Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (VITAL)

The VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) is a randomized clinical trial in 25,871 U.S. men and women investigating whether taking daily dietary supplements of vitamin D3 (2000 IU) or omega-3 fatty acids (Omacor® fish oil, 1 gram) reduces the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, and stroke in people who do not have a prior history of these illnesses. The 5-year intervention phase (study pill-taking, median 5.3 years) has ended; post-intervention observational follow-up of study participants is ongoing.

Sex

All

Minimum age

50 Years

To be eligible for the study, respondents had to, at study entry,:

1. be men aged 50 or older or women aged 55 or older;
2. have no history of cancer (except non-melanoma skin cancer), heart attack, stroke, transient ischemic attack, angina pectoris, coronary-artery bypass grafting, or percutaneous coronary intervention;
3. have none of the following safety exclusions: history of renal failure or dialysis, hypercalcemia, hypo- or hyperparathyroidism, severe liver disease (cirrhosis), or sarcoidosis or other granulomatous diseases such as active chronic tuberculosis or granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's);
4. have no allergy to fish or soy;
5. have no other serious illness that would preclude participation;
6. be consuming no more than 800 IU of vitamin D from all supplemental sources combined (individual vitamin D supplements, calcium+vitamin D supplements, medications with vitamin D \[e.g., Fosamax Plus D\], and multivitamins), or, if taking, willing to decrease or forego such use during the trial;
7. be consuming no more than 1200 mg/d of calcium from all supplemental sources combined, or, if taking, willing to decrease or forego such use during the trial;
8. not be taking fish oil supplements, or, if taking, willing to forego their use during the trial

• BACKGROUNDBassuk SS, Manson JE, Lee IM, Cook NR, Christen WG, Bubes VY, Gordon DS, Copeland T, Friedenberg G, D'Agostino DM, Ridge CY, MacFadyen JG, Kalan K, Buring JE. Baseline characteristics of participants in the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL). Contemp Clin Trials. 2016 Mar;47:235-43. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2015.12.022. Epub 2016 Jan 6. PMID 26767629
• BACKGROUNDPradhan AD, Manson JE. Update on the Vitamin D and OmegA-3 trial (VITAL). J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2016 Jan;155(Pt B):252-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2015.04.006. Epub 2015 Apr 9. PMID 25864623
• BACKGROUNDManson JE, Bassuk SS, Lee IM, Cook NR, Albert MA, Gordon D, Zaharris E, Macfadyen JG, Danielson E, Lin J, Zhang SM, Buring JE. The VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL): rationale and design of a large randomized controlled trial of vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acid supplements for the primary prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Contemp Clin Trials. 2012 Jan;33(1):159-71. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2011.09.009. Epub 2011 Oct 2. PMID 21986389
• BACKGROUNDManson JE, Cook NR, Lee IM, Christen W, Bassuk SS, Mora S, Gibson H, Gordon D, Copeland T, D'Agostino D, Friedenberg G, Ridge C, Bubes V, Giovannucci EL, Willett WC, Buring JE; VITAL Research Group. Vitamin D Supplements and Prevention of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease. N Engl J Med. 2019 Jan 3;380(1):33-44. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1809944. Epub 2018 Nov 10. PMID 30415629
• BACKGROUNDManson JE, Cook NR, Lee IM, Christen W, Bassuk SS, Mora S, Gibson H, Albert CM, Gordon D, Copeland T, D'Agostino D, Friedenberg G, Ridge C, Bubes V, Giovannucci EL, Willett WC, Buring JE; VITAL Research Group. Marine n-3 Fatty Acids and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer. N Engl J Med. 2019 Jan 3;380(1):23-32. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1811403. Epub 2018 Nov 10. PMID 30415637
• BACKGROUNDSong M, Lee IM, Manson JE, Buring JE, Dushkes R, Gordon D, Walter J, Wu K, Chan AT, Ogino S, Fuchs CS, Meyerhardt JA, Giovannucci EL; VITAL Research Group. Effect of Supplementation With Marine omega-3 Fatty Acid on Risk of Colorectal Adenomas and Serrated Polyps in the US General Population: A Prespecified Ancillary Study of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncol. 2020 Jan 1;6(1):108-115. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2019.4587.