The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a U.S. trade association representing dietary supplement and nutritional product manufacturers, issued a statement warning parents against the inappropriate use of vitamin A to prevent measles in children.
Severe measles can cause vitamin A deficiency, especially when the body's initial stores are low, and in these cases, it is added to treatment as an adjunctive therapy. The effectiveness of this approach is generally modest and questionable in developed countries where children are relatively well-nourished. Nevertheless, the idea of this vitamin's preventative effect has gained traction among many parents, supported by current US health officials amid a sharp rise in measles cases in the country. Meanwhile, reports of overdoses and toxic effects of vitamin A in children, including liver damage, have increased. Most of these children are unvaccinated.
In response to this trend, the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) issued a statement reminding that vitamin A is an essential nutrient required for growth, vision, reproduction, and immunity, but there is no scientific evidence to support its effectiveness in preventing measles. Furthermore, its improper use can have dangerous consequences. Excess consumption of this fat-soluble vitamin accumulates in the liver and produces toxic effects, including life-threatening ones.
The upper tolerance limit for vitamin A supplements is 3,000 micrograms per day for adults and significantly less for children depending on their age. Exceeding the recommended doses in healthy individuals is unjustified and dangerous. In certain cases, higher doses may be prescribed to compensate for laboratory-confirmed vitamin A deficiency, including measles, but only under medical supervision and for a short period of time.
CRN Senior Vice President Andrea Wong emphasized that the decision to administer any vitamin supplements to children, especially in high doses, should be made with an informed consent and only after consultation with a healthcare professional. Measles prevention should rely on proven methods, including vaccination; vitamin A supplementation is not a substitute. Measles is a highly contagious infection that can lead to severe complications, and its treatment should only be administered under the supervision and guidance of a physician.
Measles problems aren't limited to the United States. Recently, the World Health Organization and UNICEF reported that the number of measles cases in the WHO European Region has doubled, reaching its highest level since 1997. Almost simultaneously, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported a 13-fold increase in the number of infections in the European Union and the European Economic Area in one year.
