BreastfeedingInfantsVitamin D

FDA issues vitamin D recommendations for infants

The FDA is alerting parents and caregivers that some liquid Vitamin D supplement products are sold with droppers that could allow excessive dosing of Vitamin D to infants.

The FDA wants manufacturers to clearly and accurately mark droppers for 400 international units (IU). Droppers intended for infants should hold no more than 400 IU.

The bottom line?

What you need to know is that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a dose of 400 IU of Vitamin D supplement per day to breast-fed and partially breast-fed infants.

Excessive amounts of Vitamin D can be harmful to infants, causing nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, excessive thirst, frequent urination, constipation, abdominal pain, muscle weakness, muscle and joint aches, confusion, and fatigue, as well as more serious consequences such as kidney damage.

6/16/10 20:31 JR

Hi, I’m JR

John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.