A claim circulating online that the active ingredient in vitamin K injections given to newborns is linked to infertility and autoimmune issues is false, according to medical experts.
The video in question, shared on Facebook with the caption “Vitamin K Shot: The Devil’s Helping Hand Is Not To Be Trusted,” incorrectly states that polysorbate 80 is the active ingredient in the injection and causes serious health issues. However, polysorbate 80 is not the active ingredient but a preservative, and it has no known connection to infertility or autoimmune problems.
Vitamin K is essential for newborns, as they are born with low levels of the vitamin, which is crucial in preventing a condition called Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding, a potentially life-threatening disorder that can lead to brain damage. Experts explained that the vitamin K shot is administered to infants shortly after birth because they do not receive enough vitamin K in the womb.
The claim in the video is based on a reverse image search linking it to a 2018 broadcast from the discredited outlet InfoWars. Pediatric medicine experts clarified that the main active ingredient in the vitamin K shot is phytonadione (vitamin K1), not polysorbate 80.
Mark Corkins, a pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, stated that polysorbate 80 is used as a solubiliser, helping vitamin K dissolve in liquid, and that it poses no health risks. He added, “There are no links with infertility and autoimmune diseases, and I looked deep into the medical literature to be sure.”
Jaspreet Loyal, an associate professor of pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine, also affirmed that polysorbate 80, as a preservative, has not been linked to any adverse effects.
Polysorbate 80 is commonly used in food products like ice cream, and in vaccines such as the HPV and some COVID-19 vaccines. The amount in a vitamin K shot (10mg) is much smaller than the doses found in everyday products. For example, half a cup of ice cream contains 170mg of polysorbate 80.
The claims regarding infertility are based on a 1992 animal study in rats, which were given polysorbate 80 at doses 70 times higher than those given to human infants, further discrediting the link to human health issues.
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