Effect of vitamin D supplementation as a single dose on the nutritional status of vitamin D

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Endocrinology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Infants are a high-risk group for vitamin D (VD) deficiency.
• Daily 400 IU VD supplementation during the first year shows suboptimal adherence.
• A single 100,000 IU oral VD dose is established as safe for newborns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of a single 100,000 IU oral VD dose versus daily 400 IU VD doses.
• To assess serum VD concentrations at six months of age in infants receiving different VD supplementation regimens.
• To evaluate adherence and safety of alternative VD dosing strategies in infants.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial involving 84 healthy infants at one month of age.
• Infants were randomized to receive either a single 100,000 IU oral VD dose or daily 400 IU oral VD doses.
• Serum VD concentrations were measured at six months of age to determine treatment effects.

Main Results:

• No instances of VD deficiency were observed in either the single-dose or daily-dose groups.
• VD insufficiency rates were low and comparable: 5.5% in the single-dose group and 6.8% in the daily-dose group.
• Mean serum VD concentrations at six months were similar: 38.8 ± 5.2 ng/ml (single dose) vs. 39.7 ± 6.3 ng/ml (daily dose).

Conclusions:

• A single 100,000 IU oral vitamin D dose at one month of age achieves comparable serum VD levels at six months to daily 400 IU supplementation.
• This single-dose regimen presents a viable alternative for ensuring adequate vitamin D status in infants.
• The findings suggest improved adherence potential with a single-dose strategy compared to daily regimens.