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Vitamin D limits inflammation in vitro and in animal models of autoimmune diseases, but it has not shown benefit in observational studies or clinical trials in humans. Omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acid supplementation limits symptoms in some autoimmune diseases in humans. But neither of these supplements has been studied for preventing autoimmune disease in randomized trials.
In the placebo-controlled VITAL study, 25,000 adults (age, >50) were randomized to take vitamin D (cholecalciferol; 2000 IU daily), ω-3 fatty acids (1 g daily), both, or neither for 5 years; neither intervention was effective for preventing cancer or cardiovascular disease (NEJM JW Gen Med Dec 15 2018 and N Engl J Med 2019; 380:33). In a prespecified ancillary analysis of this s…