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Vitamin D requirements in infancy: a systematic review
Francis B Mimouni1, Adi Huber-Yaron, Shlomi Cohen
1aDepartment of Neonatology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem bSackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University cPediatric Department dPediatric Gastroenterology Unit, Dana Dwek Children's Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center Tel Aviv, Israel.
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
|April 5, 2017
Summary
Current evidence does not support higher vitamin D supplementation for infants beyond 400 IU daily. Excessive vitamin D may lead to adverse effects, and long-term benefits remain unproven.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Vitamin D supplementation is standard for infants.
- Optimal dosage recommendations are continually evaluated.
- Recent literature provides new insights into infant vitamin D needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent evidence on vitamin D supplementation in healthy infants.
- To assess the impact of higher vitamin D doses compared to standard recommendations.
- To inform updated guidelines for infant vitamin D intake.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published since 2009.
- Focus on studies investigating vitamin D dosage in infancy.
- Analysis of outcomes related to varying vitamin D supplementation levels.
Main Results:
- No additional evidence supports doses exceeding the current 400 IU daily recommendation for significant outcomes.
- Higher vitamin D intakes did not demonstrate improved health outcomes in infants.
- Elevated serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentrations from larger doses may be linked to adverse effects.
Conclusions:
- Current evidence does not justify increasing vitamin D supplementation beyond 400 IU daily for healthy infants.
- Long-term health benefits of higher infant vitamin D doses, such as preventing osteoporosis, allergies, or cancer, require further investigation.
- Unanswered questions remain regarding the long-term impact of 'generous' vitamin D supplementation in infancy.