AAP Says Vitamin Ought to Not be Used to Forestall 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 demise of a school-aged baby, as of March 7, 2025. This baby had not acquired the measles vaccine and had no underlying well being circumstances.

Sadly, amid these scary outbreaks, some misinformation about measles remedies and prevention has additionally been spreading—particularly, the concept that vitamin A can be utilized to deal with and forestall 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 could be harmful for kids.

The AAP emphasizes, “measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination stays crucial instrument 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 instrument for measles.

Vaccines Are the Finest Manner To Forestall 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 recognized, 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 alternative for the vaccine. There isn’t a dose of vitamin A that can defend them from getting the measles virus,” she explains.

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

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

As per CDC pointers, the present measles vaccine—the MMR vaccine—must be given in two doses. The primary dose must be given when a baby is 12-15 months, and the second dose must 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?

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

“Youngsters appear and feel very unwell,” explains Dr. Madni. “It may well trigger pneumonia, neurological issues like encephalitis and demise.”

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 remedies or “cures” for the measles. “It has to run its course like most viruses,” she says. So why do some individuals 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 acceptable 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 may cause eye harm, and may enhance the danger of significant sickness, like pneumonia and even demise, Dr. Linnon explains. As such, generally docs will administer vitamin A to severely unwell 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 completed underneath the strict supervision of a physician, 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 fully clear that it’s a useful advice for everybody.

“There’s robust proof for the usage of vitamin A in low resourced international locations with excessive charges of vitamin A deficiency in lowering problems from measles, however no strong proof for its use in excessive earnings international locations,” Dr. Madni shares.

The Risks of Vitamin A Supplementation

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

“Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which implies that whenever 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 Middle and residency teacher at Youngsters’s Hospital of Michigan. “In distinction, when you took an excessive amount of Vitamin C, a water-soluble vitamin, you’d pee out any further your physique does not want.”

Dr. O’Shea additional explains how vitamin A overdosing is very regarding whenever you take massive doses over a brief time period, as is really useful in a case of measles–and it might 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 keeping 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 harm