Beware of overdose. The National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health (ANSES) reports three new cases of overconsumption of vitamin D in infants. She calls on parents to be vigilant about excessive vitamin D supplementation through food supplements.
The health security agency thus renews an alert issued at the beginning of 2021, after three similar cases had been detected. She warns once again about the dangers of self-medication.
A “threat” to the “vital prognosis” of infants
“An excess of vitamin D can have serious consequences for their health and threaten the vital prognosis of young children,” recalls the agency in a press release.
“To limit the risks, we remember our recommendations for the supplementation of infants with vitamin D”, adds ANSES.
In children, vitamin D is considered essential for bone growth. To guarantee this growth, this vitamin is prescribed in France from the first days of life to prevent rickets, a disease of growth and ossification.
Excess calcium detected in the blood
But “giving your child too much vitamin D can be just as dangerous as not enough,” the agency warns.
She says she has registered “three new reports of severe hypercalcemia (excess calcium in the blood) occurring in infants in 2022.”
These cases result from the misuse of “food supplements that contain vitamin D”, says ANSES.
Consumption only under medical prescription
To limit the risks, the agency recommends in particular “prefer taking medicines to food supplements”. In fact, the drugs guarantee “clear information in terms of dosage, precautions for use, risk of adverse effects and overdose”.
It also recommends “well controlling the doses given to your child and not multiplying the products that contain vitamin D to avoid overdoses that could alter their kidney function,” he adds.
In all cases, the intake of vitamin D should only be done on the prescription of a health professional, ANSES insists again.
In the event of an overdose, you can file a complaint yourself with the ANSES nutrivilange system. It allows you to report any adverse effect related to the consumption of certain food products online.
Source: BFM TV
