Vitamin D3 Supplement - Children

dreddk · Getting to Know You... Joined: Jan 21, 2007 Posts: 21

Hi,
I'm curious as to whether anyone is giving a Vitamin D3 supplement to their children. Given that the research indicates that there is a probibility that Vitamin D3 reduces the likelihood of developing MS I have been wondering about giving my daughters a supplement (My wife as RRMS).
If so, what product do you use?

Loobie · Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 2:36 pm Post subject:

I have an 11 year old daughter that I give 800 IU per day of Solgar D (colicalciferol(SP?)).

I am the one with MS and I take 2400 IU of Carlson D3.

My daughter shows no ill effects from taking that quantity. I have had her on 1000 IU also since that was the only size they had at the vitamin store. Before I learned of the potential benefits of D for MS prevention, I still had her on it after I listened to a radio show talk about giving your children that much in the winter to help stave off the flu as opposed to giving them the flu shot.

dreddk · Getting to Know You... Joined: Jan 21, 2007 Posts: 21

That's interesting thanks - I see in the large study of nurses that 400IU seemed to offer some benefit but then several other studies I have read suggest that around the 800IU or greater is needed to have any real effect on the body's vitamin d levels. My eldest daughter is 2 1/2 so I'm thinking I will talk to her GP about options as the supplements available in nz with a decent amount of vitamin d also have large amounts of vitamin a and are not suitable for young children.

JFH · Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 3:20 pm Post subject:

I encourage my daugters to take at least 10ug a day.
_________________
John
I am what I am

Nick · Family Elder Joined: Dec 09, 2004 Posts: 128

I have three children, ages 10,8 and 2 years old. I give the older two, 2,000 IU/d and the younger one, 1,000 IU/d. I usually give the older kids two pure D3 tablets and the younger one flavoured cod liver oil or flavoured liquid D3.

DIRECT-MS, of which I am a participant, has materials which address the issue of prevention.

Protect Your Family from Multiple Sclerosis]
This booklet emphasizes the high risk for contracting MS of first-degree relatives of persons with MS. It discusses the causal factors of MS with special emphasis on vitamin D deficiency as a primary cause. Finally it demonstrates that adequate vitamin D can likely prevent MS in most cases and provides a recommended supplementation regime.

Preventing Multiple Sclerosis and is a web cast regarding nutrition and Multiple Sclerosis. The focus of the Prevention presentation is how MS can be easily, safely and inexpensively prevented by focusing on protective factors. This is a must see for those people with MS who have children.

Cheers
Nick

dreddk · Getting to Know You... Joined: Jan 21, 2007 Posts: 21

Hi Nick,
If you don't mind me asking, what cod liver oil are you giving your youngest? I've ordered the carlsons cod liver oil lemon flavored. The recommended dosage I have seen works out at 1 teaspoon for a 2 year old which is 400IU. Are you giving a higher dosage? I reluctant to give her more due to the high vitamin A content of cod liver oils.

Like you, once she's a bit older i'm going to switch her to the straight pills.
thanks
Dreddk

Nick · Family Elder Joined: Dec 09, 2004 Posts: 128

Hey Dredd

The CLO I give is the Arctic brand. I'm not too stringent because we don't give him cow milk nor too much gluten, thus the most likely instigators are absent or very reduced. Once he ages and is accepting of the pill form I'll try to convert him.

Of course whenever the oppotunity presents itself he gets exposed to UVR in appropriate amounts.

Cheers
Nick

Nick · Family Elder Joined: Dec 09, 2004 Posts: 128

Hi Dredd

I didn't addressyour question of how much vitamin D I give to my two yr old youngster. Ideally I would like him to have 1000 to 2000 IU/d. There's not too much credible info out there which documents how much D a toddler should have. I believe a European Commission study concluded 1000 IU/d is safe for children under two.

Cheers
Nick