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A clinical study conducted in 2020 showed that virgin coconut oil (VCO) has been found effective in the rapid relief of COVID-19 symptoms and normalization of the C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration among probable and suspected cases of COVID-19. This present study aimed to validate those results and to evaluate the effects of VCO among COVID-19 patients through a 28-day randomized, single-blind trial conducted among 76 SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain report)-confirmed adults, with VCO given as a COVID-19 adjunct therapy. The results showed that VCO recipients were free from symptoms and had normal CRP concentrations by day 14. In comparison, participants in the control group reported relief from signs and symptoms on day 23, with normal CRP concentrations on day 25. This second study bolsters the use of VCO as an effective adjunct therapy for COVID-19-positive patients showing mild-to-moderate symptoms.

IntroductionManaging nutrition and lifestyle practices, nutrition phenotypes, and the genome forms the foundation of precision nutrition. Precision nutrition focuses on metabolic variability among individuals, and one approach to achieving its goals is to integrate gene-based nutrition and lifestyle recommendations in nutrition practice. However, scientific evidence proving the effectiveness of such recommendations is limited. This study will examine whether providing nutrition and lifestyle recommendations based on individual genotype can lead to better weight loss, along with reduction in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and body fat percentage among overweight and obese adults.Methods and analysisA parallel group, single-blind, randomized controlled trial will be conducted. Sixty-two overweight/obese individuals aged 19–59 years old will be recruited. Participants will be randomly allocated to either the intervention (n = 31) or the control arm (n = 31). Participants in the intervention group will receive the MyGeneMyDiet® Recommendation for Weight Management, a gene-based nutrition and lifestyle recommendation that was developed based on existing evidence of the effects of FTO rs9939609 on body weight, BMI, and physical activity; UCP1 rs1800592 on calorie intake; and TCF7L2 rs7903146 on dietary fat intake. Participants in the control group will receive the standard recommendations for weight management. The primary outcomes will be the differences in weight, BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage between arms in both the active phase (6 months) and inactive phase (last 6 months) of the trial. Participants in both arms will be evaluated at baseline and in months 3, 6, 9, and 12.DiscussionTo the best of our knowledge, this will be the first gene-based intervention that will adopt a phase of intensive nutrition counseling, followed by a simulation of a free-living state to determine adherence to a gene-based recommendation. This study will contribute to the future implementation of precision nutrition interventions by providing evidence on the effectiveness of a gene-based nutrition and lifestyle recommendation for weight loss.Clinical trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov, identifier [NCT05098899].

Understanding the complex pathogenesis of COVID-19 continues to evolve. With observation and quarantine as the prevailing standard of care, this study evaluated the effects of virgin coconut oil (VCO) in the biochemical markers of suspect and probable cases of COVID-19. A 28-day randomized, double-blind, controlled intervention was conducted among 63 adults in two isolation facilities in Santa Rosa City, Laguna, Philippines. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either a standardized meal (control) or a standardized meal mixed with a predefined dosage of VCO. Changes in clinical markers were measured at three time points (day 0, 14, and 28), with daily monitoring of COVID-19 symptoms. Participants in the intervention group showed a significant decline in the C-reactive protein level, with the mean CRP level normalized to ≤ 5 mg/dL on the 14th day of the intervention. As an adjunct therapy, meals mixed with VCO is effective fostering faster recovery from COVID-19.

Diet and body mass index (BMI) have been shown to affect the gut microbiota of children, but studies are largely performed in developed countries. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional investigation on the differences in the bacterial gut microbiota between normal-weight and overweight urban Filipino children, and determined the relationship between their energy, macronutrient and dietary fiber intakes, and their gut microbiota composition and diversity. Forty-three children (normal-weight, n = 32; overweight, n = 11) participated in the study. Energy and fiber intakes were collected using a semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The gut microbiota was profiled using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of the V3–V4 region. The diet of the children was a mixture of traditional and Western patterns. There were no significant differences in energy, macronutrients and energy-adjusted fiber intakes between the normal-weight and overweight groups, but there were significantly more children meeting the recommended fiber intake in the overweight group. Alpha and beta bacterial diversities did not significantly differ between weight groups. Relative abundance of Bifidobacterium, Turicibacter and Clostridiaceae 1 were higher in the normal-weight than overweight children, and Lachnospira was higher in overweight children.