Vitamin D is one of the few supplements prescribed almost systematically to infants in France. That routine status gives it a harmless image. ANSES, the French food and health safety agency, has nonetheless published a vigilance opinion calling for more caution in how it is given.
What ANSES reported
The agency received three reports of severe hypercalcaemia in infants between 2020 and 2021. All three cases were associated with misuse of highly concentrated food supplements.
The products involved delivered 10,000 international units of vitamin D per drop. That dosage is designed for an adult, not for a baby a few months old.
The signs seen in these children
The infants concerned showed reduced appetite, vomiting, weight loss and dehydration. Biologically, the hypercalcaemia came with kidney complications, including nephrocalcinosis.
None of these signs is specific and they can point to many other situations. That is precisely what makes the connection hard to draw unless you think of it.
Medicine or food supplement: the distinction matters
ANSES recommends favouring medicines over food supplements for vitamin supplementation in infants. The difference is not only regulatory.
A question of dose control
A medicine has a marketing authorisation and a stable dosage designed for paediatric use. A food supplement intended for adults can carry concentrations 30 to 40 times higher than the doses expected for a baby.
The dosage form makes the problem worse. A drop is still a drop, whatever the bottle contains, and the gap between two products is invisible to the eye.
The agency's nutritional reference points
For infants under six months, ANSES sets the nutritional reference at 400 IU a day, or 10 micrograms. It also sets a safety ceiling of 1,000 IU a day before the age of one.
These values are population reference points, not a prescription. The dose actually suited to a given child is set by the doctor or midwife following them.
The agency's practical recommendations
ANSES sets out four simple pieces of advice for parents. They fit in a few lines and avoid most at-risk situations.
Four rules to remember
Strictly following the conditions of use stated by the manufacturer comes first. Not multiplying vitamin D sources comes next, because a fortified infant formula and an extra bottle can add up.
Avoiding online purchases without prior medical advice is the third rule. Finally, any adverse effect should be reported promptly to a health professional.
A logic that goes beyond vitamin D
This opinion illustrates a useful habit: checking what a product intended for a baby actually contains. It is the same approach applied to food, as shown in our article on weaning according to ANSES.
It also appears in the file on endocrine disruptors and in reading product certifications. Regular medical follow-up, detailed in our article on the child health schedule, remains the best framework for adjusting supplementation.
A question about our products or our approach? Our contact page is at your disposal.
Sources
ANSES, opinion on reports of vitamin D poisoning in infants, referral NUT2020VIG0186. ANSES, nutritional reference values for vitamin D.
