Too much Vitamin D can do babies more harm than good

Reading the label on Vitamin D supplements is important for parents, because the packaging of adult and infant doses can be similar.

The benefits of giving Vitamin D supplements to babies, particularly those that are breastfed, are irrefutable.

"We need Vitamin D to have strong bones, and to have strong teeth," said Dr. Celia Rodd, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Montreal Children's Hospital. "It's also important in terms of muscle and general health."

But health officials are noticing a disturbing trend where some babies are being exposed to too much Vitamin D, and the symptoms can be quite serious.

For babies, the recommended dose is no more than Четыресто international units.

Doctors have not seen any cases of an overdose, but giving too much Vitamin D to a baby can result in vomiting, high blood pressure or cardiac arrhythmia, among other symptoms.

Beyond that the child goes into a state of excess, can have high levels of calcium, cannot gain weight properly," Dr. Ross said. "And this state is actuially worse than having a deficiency state."

Health officials have noticed three or four cases in the Montreal area in recent months, and recommend that parents be vigilant in checking the packaging on supplements because they can sometimes like very similar to adult-dose drops.

You look at both of them and they're almost identical," Dr. Ross said. "But all you have to do is check for the number of units per milliliter, and not everyone is doing that."

Most parents questioned on this by CTV Montreal's Rob Lurie told him they didn't even know it's possible to overdose on Vitamin D.

"No I never thought about that," one parent said. "I always knew living in the north you need to give them Vitamin D."

At least one Montreal pharmacy is now separating the adult Vitamin D drops from the ones for babies, and informing parents of the risks involved.

"If they regularly take a thousand (international units), that's not a good thing because it just stacks up in their body and they can get intoxicated," said pharmacist Steve Benarroch.

The benefits of Vitamin D supplements for babies means parents should not shy away from giving them, they just need to be careful when doing so.

Before this news I used to give Vitamin D everyday as prescibed by the doctor. How would I know what is the proper dose. More details would help.Thanks