Infants require additional vitamin D--study

Lead researcher, Cria G. Perrine, Ph.D., Centers for Disease Control, division of nutrition, physical activity and obesity said, “Vitamin D receptors are present in almost every type of cell in the body. Most infants, starting at birth, will need a vitamin D supplement.”

“We have to educate moms and the health-care community that vitamin D supplementation is something that they should do (and) recommend,” added Perrine.

Infants studied for adequate vitamin D levels
On the basis of the data from Infant Feeding Practices Study II, researchers conducted a study on 1,500 infants during the years 2005 to 2007.

Researchers used this data to evaluate the number of infants receiving adequate vitamin D.

The study was done with babies aged one month to 10.5 months, who were either fed breast milk, or formula milk or a combination of both.

Results of the study
After analysis, researchers found that a meager five to 13 percent of the breast-fed babies received present recommended amount of vitamin D.

On the contrary, 81 to 98 percent of the formula-fed infants were known to receive the former recommended amount.

However, only 20 to 37 percent of formula-fed babies were receiving the satisfactory amount, according to the new guidelines of American Academy of Pediatrics.

It was further revealed that a mere one to four percent of the formula-fed babies and five to 13 percent of breast-fed infants were receiving supplementary dosages of vitamin D.

Recommended vitamin D intake
As it is known, breast milk is low on vitamin D, thus added measures are essential for the infant.

“Babies who drink 34 ounces (1 liter) a day of formula get enough of the vitamin to meet the new recommendations. But only a third of the babies in the survey drank this much formula,” said Perrine.

Samantha Heller, dietitian, nutritionist and exercise physiologist, said, “Research is suggesting that low vitamin D levels are linked to autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, as well as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, mood dysregulation, muscle problems, certain cancers and more.”

Therefore, it is emphasized that both breast-fed and formula-fed infants be given additional vitamin doses.

The study appears online in Pediatrics.