Claim: Vitamin A Drastically Reduces Measles Mortality

Verdict: Partially true, but misleading

“Studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality.”

“By 1960 -- before the vaccine’s introduction -- improvements in sanitation and nutrition had eliminated 98% of measles deaths. Good nutrition remains a best defense against most chronic and infectious illnesses. Vitamins A, C, and D, and foods rich in vitamins B12, C, and E should be part of a balanced diet.”

ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR.: Measles outbreak is call to action for all of us

Last week, reports revealed that RFK Jr. is looking to access Americans’ medical records to investigate the causes of “chronic childhood disease,” which many commentators suspect is linked to his views on vaccines. But if he’s gearing up to criticize vaccines, what’s his alternative?

Early in the measles epidemic, he took to Fox News to imply that vitamin A is a valuable treatment and – potentially – even a preventative. But was he right?

Vitamin A Reduces Measles Mortality Risk (Sometimes)

A Cochrane Review addressed exactly this issue, looking at studies on vitamin A and measles mortality. In fact, this was indirectly cited by RFK Jr. in his Fox News opinion piece. With eight trials included (n = 2,574), the review concluded that vitamin A dosing did not lead to a significant decline in mortality risk.

However, more fine-grained analysis revealed that while one dose was not effective, children under 2 years of age did see a reduction in risk after 2 doses of vitamin A.

Broadly, RFK Jr. is correct – vitamin A can help.

Where the Data Falls Short

There is a problem, though. As a comment piece in the Lancet argues, the reduction in mortality in these studies is likely dependent on where the study took place. In many places in the world, vitamin A deficiency is common, and measles tends to have much higher mortality rates in these places. Most of the studies were conducted in countries with these issues.

In the US, however, vitamin A deficiency is rare (less than 1 percent), so vitamin A treatment may not help as much. In fact, study in Italy from 2021 found no difference in measles outcomes after vitamin A treatment. When deficiency isn’t an issue, the benefits seem to disappear.

Does Vitamin A Prevent Measles?

No. It is true that nutrition can impact the efficacy of the measles vaccine, but vitamin A itself has no preventative effect whatsoever.