this post was submitted on 28 Mar 2025
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After RFK Jr. recommends vitamin A as a measles treatment, some Texas patients show signs of toxicity (www.yahoo.com)
submitted 2 weeks ago by throws_lemy@lemmy.nz to c/publichealth@mander.xyz
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[–] shawn1122@lemm.ee 32 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Just to be clear Vitamin A is the treatment of choice for measles. But it needs to be dosed by a healthcare provider and is generally not used for prevention (that's what vaccines are for).

Also, vitamin A (like vitamin E, D and K) are fat soluble so you can overdose on them, causing liver failure.

Sometimes being partially right is worse than being wrong. Though in this case these impressionable folk would have likely followed RFK Jr regardless.

[–] thingAmaBob@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Every supplement and the dosage I take was recommended to me by my doctor after tests were ran. I’ve heard doctors state the average person doesn’t even really need supplements if they have access to a nutritious diet.

[–] DerArzt@lemmy.world 13 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

if they have access to a nutritious diet

You see..... there's a lot going on in that clause when it comes to the American populace.

[–] NeatoBuilds@mander.xyz 2 points 2 weeks ago

still better to ask a doctor what vitamins you need instead of just buying a bunch of random stuff you probably dont

[–] shawn1122@lemm.ee 6 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

That's generally true. If you live in a northern climate vitamin D deficiency is very common and certain over the counter meds like omeprazole can impair vitamin absorption (b12 in the case of omeprazole) if taken long term. Supplementing other vitamins hasn't been shown to have any meaningful benefit.

[–] BastingChemina@slrpnk.net 6 points 2 weeks ago

I went to see a dermatologist in the Caribbean and she was saying that the vast majority of the people in the Caribbean have a vitamin D deficiency as well.

When it's hot people just avoid the sun as much as possible.

[–] dumblederp@aussie.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago

FWIW I was a vitamin d deficient Australian, our sun is extra cancerous so I make sure to cover up or avoid it. I've been taking 5000iu daily which has brought my levels up into the lower end of acceptable.