Study to examine vitamin D, omega-3 supplements

The Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial - VITAL - will measure the supplements' preventive effects on cancer, heart disease and stroke in 20,000 participants, making it the largest randomized trial for vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Brigham and Women's Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, seeks to enroll women older than 65 and men older than 60 in the five-year study, which will include examinations of how the supplements affect cognitive function, vision disorders and diabetes, the hospital said. BWH Chief of Preventive Medicine JoAnn Manson said June 23 that "these low-cost supplements have the potential of tremendously reducing the burden of chronic disease." Previous economic analysis found omega-3 and vitamin D plus calcium supplementation could save billions in hospitalization costs (1"The Tan Sheet" Sept. 29, 2008, In Brief)