Breastfeeding is almost always associated with infant vitamin D deficiency – Dec 2021

Breastfeeding and vitamin D - Dec 2021

Clin Exp Pediatr DOI: https://doi.org/10.3345/cep.2021.00444
Ju Sun Heo1 , Young Min Ahn2 ymahn964@naver.com, Ai-Rhan Ellen Kim3 , Son Moon Shin4
1Department of Pediatrics, Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
2Department of Pediatrics, Jang’s Hospital, Seoul, Korea
3Department of Pediatrics, Ulsan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
4Department of Pediatrics, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea
Young Min Ahn, Email:

The recent re-emergence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and rickets among breastfed infants without adequate sunlight exposure and vitamin D supplementation has been reported worldwide. Breastfed infants are particularly vulnerable to VDD because of the low vitamin D content of breast milk, restricted sunlight exposure, increased pollution, and limited natural dietary sources of vitamin D.
The prevalence of VDD in breastfed infants differs vastly between studies and nations at 0.6–91.1%.
The recommended intake of vitamin D for lactating mothers to optimize their overall vitamin D status and, consequently, of their breast milk is 200–2000 IU/day, indicating a lack of consensus.
Some studies have suggested that maternal high-dose vitamin D supplementation (up to 6400 IU/day) can be used as an alternate strategy to direct infant supplementation. However, concern persists about the safety of maternal high-dose vitamin D supplementation.

Direct infant supplementation is the currently available option to support vitamin D status in breastfed infants. The recommended dose for vitamin D supplementation in breastfed infants according to various societies and organizations worldwide is 200–1200 IU/day. Most international guidelines recommend that exclusively or partially breastfed infants be supplemented with 400 IU/day of vitamin D during their first year of life. However, domestic studies on the status and guidelines for vitamin D in breastfed infants are insufficient. This review summarizes the prevalence of VDD in breastfed infants, vitamin D content of breast milk, and current guidelines for vitamin D supplementation of lactating mothers and infants to prevent VDD in breastfed infants.
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VitaminDWiki pages with BREASTFEEDING or BREASTFED in title (32 as of Dec 2021)

