FDA warns parents about vitamin D dosage, infants

LOS ANGELES - The Food and Drug Administration warned parents Tuesday about the dangers of giving infants more than 400 international units of vitamin D, a risk exacerbated by the spread of supplement containers with droppers that hold larger amounts of the vitamin.

At the same time, the agency sent a letter to manufacturers urging them to mark droppers more clearly and to use droppers that hold only the recommended amount of the vitamin.

Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and plays a key role in the development of strong bones. Supplementing is recommended for some infants, especially those being breast-fed, because a deficiency can lead to bone problems such as thinning, soft and misshapen bones, such as those found in rickets.

Overdoses of the vitamin, however, can cause 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 disease. The American Academy of Pediatrics thus recommends that infants receive no more than 400 IU of vitamin D a day.

- Los Angeles Times