Could a daily supplement ward off anemia in seniors?
NCT ID NCT01632761
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looks at whether taking vitamin D and fish oil supplements can reduce the risk of developing anemia in people aged 60 and older. Researchers are following 2000 participants from a larger heart-health trial who did not have anemia at the start. They will compare anemia rates between those who took the supplements and those who took placebos over two years.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, low-cost way to help prevent anemia in older adults.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational analysis within a larger trial, not a direct test of treatment. The results may show no effect or be limited by how anemia is reported.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 2,000 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Nov 2012
- Expected to finish
-
Dec 2025
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
50 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Participants in VITAL (NCT 01169259) who do not have anemia at baseline and who report a diagnosis of anemia on the VITAL follow-up questionnaires are eligible to participate in this ancillary study.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States
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