vitamins

Question

I want you to tell me what vitamins could I give to my little boy with CF, what can be found in Romania or in Europe (the U.S. brand is called ADEK)

Answer

Dear parent,
Supplementation with vitamins, especially fat-soluble , are known to be deficient in patients with cystic fibrosis, is an important recommendation . In general, serum concentrations of the vitamins are necessary to diagnose a deficiency and to find the right dosage. For vitamin A, the daily dosage to achieve normal serum concentrations lies approximately between 4000 and 10000 UI of a fat-soluble preparation. Concerning vitamin D, a daily dose of between 400 and 2000 IU is required. Recent evidence suggests that the serum level should be maintained within the upper part of the normal range to ensure optimal bone health. For vitamin E, regular supplementation is recommended; as it is non-toxic there is no objection to using up t0 400 IU daily. Concerning vitamin K, routine supplementation has always been controversial. Recent studies revealed, however, that it is not only important for coagulation but also for bone health in CF, preventing osteoporosis. Dosage is discussed controversially, studies investigated dosages ranging from 5 mg weekly to 10mg daily.
The preparations containing those fat-soluble vitamins, are differing from country to country. In the USA, there is a preparation (that you mentioned) with a combination of all 4 fat-soluble vitamins (ADEKs); in some European countries, there are only preparations available, containing only one of those vitamins each – in that case, one has to combine several preparations in order to supplement all those fat-soluble vitamins. For little children, drops are the kind of preparation of choice instead of tablets.
In Romania, the following preparations are available: Supradyne, Pikovit, Sanasol, Vitamax, Alvityl multivitamine.
We cannot recommend a certain drug from this list to you according to the rules of this site; your child’s doctor in charge will choose the right preparation for you in case of vitamin deficiency.
If you have any other questions please contact us,
Sincerely,
Prof.Dr.Pop

13.01.2011