Vitamin D levels of the healthy infants using oral spray or drop form of vitamin D supplement in the first year of life

OBJECTIVE: Vitamin D (VD) deficiency is a common problem worldwide, especially in pregnant women and newborns. Regular administration of VD supplements has been recommended worldwide since 2010. Recently, a new formulation providing VD supplementation in the form of a spray which is absorbed through the buccal mucosa has been introduced, but there is very little information in the literature about the effectiveness of it, especially in children. Therefore, in our study, we aim to investigate whether there was a difference in VD levels at one year of age infants who have started oral vitamin D supplements (400 IU/day) as spray or drop form in the neonatal period and have used it regularly during the first year of life. METHODS: In our retrospective study, the medical records of 243 healthy infants at one year of age who were followed up regularly in the first year of life in our well-child follow-up clinic were evaluated. The infants who had congenital anomalies, chronic diseases, and those using irregular vitamin D supplements were excluded from this study. RESULTS: The findings showed that the spray form of VD was used in 136 babies (56.0%) in the study group and the drop form was used in 107 (44.0%) of them. VD deficiency (defined as 25 [OH] D level <20 ng/ml) was 33.3% (n=81). VD levels were 24 ng/ml (8–109 ng/ml) and 21 ng/ml (7–65 ng/ml) in the infants using spray and drop form, respectively. The difference between the two forms of VD supplementation regarding 25 (OH) D levels was significant (p=0.010); VD levels were higher in the infants using the spray form. CONCLUSION: Our study findings suggest that the infants using oral spray form have higher VD levels compared to oral drop form. Concerning VD levels, the spray form may be preferred as a suitable alternative to the drop form, and the spray form may provide regular and easy use in children.