News

May 2025

Talk to Patients about Vitamin A and Measles

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The recent measles outbreak is stirring up discussions about vitamin A for both prevention and treatment. Be ready to discuss this.

Vitamin A should be considered in the treatment of measles. Deficiency increases the risk for complications and death once infected. Plus, measles infection is known to deplete vitamin A levels. Because of this, high-dose vitamin A, at age-specific doses, is advised for kids infected with measles. But this should be given under the care of a healthcare provider.

Parents will also ask if they should give their child a vitamin A supplement to help prevent measles. Explain that vitamin A is not recommended for prevention of measles.  Most studies evaluating this have been conducted in countries where kids are at high risk for vitamin A deficiency. It’s not clear if it benefits kids who aren’t at risk for deficiency, such as in the US. There’s also concern that excessive doses and long-term use of vitamin A can cause liver damage. Because of this, continue to advise vaccination over vitamin A supplements for prevention.

Along with vitamin A, parents might also ask about cod liver oil. Advise that although there’s buzz around using cod liver oil as a source of vitamin A for both measles prevention and treatment, there isn’t any good data evaluating it for this condition. Tell parents to skip these supplements.

Stay tuned as this topic evolves. We’ll keep you updated as new data are released. Check out our updated monograph for more details.

The information in this brief report is intended for informational purposes only, and is meant to help users better understand health concerns. This information should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Users should consult with a qualified healthcare provider for specific questions regarding therapies, diagnosis and/or health conditions, prior to making therapeutic decisions. Copyright © 2025 NatMed. Commercial distribution or reproduction prohibited. NatMed is the leading provider of high-quality, evidence-based, clinically-relevant information on natural medicine, dietary supplements, herbs, vitamins, minerals, functional foods, diets, complementary practices, CAM modalities, exercises and medical conditions. Monograph sections include interactions with herbs, drugs, foods and labs, contraindications, depletions, dosing, toxicology, adverse effects, pregnancy and lactation data, synonyms, safety and effectiveness.