A treatment trial of vitamin D supplementation in breast-fed infants: universal supplementation is not necessary for rickets prevention in Southern Louisiana.
This study was conducted to determine if vitamin D supplementation is required to prevent rickets in breast-fed infants. Breast-feeding rates are increasing, and there are concerns about whether the vitamin D content of breast milk is sufficient. There are a few treatment trials of vitamin D supplementation in breast-fed infants; these were conducted in northern climates. The authors therefore performed a prospective clinical trial comparing vitamin D supplementation with placebo as control in southern Louisiana. Blood samples and questionnaires were collected at birth, 2, 4, and 6 months of age. There were no cases of rickets observed, and no differences in alkaline phosphatase levels between groups. Thus, there was no evidence that vitamin D supplementation reduced rickets risk in the authors' study population. This suggests that the current recommendations for universal vitamin D supplementation of breast-fed infants throughout the United States may need to be revised.
Ponnapakkam
Tulasi
T
Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA 70121, USA. tponnapakkam@ochsner.org
Bradford
Elease
E
Gensure
Robert
R
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001942:Breast Feeding; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000592:standards*; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012279:Rickets / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
D014807:Vitamin D; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase