Lubbock hospitals have reported some measles patients showing signs of Vitamin A toxicity. Here is what you need to know about Vitamin A and measles.

What is Vitamin A?

We all have Vitamin A in our bodies. It helps with our vision, bone growth, cell development and immune system. This vitamin is naturally found in a lot of our food. Vitamin A deficiency is very rare. Most people have one to two years’ worth of Vitamin A stored in our livers!

Less than 1% of people in the United States have a Vitamin A deficiency.

Putting too much Vitamin A into our bodies at once, like with a supplement, can be harmful.

Taking Vitamin A supplements, especially at the dosages some people are recommending on social media, will likely cause Vitamin A toxicity.

A deeper look

Vitamin A is stored in the liver. The liver releases the right amount of Vitamin A into the rest of our bodies as needed. But when there’s too much Vitamin A, our bodies cannot process or store all of it. This can throw many of the body’s systems off. Too much Vitamin A flooding the body can cause vomiting, dizziness, blood clotting issues and liver damage.

For more detailed information about how this works, check out this article.

Toxic doses

Some social media posts recommend doses of Vitamin A that are dangerous.  Even a one-time high dose can be toxic. Our bodies can only handle so much Vitamin A at once.

Main takeaway: You and your child do not need to take Vitamin A, and taking it can cause harm.

Symptoms of Vitamin A toxicity

Acute toxicity happens when someone takes a toxic amount of Vitamin A.

• After 12 to 24 hours of toxic dose: headache, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, blurry vision, muscle and joint aches, dizziness.
• Chronic toxicity happens when someone takes too much Vitamin A over a period of time. These symptoms include:
• Skin lesions, skin lesions, dry and cracked lips, painful joints and muscles, fatigue, depression, anorexia, poor muscle control, alopecia (hair loss), visual impairment, blood clotting issues and liver damage

A deeper look

Where did this misinformation come from?

When someone has measles, their Vitamin A levels decrease. Because of this, people with the measles are sometimes given Vitamin A to make sure they do not develop deficiency.

But taking Vitamin A does not prevent measles. It should not be taken without a doctor’s recommendation.

Main takeaway:

Vitamin A supplements can cause toxicity in people, especially children. Some people urging people to take Vitamin A on social media are recommending doses that are far too high to be safe for children.

Vitamin A should only be taken at your doctor’s recommendation. The most effective and safest prevention against measles is the MMR vaccine. The MMR vaccine has helped keep us safe from measles for decades.

If you have questions about measles, the MMR vaccine or Vitamin A, talk to your doctor.

“They often times ask me if they should give their child a vitamin,” Dr. Mangham said. “Generally speaking, kids do not need to take a multivitamin or any supplements, for that matter.”

What is better than a multivitamin a day?

1. A good night’s sleep - every night.
2. A healthy, well-balanced diet.
3. Exercise and outside time
4. Good hand washing before meal time.

Dr. Mangham said going back to the basics with the above recommendations will boost your child’s immune system much more than any supplement could.

Recently, the New York Attorney General’s office cracked down on many major retailers, saying the herbal supplements they were selling didn’t live up to the promises on the label.

Joel Steelman, M.D., an endocrinologist at Cook Children’s said the quality testing program that stores such as GNC plan to put in place is a positive start, a lot of the herbal supplements have little hard science to really back up effectiveness.

“In my opinion, herbal supplements don’t really have a place for use in children,” Dr. Steelman said. “I’ve done research in the past on behalf of families asking about alternative treatments to use along with their child’s diabetes care. Most of the research is very weak. I suspect that very weak describes most data on use in children, and there’s a variety of medical case reports on negative effects of supplements on children.”

Jessica Holy, a Cook Children’s dietitian in Neurology, is frequently asked what vitamins and/or supplements are worth taking. She said that answer differs for parents and their children.

“Most of us have heard that if we tend to eat a variety of foods, then we don’t need a vitamin/mineral supplement. There is truth in that,” Holy said. “If you usually eat several servings of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, calcium-rich dairy and quality protein sources daily, then you are likely meeting your need for most vitamin and minerals. But how many of us have diets like that? Even though I’m a dietitian, I freely admit that I do not have a perfect diet. The busy pace that most of us keep makes it difficult to plan healthy meals for ourselves and our family. We often find ourselves turning to grab-and-go options at the grocery store or fast food. If this resembles you, then taking a regular, adult multivitamin daily may be a good idea.”

In children, a multivitamin might be needed during times of fluctuating appetite and food jags (only eating a few specific foods). For instance, children who aren’t getting enough iron in their diet may need to take an iron supplement for a period of time, until they begin eating more protein.

For the most part, children are able to get their needed vitamins through what they eat. Infants get their necessary vitamins through breastmilk (including routinely fortified with supplemental vitamin D) and/or formula intake and toddler and school-aged children are often able to achieve their need for calcium and vitamin D by drinking milk.

But beware excessive milk intake (greater than 24 ounces daily).

“Milk has some good nutrients, but it is lacking in iron,” Holy said. “Children who drink large quantities of milk are not often hungry for regular meals that provide iron-rich foods.”

If your child is allergic to milk, talk to your pediatrician for alternatives.