Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major public health problem in low and middle income countries affecting 190 million children under 5 years of age. VAD pre-disposes children to increased risk of a range of problems, including respiratory diseases, diarrhoea, measles and vision problems, and can lead to death.
This review, including 43 randomised trials representing 215,633 children, shows that giving vitamin A capsules to children aged 6 months to 5 years can reduce death and some diseases. The results of 17 of the studies were summarised and indicate that vitamin A reduces the overall risk of death by 24%. Death due to measles, respiratory infections or meningitis was not specifically reduced, but vitamin A can reduce new occurrences of diarrhoea and measles. When people take very large doses of vitamin A, they may be more likely to vomit within two days of taking it.