive Protein or CRP--a marker used to monitor infection.

The blood tests confirmed that COVID-19 patients who took VCO had low CRP which means that they have low possibility of infection, she said.

The results of the study on VCO for COVID-19 cases have been published in an international scientific journal, the Journal of Functional Foods according to Agdeppa.