Efficacy and safety of a single monthly dose of cholecalciferol in healthy school children.
J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Sep 3. doi: 10.1515/jpem-2015-0187
Kuchay MS, Jevalikar GS, Mithal A, Mishra SK, Dang N.
OBJECTIVE:
This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a single monthly dose of cholecalciferol in healthy school children.
METHODS:
A total of 118 children of class VI of a residential school were selected to receive vitamin D supplementation in the form of oral cholecalciferol 60,000 IU monthly. Serum calcium and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels were estimated at 0 and 12 months. The proportion of subjects achieving vitamin D sufficiency was assessed.
RESULTS:
The mean 25OHD levels increased significantly from 12.04±5.27 ng/mL at baseline to 32.6±7.05 ng/mL after 12 months of supplementation (p<0.001). None developed hypercalcemia.
CONCLUSIONS:
Vitamin D supplementation in the doses of 60,000 IU monthly is a reasonable, safe and cost-effective regimen for children to attain and maintain vitamin D sufficiency.
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Note: Previous studies have found that the benefit decreases somewhat when dosing frequency is > 21 days.
50,000 every three weeks would probably be better, but not as easy to remember
Are these 6th grade children?
Dose is related to body weight.
See also VitaminDWiki
- Monthly vitamin D dosing is better than daily dosing for children and elderly (more likely to be taken) – June 2017
- Bone fractures in children requiring surgery were 55X more likely with low vitamin D – June 2015
- Third study found that Infants needed 1600 IU of vitamin D – JAMA RCT May 2013
which is a total of 48,000 IU every month
VitaminDWiki – Better than Daily contains
Non-daily (Bolus) is better:
- Better compliance for everyone
- Fewer opportunities to forget.
- If happen to forget, just take the dose many days later
- Fewer times to have to take a pill - for those who dislike doing so
- Non-daily gets more vitamin D to the cells for the ~20% who have a poor Vitamin D Receptor
- A high concentration gradient is one of 14+ ways to get past Vitamin D Receptor limitations
- So, while 80% get no extra benefit from non-daily dosing, 20% will get an extra benefit
- Weekly Vitamin D better than daily – lower cost, less pill burden, perhaps 1.5X better response – meta-analysis Oct 2024
- Vitamin D given daily, weekly, or monthly has similar response (116 RCTs) – meta-analysis Aug 2023
- 44 percent of successful RCTs in VitaminDWiki used non-daily dosing - Nov 2020
- Monthly vitamin D dosing better for children than daily (again) - Oct 2023
VitaminDWiki – Infant-Child category has 854 items and contains
- No consensus on MINIMUM International Units (IU) for healthy infant of normal weight
- 400 IU Vitamin D is no longer enough
Was OK in the past century, but D levels have been dropping for a great many reasons.
FDA doubles the amount of vitamin D permitted in milk – July 2016
- No consensus: range is 600 to 1600 IU – based on many randomized controlled trials
- Review of 400 IU to 2000 IU daily and higher if non-daily
- Fewer pre-infants were vitamin D deficient when they got 800 IU – RCT Feb 2014
- 1600 IU was the conclusion of three JAMA studies
1000 IU recommended in France and Finland – 2013 - appears to be a good level
- 5X less mite allergy after add vitamin D
- Child bone fractures with low vitamin D were 55X more likely to need surgery
- 75 % of SIDS had low vitamin D
- Children stayed in ICU 3.5 days longer if low vitamin D – Dec 2015
- 5 out of 6 children who died in pediatric critical care unit had low vitamin D – May 2014
- Infants have gotten free 400 IU of vitamin D in Turkey since 2005, More for longer would be even better – Feb 2022
- Preemies should have vitamin D supplements – reaching an agreement – April 2021
- Vitamin D loading dose was as effective as daily dosing (rickets in this case) – RCT July 2021
Having a good level of vitamin D cuts in half the amount of:
- Asthma, Chronic illness, Doctor visits, Allergies, infection
Respiratory Tract Infection, Growing pains, Bed wetting
Need even more IUs of vitamin D to get a good level if;
- Have little vitamin D: premie, twin, mother did not get much sun access
- Get little vitamin D: dark skin, little access to sun
- Vitamin D is consumed faster than normal due to sickness
- Older (need at least 100 IU/kilogram, far more if obese)
- Not get any vitamin D from formula (breast fed) or (fortified) milk
Note – formula does not even provide 400 IU of vitamin D daily
Infants-Children need Vitamin D
- Sun is great – well known for 1,000’s of years.
