We Need Studies of the Mortality Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation, Not Surveys of Vitamin A Deficiency

We Need Studies of the Mortality Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation, Not Surveys of Vitamin A Deficiency

It is usually acknowledged that high-dose vitamin A supplementation (VAS) provides no sustained improvement in vitamin A status, and that the effect of VAS on mortality is more likely linked to its immunomodulating effects. Nonetheless, it is widely assumed that we can deduce something about the nee...

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Main Author: Christine Stabell Benn
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-03-01
Series:Nutrients
Subjects:
vitamin A deficiency
vitamin A supplementation
child mortality
low-income countries
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/3/280
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spelling doaj-2398eea2f8a94dcdb9521bdc9032fbaa2020-11-24T21:55:13ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432017-03-019328010.3390/nu9030280nu9030280We Need Studies of the Mortality Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation, Not Surveys of Vitamin A DeficiencyChristine Stabell Benn0Research Center for Vitamins and Vaccines, Bandim Health Project, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300 Copenhagen S, DenmarkIt is usually acknowledged that high-dose vitamin A supplementation (VAS) provides no sustained improvement in vitamin A status, and that the effect of VAS on mortality is more likely linked to its immunomodulating effects. Nonetheless, it is widely assumed that we can deduce something about the need for continuing or stopping VAS programs based on studies of the biochemical prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (VAD). This is no longer a tenable assumption. The justification for using VAS is to reduce child mortality, but there is now doubt that VAS has any effect on overall child mortality. What we need now are not surveys of VAD, but proper randomized trials to evaluate whether VAS has beneficial effects on overall child survival.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/3/280vitamin A deficiencyvitamin A supplementationchild mortalitylow-income countries
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Christine Stabell Benn
spellingShingle Christine Stabell Benn
We Need Studies of the Mortality Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation, Not Surveys of Vitamin A Deficiency
Nutrients
vitamin A deficiency
vitamin A supplementation
child mortality
low-income countries
author_facet Christine Stabell Benn
author_sort Christine Stabell Benn
title We Need Studies of the Mortality Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation, Not Surveys of Vitamin A Deficiency
title_short We Need Studies of the Mortality Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation, Not Surveys of Vitamin A Deficiency
title_full We Need Studies of the Mortality Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation, Not Surveys of Vitamin A Deficiency
title_fullStr We Need Studies of the Mortality Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation, Not Surveys of Vitamin A Deficiency
title_full_unstemmed We Need Studies of the Mortality Effect of Vitamin A Supplementation, Not Surveys of Vitamin A Deficiency
title_sort we need studies of the mortality effect of vitamin a supplementation, not surveys of vitamin a deficiency
publisher MDPI AG
series Nutrients
issn 2072-6643
publishDate 2017-03-01
description It is usually acknowledged that high-dose vitamin A supplementation (VAS) provides no sustained improvement in vitamin A status, and that the effect of VAS on mortality is more likely linked to its immunomodulating effects. Nonetheless, it is widely assumed that we can deduce something about the need for continuing or stopping VAS programs based on studies of the biochemical prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (VAD). This is no longer a tenable assumption. The justification for using VAS is to reduce child mortality, but there is now doubt that VAS has any effect on overall child mortality. What we need now are not surveys of VAD, but proper randomized trials to evaluate whether VAS has beneficial effects on overall child survival.
topic vitamin A deficiency
vitamin A supplementation
child mortality
low-income countries
url http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/3/280
work_keys_str_mv AT christinestabellbenn weneedstudiesofthemortalityeffectofvitaminasupplementationnotsurveysofvitaminadeficiency
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