Therapy for Common Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies | |
| NUTRIENT | THERAPY |
|---|---|
| Vitamin Aa,b,c | 60 mg PO, repeated 1 and 14 days later if ocular changes; 30 mg for ages 6-11 months |
| 15 mg PO qd × 1 month if chronic malabsorption | |
| Vitamin C | 200 mg PO qd |
| Vitamin Da,d | Encourage sun exposure if possible 50,000 units PO once weekly for 4-8 weeks, then 400-800 units PO qd Substantially higher dose may be required in chronic malabsorption |
| Folic acid | 0.4 mg PO qd prenatally and during pregnancy Confirm normal B12 levels in pts with megaloblastic anemia |
| Vitamin B12 | 1000 µg IM × 6 doses to replenish stores, then 1000 µg IM monthly |
| Vitamin Ea | 800-1200 mg PO qd |
| Vitamin Ka | 10 mg IV × 1 |
| 1-2 mg PO qd or 1-2 mg IV weekly in chronic malabsorption | |
| Thiamineb | 300 mg IV qd × 3 days, followed by 10 mg PO qd until recovery |
| Niacin | 100-200 mg PO tid for 5 days |
| Pyridoxine | 50 mg PO qd, 100-200 mg PO qd if deficiency related to medications |
| Zincb,c | 60 mg PO bid |
a Associated with fat malabsorption.
b Associated with chronic alcoholism; always replete thiamine before carbohydrates in alcoholics to avoid precipitation of acute thiamine deficiency.
c Associated with protein-calorie malnutrition.
d Therapy must be monitored by serum calcium measurements.