Background: Many international medical organizations recommend vitamin D supplementation for infants, especially exclusively breastfed infants. In Thailand, however, data regarding the vitamin D status in Thai infants are lacking. Such data would help to support physician decisions and guide medical practice.
Methods: Full-term, exclusively breastfed infants were randomized into two groups at 2 months of age to continue exclusive breastfeeding either without vitamin D supplementation (control group, n = 44) or with vitamin D3 supplementation at 400 IU/day (intervention group, n = 43) until 6 months of age. At 6 months, the serum vitamin D (25OHD) of the infants and their mothers, serum bone marker, and infants' growth parameters were compared between the two groups.
Results: The infants' serum 25OHD concentration was lower in the control group than intervention group (20.57 ± 12.66 vs. 46.01 ± 16.42 ng/mL, p < 0.01). More infants had vitamin D sufficiency (25OHD of >20 ng/mL) in the intervention group than control group (93.0% vs. 43.2%, p < 0.01). Vitamin D supplementation in breastfed infants increased the mean serum 25OHD concentration by 25.66 ng/mL (95% confidence interval, 19.07–32.25; p < 0.001) and contributed to an 88.7% decrease in the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency (relative risk, 0.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.04–0.35; p < 0.01).
Conclusions: Most full-term, exclusively breastfed Thai infants have serum vitamin D concentration below sufficiency level at 6 months of age. However, vitamin D supplementation (400 IU/day) improves their vitamin D status and prevents vitamin D deficiency.
Trial registration: The study was pre-registered in the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR20190622001) on 22/06/2019.
Figure 1
No competing interests reported.
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Posted 23 Mar, 2021
Received 13 Apr, 2021
On 06 Apr, 2021
On 06 Apr, 2021
On 06 Apr, 2021
Invitations sent on 31 Mar, 2021
On 31 Mar, 2021
On 22 Mar, 2021
On 22 Mar, 2021
On 15 Mar, 2021
Posted 23 Mar, 2021
Received 13 Apr, 2021
On 06 Apr, 2021
On 06 Apr, 2021
On 06 Apr, 2021
Invitations sent on 31 Mar, 2021
On 31 Mar, 2021
On 22 Mar, 2021
On 22 Mar, 2021
On 15 Mar, 2021
Background: Many international medical organizations recommend vitamin D supplementation for infants, especially exclusively breastfed infants. In Thailand, however, data regarding the vitamin D status in Thai infants are lacking. Such data would help to support physician decisions and guide medical practice.
Methods: Full-term, exclusively breastfed infants were randomized into two groups at 2 months of age to continue exclusive breastfeeding either without vitamin D supplementation (control group, n = 44) or with vitamin D3 supplementation at 400 IU/day (intervention group, n = 43) until 6 months of age. At 6 months, the serum vitamin D (25OHD) of the infants and their mothers, serum bone marker, and infants' growth parameters were compared between the two groups.
Results: The infants' serum 25OHD concentration was lower in the control group than intervention group (20.57 ± 12.66 vs. 46.01 ± 16.42 ng/mL, p < 0.01). More infants had vitamin D sufficiency (25OHD of >20 ng/mL) in the intervention group than control group (93.0% vs. 43.2%, p < 0.01). Vitamin D supplementation in breastfed infants increased the mean serum 25OHD concentration by 25.66 ng/mL (95% confidence interval, 19.07–32.25; p < 0.001) and contributed to an 88.7% decrease in the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency (relative risk, 0.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.04–0.35; p < 0.01).
Conclusions: Most full-term, exclusively breastfed Thai infants have serum vitamin D concentration below sufficiency level at 6 months of age. However, vitamin D supplementation (400 IU/day) improves their vitamin D status and prevents vitamin D deficiency.
Trial registration: The study was pre-registered in the Thai Clinical Trials Registry (TCTR20190622001) on 22/06/2019.
Figure 1
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