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Benefits and precautions of feeding fish liver oil to infants
When infants are in the infant stage, doctors will always advise mothers to give them a reasonable amount of fish liver oil because it can help with their growth and development. There are many types of fish liver oil on the market, and it is best to choose and take it under the guidance of a doctor to avoid overuse and vitamin poisoning. The following are some benefits and precautions of feeding fish liver oil to infants:
Benefits of feeding fish liver oil to infants:
1. Fish liver oil is commonly used to prevent and treat vitamin A and D deficiencies.
Vitamin A is very helpful in maintaining normal visual function, immune system health, and reproductive system health. Theoretically, it is not easily deficient in preterm infants, children in underdeveloped areas, and pregnant women, but chronic diarrhea may cause vitamin A loss, leading to symptoms such as dry eyes and night blindness. Vitamin D helps promote the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the body, promote the development of bones and teeth, and maintain normal metabolism; a deficiency of vitamin D can lead to rickets and osteomalacia.
2. Fish liver oil can promote metabolism, enhance immunity, protect against radiation and cancer, clean blood vessels, and promote fat metabolism.
3. Fish liver oil applied to the base of the eyelashes can also stimulate the growth of eyelashes.
Precautions for feeding fish liver oil to infants
1. Do Not Overdose
Although fish liver oil is beneficial for infants, it should not be overused. Excessive intake of fish liver oil can lead to poisoning, with symptoms such as greasy and itchy skin, hair loss, and poor gastrointestinal digestion. Generally, 3-4 drops of concentrated fish liver oil are sufficient for infants.
2. Choosing Fish Liver Oil
The best choice of fish liver oil for infants is a concentrated preparation with a vitamin A to D ratio of 3:1.
3. Appropriate Dosage
Infants should take fish liver oil in moderate amounts. The physiological daily need for vitamin D in children is 400 units, and mothers must calculate the dosage carefully and never exceed it.
4. Supplementing Vitamin A and D through food
Vitamin A is mainly found in the liver of animals, especially fish liver. The next are milk and eggs. Another form exists in vegetables in the form of beta-carotene, as beta-carotene is converted into vitamin A when absorbed into the liver. Vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, beans, and green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin A.