Health Information Child Health

Lactating women Iodine Supplements & Infants and Vitamin D

Babies and Vitamin D

• Vitamin D is formed when the skin is exposed to sunlight
• Vitamin D helps the gut absorb calcium and keeps bones strong
• Persistently low vitamin D levels may affect normal calcification of the bones in infants and children, resulting in soft and deformed bones

Obtaining Vitamin D

• Babies obtain a small reserve of vitamin D from mother before birth. After birth, babies need to get vitamin D from sunlight, breastmilk (or formula milk if they are not breastfed), and from foods
• Breastmilk has many benefits and is the ideal food for babies. However, like other foods, breastmilk does not contain much vitamin D. When their mothers have low vitamin D levels, the babies get much less vitamin D from breastmilk
• Babies who are exclusively breastfed and babies taking both breastmilk and infant formula, they cannot get adequate vitamin D from sun exposure if they are:
  • mostly staying indoors,
  • having clothing covering their arms and legs when being outdoors, or
  • of darker skin
• If needed, parents can consider giving a vitamin D supplement to their babies after consulting doctors, nurses, dietitians or pharmacists^Note. Parents should also read the instruction on the package of the supplement
• At about 6 months old, babies start eating solid foods. They can consume foods containing vitamin D, including fatty fish (e.g. salmon, sardine, tuna), egg yolk, liver. Toddlers above 1 year of age can also choose cow’s milk, milk products and calcium-fortified soymilk that have food labels showing they are vitamin D enriched

Note: According to overseas guideline, for babies taking both breastmilk and infant formula, if majority of their intake is not from infant formula (for example less than 500ml a day), they need a vitamin D supplement¹. In addition, according to literatures, babies should be supplemented with 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D daily if needed^2,3,4.

Breastfeeding Moms need to take Iodine-containing supplements

You may not get enough iodine by eating fish everyday!

• Pregnant & breastfeeding moms need at least 250 micrograms (μg) of iodine¹ a day. A lack of this nutrient can retard baby's development
• 100 grams of marine fish contains about 5 to 60 μg of iodine²

Advice for Pregnant & Breastfeeding Mothers to get enough iodine: Take a prenatal multivitamin & mineral supplement that contains at least 150 µg iodine daily³ as well as have more iodine rich foods in your diet

Take a prenatal multivitamin & mineral supplement that contains at least 150 µg iodine daily

• When you choose a supplement: check its iodine content
• Consult your doctor, pharmacist or dietitian

Have more iodine rich foods in your diet

• Use iodised salt in place of ordinary table salt for cooking

  Using iodised salt:

  • Limit the total salt intake below 5 g (1 teaspoon) per day
  • Add the salt just before serving
• Consume foods rich in iodine: marine fish, seafood, eggs, milk, dairy products, seaweed, kelp

If you cannot take an iodine-containing supplement, you need to increase your iodine intake from diet.

You may refer to “Do you have adequate iodine?” pamphlet for ways to obtain adequate iodine.

References:

1. World Health Organization. (2007). Assessment of iodine deficiency disorders and monitoring their elimination: A guide for programme managers (3rd ed.). Retrieved from https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/43781/9789241595827_eng.pdf;jsessionid=3917D7F16C0B96649328118E517471B1?sequence=1
2. Centre for Food Safety. (2011). Risk assessment studies report No. 45: Dietary iodine intake in Hong Kong adults. Retrieved from https://www.cfs.gov.hk/english/programme/programme_rafs/programme_rafs_n_01_12_Dietary_Iodine_Intake_HK.html
3. Department of Health, HKSARG. 2021. Joint recommendation on Iodine Intake for pregnant and lactating women.