Vitamin and mineral supplementation of term infants: are they necessary?

This chapter examines the evidence behind the need or not to routinely administer multivitamin and/or mineral preparations to term infants. We reviewed the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) of vitamins and minerals during the first year of life and examined whether standard nutritional options, i.e. human milk or infant formulae consistent with major international guidelines, satisfy these requirements. We found that RDA cannot adequately be met by either human milk or standard formulas for most vitamins and minerals. We suggest that RDAs are widely overestimated. A particular emphasis is placed on vitamin D and iron, where supplements are needed, and on iodine and vitamin B12, where supplements may be needed depending upon the circumstances.