This list is automatcially updated

Items found: 38
Title Modified
Breastfeeding Vitamin D loading dose of 300,000 IU is OK - UK govt. Dec 2023 04 Jan, 2024
Vitamin D levels of breastfeeding mothers and infants in 3 cities – Feb 2015 29 Aug, 2023
Breastfeeding and Vitamin D - many studies 29 Aug, 2023
Breastfed Infants need more than an daily average of 800 IU of Vitamin D – RCT June 2022 21 Jun, 2022
Need at least 6,000 IU of Vitamin D daily during pregnancy and breastfeeding (Wagner) – meta-analysis March 2022 15 Apr, 2022
Monthly 120,000 IU of Vitamin D while breastfeeding was good – RCT Jan 2022 11 Jan, 2022
Breastfeeding is almost always associated with infant vitamin D deficiency – Dec 2021 14 Dec, 2021
Need at least 6,000 IU daily while breastfeeding to eliminate Vitamin D deficiency – meta-analysis Oct 2021 01 Nov, 2021
400 IU of Vitamin D helped breastfed infants, need more – RCT Sept 2021 01 Sep, 2021
36X more likely for an infant to be low vitamin D if exclusively breastfed (Hong Kong) – March 2021 26 Jul, 2021
6,400 IU of Vitamin D is safe and effective during breastfeeding – RCT Dec, 2020 16 Dec, 2020
Breastfeeding a child without adding vitamin D increases risk of many food allergies (egg whites in this case) – Jan 2020 12 Jan, 2020
Omega-3 during pregnancy and breastfeeding is recommended – May 2019 23 May, 2019
Maternal vitamin D deficiency can trigger rickets in breastfed infants – review March 2013 03 Feb, 2019
Biochemical rickets non-existent if breastfeeding mother got 600,000 IU of vitamin D (3 dollars) – RCT Dec 2017 03 Mar, 2018
Breastfed infant bones not helped by 800 IU of Vitamin D (not enough) – RCT Dec 2017 12 Dec, 2017
Extended breastfeeding cut in half the risk of Multiple Sclerosis – July 2017 28 Nov, 2017
Mother got 100,000 IU of vitamin D monthly, breastfeeding infant got a little – RCT Aug 2016 13 Sep, 2017
Breastfeeding mothers and Vitamin D: supplement only themselves usually, 4 out of 10 used monthly rather than daily – Jan 2017 05 Aug, 2017
Severe childhood dental problems 2.4 X more likely if breastfed for more than two years (low vitamin D) – June 2017 02 Jul, 2017
Vitamin D required for breastfed infants – daily or monthly, infant or mother – Jan 2017 20 May, 2017
Breastfeeding mother getting 6400 IU of Vitamin D is similar to infant getting 400 IU – RCT Sept 2015 25 Jan, 2017
Breastfed infants 6 times more likely to deficient in Vitamin D and Iron – Aug 2015 20 Jun, 2016
Breastfed infants: 90 percent had less than 20 ng of vitamin D, formula-fed: 15 percent – May 2013 20 Jun, 2016
Breastfed child needs even more vitamin D supplementation after 1 year – Feb 2016 28 Feb, 2016
Breastfeeding exclusively may not be best strategy for bone health (if not add vitamin D) – Feb 2016 16 Feb, 2016
NutraIngredients.com Breastfeeding exclusively may not be best strategy for bone health (if not add vitamin D) - Feb 2016 16 Feb, 2016
Breastfed infants may get enough vitamin D (provided mom gets 6400 IU) - Oct 2015 07 Oct, 2015
400 IU vitamin D for breastfed - American Association of Pediatrics - Feb 2012 23 Sep, 2014
16% of exclusively breastfed infants so low on vitamin D that they had rickets – June 2010 28 Aug, 2014
Breastfed without vitamin D supplements – a problem for NZ infants Jan 2013 28 Aug, 2014
Breastfeeding with daily or monthly doses of vitamin D virtually the same – RCT Dec 2013 01 Feb, 2014
Breastfeeding with daily or monthly doses of vitamin D fairly similar – Dec 2013 14 Dec, 2013
6400 IU vitamin D is effective during breastfeeding – Oct 2010 14 Dec, 2013
Breastfed Infants in Iowa got very little vitamin D, especially if winter or dark skin – July 2013 05 Jul, 2013
Only about 10 percent of breastfed infants get even the minimum recommended vitamin D – April 2010 26 Jun, 2013
Breastfed infants in Germany with 250 IU of vitamin D got to 56ng – Sept 2010 04 Sep, 2012
Hypothesis – vitamin D links breastfeeding difficulties and depression – July 2011 19 Jul, 2011

VitaminDWiki - Pregnancy category

923 items in Pregnancy category

 - see also

VitaminDWiki - Healthy pregnancies need lots of vitamin D has

Most were taking 2,000 to 7,000 IU daily for >50% of pregnancy
   Click on hyperlinks for details

Problem
Vit. D
Reduces		Evidence
0. Chance of not conceiving3.4 times Observe
1. Miscarriage 2.5 times Observe
2. Pre-eclampsia 3.6 timesRCT
3. Gestational Diabetes 3 times RCT
4. Good 2nd trimester sleep quality 3.5 times Observe
5. Premature birth 2 times RCT
6. C-section - unplanned 1.6 timesObserve
     Stillbirth - OMEGA-3 4 timesRCT - Omega-3
7. Depression AFTER pregnancy 1.4 times RCT
8. Small for Gestational Age 1.6 times meta-analysis
9. Infant height, weight, head size
     within normal limits		 RCT
10. Childhood Wheezing 1.3 times RCT
11. Additional child is Autistic 4 times Intervention
12.Young adult Multiple Sclerosis 1.9 timesObserve
13. Preeclampsia in young adult 3.5 timesRCT
14. Good motor skills @ age 31.4 times Observe
15. Childhood Mite allergy 5 times RCT
16. Childhood Respiratory Tract visits 2.5 times RCT

RCT = Randomized Controlled Trial

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