In the wake of a growing worldwide outbreak of measles, many people are asking if they should be using vitamin A as a viable treatment or preventative for the disease. The answer is a resounding “no,” though there is one exception. According to the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC), vitamin A should only be given under the supervision of a healthcare provider to children who have been hospitalized with severe measles. Further, says the CDC, two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine provide the best protection.

Vitamin A or vaccination?

Vitamin A is not a substitute for vaccination. In fact, neither vitamin A nor any other vitamin can prevent or treat measles. While vitamin A is important for your health, you should not try self-administering it. Megadoses of the vitamin can be toxic. If you think you or someone else may have taken too much of it contact California Poison Control System (CPCS). Symptoms of acute vitamin A toxicity include:

Headache;

Rash;

Drowsiness;

Irritability;

Stomach pain, nausea and vomiting.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) notes that approximately 90 percent of those who are exposed to measles and are not vaccinated will contract the disease. However, the MMR vaccine is effective at preventing the disease—two doses provide 97 percent protection.

International travel is a conduit

In the U.S., measles cases have been confirmed in 19 states so far, including California, which reports eight cases at this time, says the CDPH. Additionally, the CDPH says, most of the U.S. measles cases are a result of international travel by people who have not been vaccinated.

“People who are infected with measles while visiting other countries—especially where large numbers of people are unvaccinated—can bring the highly contagious disease home with them,” said Dr. Rais Vohra, Medical Director for the Fresno/Madera Division of CPCS. “As the high travel season approaches, it is important to be up to date on your measles vaccinations, especially if you are planning an international trip.”