Do Vitamins Really Deter Mosquitoes?

Sun., April 25, 1999

Dear Gear Guy: As with any good hiking trip, I am planning a trip that will require me to battle some mosquitos. I have heard from several people that there is a vitamin that you can take that will deter mosquitoes. I think it has something to do with a scent or something. Anyway, can you give any credence to this? If the vitamin really does work, how long ahead of time do I need to start taking it? Thanks for the help.

- Joshua Burdette, Lawrence, Kan.

Gear Guy: Well, you’re right at least in part. Mosquitoes are indeed attracted to humans by scent - specifically, the aroma of the carbon dioxide a human gives off. There have been occasional reports that this odor can be masked by such things as vitamins. Vitamins A, D and E, in particular, are thought by some to change the odor you give off and even reduce the amount of carbon dioxide you exude.

Personally, I’m unconvinced of those claims. Except for perhaps a very short time, the human body doesn’t store any more vitamins than it deems necessary. Nor do vitamins result in any significant change in metabolic function unless you’re seriously vitamin-deprived.

Jack DeAngelis, an entomologist with the Oregon State University Extension Service, says the vitamin story is similar to tales that garlic, pennyroyal and other herbals, if ingested, will emanate from the ingester and deter bugs.

My advice is to stick with a DEET-based repellent, or try one of the new “natural” ones that use citronella or other ingredients to drive away pesky bugs. The only caveat to DEET is that you don’t want to dose kids up with it; some youngsters are sensitive to it. And even adults should stick with repellents that have DEET concentrations of 30 percent or less.

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