Effectiveness of vitamin C supplementation in infants and children suffering from nutritional rickets

Background Vitamin D is crucial for calcium and phosphorus intestinal absorption, and for bone formation and its deficiency causes nutritional rickets. Many studies, both on animals and cell cultures, showed that vitamin C (VC) is a vital modulator of osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of VC supplementation as an add-on therapy in the treatment of nutritional rickets. Patients and methods A total of 88 infants and toddlers with nutritional rickets participated in this study, which was a randomized controlled trial. We documented the signs and symptoms of vitamin D and VC deficiency. Initial measurements of serum calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase were taken and tracked for one and three months, respectively, while parathyroid hormone and 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels were initially taken. After 3 months of treatment, N-terminal, mid-region Osteocalcin was evaluated. An radiography of the knee was taken and followed for 3 months. Patients were split into two groups: those who received VC in addition to vitamin D and calcium and those who did not. Results Boys were more prone to rickets, especially those who were exclusively breastfed (61.4%). Short stature (16%), macrocephaly (9%), limb deformities (48.9%), delayed dentition (34%), delayed closure of the anterior fontanel (39.8%), delayed motor development (61%), and convulsions (11.4%) are all possible side effects. There was no discernible difference between patients who received VC in daily small doses versus those who did not regard biochemical and radiographic findings ( P >0.05). Conclusion VC did not have a beneficial effect on nutritional rickets.