AAP Says Vitamin Ought to Not be Used to Stop Measles

In 2025, there have been no less than three measles outbreaks within the U.S. The largest outbreak so far is in Texas, with 198 instances, leading to 23 hospitalizations and one loss of life of a school-aged youngster, as of March 7, 2025. This youngster had not acquired the measles vaccine and had no underlying well being circumstances.

Sadly, amid these scary outbreaks, some misinformation about measles therapies and prevention has additionally been spreading—particularly, the concept vitamin A can be utilized to deal with and stop measles.

This has led the the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to just lately launch on-line statements warning mother and father to not depend on vitamin A for measles prevention, and that an excessive amount of vitamin A will be harmful for youngsters.

The AAP emphasizes, “measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination stays crucial device for stopping measles.” The AAP additionally underscores how extraordinarily contagious the measles is, noting the virus can stay within the air as many as two hours after somebody contaminated has left the neighborhood. As such, their focus is on the significance of vaccination as the first preventative device for measles.

Vaccines Are the Finest Method To Stop Measles

Therese Linnon, DO, a pediatrician at Akron Youngsters’s Hospital says whereas vitamin A can be utilized to assist with some signs of the measles as soon as a affected person has been identified, it’s much better to stop the an infection within the first place by getting the measles vaccine.

“Vitamin A ought to not be a substitute for the vaccine. There isn’t a dose of vitamin A that may defend them from getting the measles virus,” she explains.

Mahvash Madni, MD, a pediatrician and spokesperson for the AAP agrees, referencing the a whole bunch of measles-related youngster deaths within the U.S. yearly, previous to the existence of a vaccine.

“Diet and a powerful immune system are essential in serving to forestall illness however sure viruses which are very highly effective can overwhelm the immune system no matter our greatest efforts,” she says. “Measles is one in every of these viruses. That’s the reason years of analysis and energy went into developing with an especially protected and efficient vaccine which was implement many years in the past.

As per CDC pointers, the present measles vaccine—the MMR vaccine—ought to be given in two doses. The primary dose ought to be given when a toddler is 12-15 months, and the second dose ought to be given between 4 and 6 years. Two doses of MMR vaccine is 97% efficient towards measles infections.

Can Vitamin A Be Used To Deal with Measles?

Initially, it’s essential to know that the measles isn’t only a virus that causes an annoying rash.

“Youngsters look and feel very ailing,” explains Dr. Madni. “It may trigger pneumonia, neurological issues like encephalitis and loss of life.”

As Dr. Madni and the CDC word, for each 1,000 youngsters who get the measles, between one and three of them will die.

Furthermore, Dr. Madni emphasizes, there aren’t any therapies or “cures” for the measles. “It has to run its course like most viruses,” she says. So why do some folks counsel supplementing with vitamin A?

As Zachary Hoy, MD, a board-certified pediatric infectious illness specialist at Pediatrix Medical Group in Nashville, TN notes, the CDC recommends that vitamin A be administered in extreme instances of the measles, particularly amongst youngsters who’re hospitalized. 

“Vitamin A shops within the physique have been seen to drop in measles instances, so supplementation with applicable doses of vitamin A can assist make sure that the immune system is optimized when a affected person is contaminated with measles,” says Dr. Hoy.

Low ranges of vitamin A throughout a measles an infection could cause eye injury, and might improve the danger of great sickness, like pneumonia and even loss of life, Dr. Linnon explains. As such, typically docs will administer vitamin A to severely ailing youngsters to lower the possibilities of problems of the measles. 

Nonetheless, even in instances the place vitamin A administration could also be useful, it ought to solely be accomplished underneath the strict supervision of a health care provider, who determines dosing and a protected and efficient dosing schedule.

Though the CDC recommends vitamin A supplementation in some extreme instances of measles, it’s not completely clear that it’s a useful suggestion for everybody.

“There may be sturdy proof for using vitamin A in low resourced nations with excessive charges of vitamin A deficiency in lowering problems from measles, however no strong proof for its use in excessive earnings nations,” Dr. Madni shares.

The Risks of Vitamin A Supplementation

The AAP notes of their warning, no mum or dad ought to strive vitamin A supplementation for measles on their very own, as an excessive amount of vitamin A could cause important points for youngsters.

“Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which signifies that if you take an excessive amount of it sticks round in your fats cells and accumulates,” explains Molly O’Shea, MD, a pediatrician at Birmingham Pediatrics + Wellness Heart and residency teacher at Youngsters’s Hospital of Michigan. “In distinction, in the event you took an excessive amount of Vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin, you’ll pee out any additional your physique does not want.”

Dr. O’Shea additional explains how vitamin A overdosing is particularly regarding if you take massive doses over a brief time frame, as is beneficial in a case of measles–and it could shortly construct up in your fats tissues.

“For all of those causes, consulting with a pediatrician and giving the complement underneath their care is essential,” she says.

In line with Rebecca Fisk, MD, pediatrician at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, vitamin A taken in extreme portions can result in toxicity, inflicting the next signs:

• dizziness
• nausea
• diarrhea
• headache
• bone ache
• bone thinning
• pores and skin irritations/rashes
• liver injury