US govt (1934) even said infants should be out in the sun
- One country recommended 2,000 IU daily for decades – with no known problems
- As with adults, infants and children can have loading doses and rarely need tests
- Daily dose appears to be best, but monthly seems OK
- Vitamin D is typically given to infants in the form of drops
big difference in taste between brands
can also use water-soluable form of vitamin D in milk, food, juice,
- Infants have evolved to get a big boost of vitamin D immediately after birth
Colostrum has 3X more vitamin D than breast milk - provided the mother has any vitamin D to spare
- 100 IU per kg of infant July 2011, Poland etc.
More than 100 IU/kg is probably better
854 items in the category Infant/Child See also
- 34 pages in VitaminDWiki had BREASTFE*in title as of Jan 2022
- "BIRTH DEFECTS" 172 items as of July 2016
- Stunting OR “low birth weight” OR LBW OR preemie OR preemies OR preterm 1940 items as of Oct 2018
- 153 VitaminDWiki pages contained PRETERM or PREEMIE in title as of Nov 2024
- "SUDDEN INFANT DEATH" OR SIDS 214 items as of Dec 2020
- Overview of Rickets and Vitamin D
- Youth category listing has
175 items along with related searches
- Down's syndrome and low vitamin D - several studies
- Rett syndrome associated with low vitamin D, treated by Omega-3
Children getting 60,000 IU monthly got to vitamin D level of 33 ng – Sept 2015
9677 visitors, last modified 22 Jun, 2023,
Printer Friendly
Follow this page for updates
This page is in the following categories (# of items in each category)
- No consensus on MINIMUM International Units (IU) for healthy infant of normal weight
- 400 IU Vitamin D is no longer enough
Was OK in the past century, but D levels have been dropping for a great many reasons.
FDA doubles the amount of vitamin D permitted in milk – July 2016 - No consensus: range is 600 to 1600 IU – based on many randomized controlled trials
- Review of 400 IU to 2000 IU daily and higher if non-daily
- Fewer pre-infants were vitamin D deficient when they got 800 IU – RCT Feb 2014
- 1600 IU was the conclusion of three JAMA studies
1000 IU recommended in France and Finland – 2013 - appears to be a good level - 5X less mite allergy after add vitamin D
- Child bone fractures with low vitamin D were 55X more likely to need surgery
- 75 % of SIDS had low vitamin D
- Children stayed in ICU 3.5 days longer if low vitamin D – Dec 2015
- 5 out of 6 children who died in pediatric critical care unit had low vitamin D – May 2014
- Infants have gotten free 400 IU of vitamin D in Turkey since 2005, More for longer would be even better – Feb 2022
- Preemies should have vitamin D supplements – reaching an agreement – April 2021
- Vitamin D loading dose was as effective as daily dosing (rickets in this case) – RCT July 2021
Having a good level of vitamin D cuts in half the amount of:
- Asthma, Chronic illness, Doctor visits, Allergies, infection
Respiratory Tract Infection, Growing pains, Bed wetting
Need even more IUs of vitamin D to get a good level if;
- Have little vitamin D: premie, twin, mother did not get much sun access
- Get little vitamin D: dark skin, little access to sun
- Vitamin D is consumed faster than normal due to sickness
- Older (need at least 100 IU/kilogram, far more if obese)
- Not get any vitamin D from formula (breast fed) or (fortified) milk
Note – formula does not even provide 400 IU of vitamin D daily
Infants-Children need Vitamin D
- Sun is great – well known for 1,000’s of years.
US govt (1934) even said infants should be out in the sun - One country recommended 2,000 IU daily for decades – with no known problems
- As with adults, infants and children can have loading doses and rarely need tests
- Daily dose appears to be best, but monthly seems OK
- Vitamin D is typically given to infants in the form of drops
big difference in taste between brands
can also use water-soluable form of vitamin D in milk, food, juice, - Infants have evolved to get a big boost of vitamin D immediately after birth
Colostrum has 3X more vitamin D than breast milk - provided the mother has any vitamin D to spare - 100 IU per kg of infant July 2011, Poland etc.
More than 100 IU/kg is probably better 854 items in the category Infant/Child See also - 34 pages in VitaminDWiki had BREASTFE*in title as of Jan 2022
- "BIRTH DEFECTS" 172 items as of July 2016
- Stunting OR “low birth weight” OR LBW OR preemie OR preemies OR preterm 1940 items as of Oct 2018
- 153 VitaminDWiki pages contained PRETERM or PREEMIE in title as of Nov 2024
- "SUDDEN INFANT DEATH" OR SIDS 214 items as of Dec 2020
- Overview of Rickets and Vitamin D
- Youth category listing has
175 items along with related searches - Down's syndrome and low vitamin D - several studies
- Rett syndrome associated with low vitamin D, treated by Omega-3
Children getting 60,000 IU monthly got to vitamin D level of 33 ng – Sept 2015Printer Friendly Follow this page for updates9677 visitors, last modified 22 Jun, 2023, This page is in the following categories (# of items in each category)