Effects of vitamin D supplementation in infancy on growth, bone parameters, body composition and gross motor development at age 3–6 years: follow-up of a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Vitamin D supplementation of low-birthweight infants in infancy resulted in children being thinner at age 3-6 years but in no differences in functional outcomes.

Vitamin D supplementation trial in infancy: body composition effects at 3 years of age in a prospective follow‐up study from Montréal

“…This follow‐up study of a vitamin D supplementation trial in healthy term‐born infants, who received a daily dose of at least 400 IU from 1 to 12 months of age, is the first to our knowledge to focus on body composition. While there were no differences in vitamin D status or body composition at 3‐year across the different vitamin D dosage groups, this study provides novel findings that suggest higher plasma 25(OH)D concentrations early in life are associated with leaner body composition . Children with 25(OH)D concentrations above the suggested CPS cut‐off of 75 nmol L −1 at 3 years of age had lower FM (~450 g) than children below 75 nmol L −1 .…”

Nutritional Gaps and Supplementation in the First 1000 Days

“…It is generally well accepted that vitamin D supplementation promotes optimal bone growth and prevents rickets in infants [300], and newer clinical trials continue to find this result [301,302]. However, there is some debate about the optimal supplemental dose for infants.…”

“…However, there is some debate about the optimal supplemental dose for infants. The current recommendation of 400 IU [300] is found to not be sufficiently high to achieve vitamin D status in serum [302][303][304] but longitudinal studies find no additional benefit of dosages higher than 400 IU on bone mineral status and other developmental outcomes between 3 and 6 years of age [301,302]. Observational studies find that vitamin D intake in infants is inadequate [305] and, despite strong recommendations from governing bodies [300], adherence to supplementation requirements is less than 20% in infants less than 6 months old [306].…”

Vitamin D sufficiency through sunshine in infants?

“…There were borderline (~0.1 SD) increases in length, weight and arm circumference, but a paradoxical decrease in head circumference. At age 3-6 years, the supplemented infants were surprisingly borderline (~0.1 SD) thinner but importantly there were no differences in any of the evaluated functional outcomes [7].…”