VITAMINS BY CYSTIC FIBROSIS
Which vitamin do you need ‘extra’ when you have Cystic Fibrosis?
Our body needs vitamins to function well. With a good diet, the body gets enough vitamins. However, there is a group of vitamins that need fat to dissolve properly. These are the so-called fat-soluble vitamins.
If you have CF, you absorb fats less well through the intestines, which means that these vitamins do not reach your bloodstream and thus not the rest of your body. Therefore, people with CF must take special vitamin preparations to maintain a healthy vitamin balance.
THE FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS ARE THE VITAMINS A, D, E AND K:
- Vitamin A is necessary for good vision, growth and the immune system
- Vitamin D is necessary for a good bone structure. Severe deficiencies cause rickets (this is an English disease)
- Vitamin E is necessary to maintain the defence mechanisms in the body.
- Vitamin K is necessary for proper blood clotting. Your diet contains enough vitamin K. However, if the clotting is disturbed, you should take extra vitamin K. The most commonly used forms are Konakion® and Phytomenadion®.
Evibra supplies vitamin preparations specially for children and adults with CF, in the form of drops, soft gels (taste-neutral) or chewable tablets (in various flavours). These contain the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, and the water-soluble vitamins B & C, folic acid and zinc.
MVW vitamins are developed to meet or exceed the recommended supplementation of vitamins by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Nutrition Consensus Statement (2002). The products contain increased concentrations of vitamins D and K to support bone health.
MEDICAL PRESCRIPTION VITAMINS
Medical prescription: MVW vitamins are only available on medical prescription through the doctor or dietician in one of the expertise centres.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CYSTIC FIBROSIS
Consult the website of the Dutch Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (NCSF):
www.ncfs.nl
Visiting address and postal address:
Dr. A. Schweitzerweg 3a
3744 MG Baarn
Phone: 035-6479257
Email : info@ncfs.nl
Specialized CF Centers
Seven so-called ‘CF centres’ have been established in the Netherlands for diagnosis and treatment. These are located in Utrecht, The Hague, Amsterdam, Groningen, Maastricht, Nijmegen and Rotterdam.