jimjams, can you tell me about vitamin A and measles?

[thisisyesterday]

I remembered you saying something before about vit a and getting measles, and it being good.
but only a particular form? was it retinol?

bump, because I've just seen you around

I think she had said before that you should take Vitamin A supplements when suffering from measles.

Hi

The only research (that I'm aware of) has been carried out on malnourished children in developing countries. In those circumstances retinol given intravenously to someone with measles has been shown to significantly reduce the length of time of the infection (iirc) and reduce the number of complications (that I do remember).

Measles apparently 'uses' a lot of vitamin A. There isn't any research into the effect on well nourished measles cases in the west, but I think Mary Megson's theories are interesting Have a read of the second one in the link.

Certainly I keep cod liver oil at home in part in case one of the kids gets measles and I would give it - as providing you don't overdose it's not going to do any harm and may do some god (you can overdose on vitamin A in the form of retinol which is why I don't routinely dish it out day after day - but for an acute illness I would give some extra- you could always check with a GP if concerned).

oh look US study

If my child was hospitalised with measles I would be banging on about iv retinol- as I think it's use has been demonstrated in those circumstances. It's less clear whether it's helpful for non-hospitalised cases but I would be giving some orally.

thank you!
is all cod liver all the same? ie, a nice kids chewy sweety type version will be as good as the manky, drink it off a spoon type?

Generally the more expensive the better (because it's purified- cod live oil can be full of heavy metals). Nordic naturals (available from nutricentre) do a kids brand that ds2 and ds3 take easily (small capsule which I give them with honey or chocolate).

Can't get ds1 to take it, but he's been measles jabbed so hopefully it's worked.

fab, will look that up