Vitamin C dosage recommendations for children
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Vitamin C Dosage Recommendations for Children
Recommended Daily Intake of Vitamin C for Children
Leading nutrition authorities in Europe have established clear guidelines for vitamin C intake in children. For infants aged 7-11 months, a daily intake of 20 mg is recommended. For children aged 1 to 3 years, the recommended intake is also 20 mg per day. As children grow, the recommended intake increases: for boys and girls aged 4 to under 15 years, the intake gradually rises from 20 mg to 85 mg per day. For adolescents aged 15-17 years, the recommended intake is 100 mg per day for boys and 90 mg per day for girls. These values are based on body weight and the need to maintain healthy vitamin C levels in the body, ensuring adequate plasma ascorbate concentrations and preventing deficiency symptoms like scurvy 124.
Vitamin C Deficiency in Children
Recent studies have highlighted that vitamin C deficiency is still present among children, especially those with poor dietary habits or underlying health conditions. Clinical cases have shown that children with vitamin C deficiency may present with symptoms such as pain, lameness, and hemorrhagic rash, which improve with vitamin C therapy. These cases underscore the importance of meeting daily vitamin C requirements to prevent deficiency and its associated health problems 57.
High-Dose and Supplemental Vitamin C in Pediatric Illness
Research on high-dose vitamin C therapy in children, particularly in hospital settings or for specific illnesses like pneumonia, shows that while high doses (ranging from 100 to 1,500 mg/kg/day) are generally safe and not associated with adverse effects, there is no strong evidence supporting their routine use for improving clinical outcomes. In cases of childhood pneumonia, vitamin C supplementation at doses of 15 mg/kg every 6 hours has been shown to improve clinical severity scores, but it does not reduce the length of hospital stay. The lower dose was effective and had minimal side effects, suggesting that moderate supplementation may be beneficial in certain clinical situations 36.
Prevalence of Vitamin C Deficiency in Hospitalized Children
Surveys in pediatric hospital departments have found that a significant proportion of children have suboptimal or deficient vitamin C levels. In some studies, up to 75% of children had appreciable vitamin C deficiency, with only a minority showing adequate tissue saturation. This highlights the need for attention to vitamin C intake, especially in hospitalized or chronically ill children .
Conclusion
The recommended daily intake of vitamin C for children varies by age, ranging from 20 mg for infants and toddlers to 100 mg for older adolescents. Ensuring these intake levels is important to prevent deficiency and maintain overall health. While high-dose vitamin C is generally safe, routine supplementation above recommended levels is not necessary for healthy children and should be reserved for specific clinical indications. Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables remains the best way to meet vitamin C needs in children 124567.
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