The purpose of this study is to investigate whether fish oil containing free fatty acids affects people's susceptibility to viral infections such as colds, influenza, and COVID-19, as well as the course of these illnesses. Omega Cold is purified fish oil with 2% added free fatty acids, making it similar in that respect to less-purified fish oils. Participants aged 18-80 in generally good health will be recruited through Matís' consumer mailing list and social media advertisements. A total of 400 participants are planned: 100 in the winter of 2025-2026 and 300 in the winter of 2026-2027. Participants will be randomly assigned to two equal groups. One group will take Omega Cold orally twice a day for four months, while the other receives a placebo (vegetable oil) taken in the same way. They will not be asked to change any other habits. All participants will report weekly on their health and any cold or flu symptoms during the time they take the oil, using short questionnaires. The study is scheduled to begin in December 2025, when the oil will be sent to participants.
to be in general good health
18 to 80 years of age
willing and able to take fish oil orally.
younger than 18 years
older than 80 years
Parallel
Omega-3 oil with 2% Free Fatty Acids
Dietary supplementOmega-3 oil enriched with Free Fatty Acids (2%) for oral intake
Vegatable oil
Dietary supplementVegetable oil as placebo
Respiratory infections
Participants will complete a short weekly questionnaire reporting any respiratory infection symptoms they experienced in the past seven days. If symptoms are present, they will be asked to provide additional details, including the type of symptoms, their duration, and their severity rated on numerical scales from 1 to 7 with 1 being mild and 7 being severe.
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Landspitali University Hospital
Lead sponsor
Matis ohf.
Collaborator
Lipid Pharmaceuticals ehf.
Collaborator