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  • Covid 19
    • Vitamin D could be a piece of COVID-19's 'complex puzzle,' Israeli scientists say, after a new study finds a link between deficiency and severe illness
    • Vitamin D deficiency tied to increased COVID-19 risk, unique UF data study finds
    • Dr. Zorba Paster: Vitamin D deficiency connected to COVID-19 cases
    • Study suggests high vitamin D levels may protect against COVID-19, especially for Black people
    • 1 in 4 COVID patients hospitalized while vitamin D deficient die – Israeli study
    • Vitamin D and COVID-19 Research
    • Minister urged to recommend vitamin D supplements in Covid-19 strategy
    • Other countries are treating COVID patients with probiotics and vitamin D — why aren’t we?
    • MP David Davis calls for Vitamin D therapy to be rolled out 'immediately' after study finds it can 'reduce Covid deaths by up to 60%'
    • Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 Have Low Levels of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D
    • Vitamin D, other everyday vitamins could counter coronavirus effects:.
    • Experts send Vitamin D and Covid-19 open letter to world's governments
    • A Functional Medicine Approach To Protect Against the Flu
    • Over 80% of Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Have Vitamin D Deficiency, Study Finds
    • Vitamin D helps the body fight coronavirus, major Israeli study claims
    • Vitamin D deficiency increased risk of COVID in healthcare workers, new study shows
    • People With Low Vitamin D More Likely to Have COVID, Study Finds
    • Vitamin D for COVID-19: a case to answer?
    • Vitamin D helps the body fight coronavirus, major Israeli study claims
    • Researchers investigating possible link between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19
    • UK public health bodies reviewing vitamin D's effects on coronavirus
    • Parents can help children deal with coronavirus-related anxiety
    • Does Vitamin D Protect Against More Severe Complications of Coronavirus?
    • Should people take vitamin D to ward off the new coronavirus?
    • Can taking Vitamin D save your life?
    • People with low vitamin D levels more likely to die from coronavirus, study finds
    • COVID-19: Vitamin D Linked to COVID-19 Deaths
    • Vitamin D Defense – Protection against COVID-19
    • GET YOUR VITAMINS Scientists investigate link between coronavirus survival rates and Vitamin D
    • FOODVitamin D and Coronavirus
    • Low Vitamin D Levels Linked To Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
    • 'Take Vitamin-D' says government as evidence emerges it could help fight coronavirus symptoms
    • Low Vitamin D linked to poor lung function
    • Study finds Vitamin D can build coronavirus resistance
    • Vitamin D may help reduce the risk of the coronavirus, study says
    • Can Vitamin D Lower Your Risk of COVID-19?
    • A lesson from the 1918 influenza pandemic!
    • Vitamin D: Deficiency May Increase Coronavirus Infection Risk
    • Research finds vitamin D is important for respiratory health
  • Breast Cancer
    • Breast cancer: Vitamin D could lower risk by 21% in Black and Hispanic women
    • Vitamin D and Breast Cancer Survival: What You Should Know
    • High intake of vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus may reduce breast cancer risk
    • Obesity and Vitamin D Deficiency May Indicate Greater Risk for Breast Cancer
    • Women with high levels of vitamin D ‘are almost a third more likely to survive breast cancer’
    • Fact Check: Breast Cancer and Nutritional Supplements
    • Vitamin D Deficiency May Promote Spread of Some Breast Cancers
    • Vitamin D may double chances of surviving breast cancer
    • OMEGA-3s Inhibit Breast Cancer Tumour Growth, U of G Study Finds
    • Probiotics and Cancer
  • News & Information
    • Headline news, the latest stories >
      • 9 things that could happen if you're not getting enough vitamin D
      • Vitamin D: Recent research uncovers new benefits
      • Start the Week Off Right: Get more Vitamin D in your diet
      • Vitamin D deficiency – who is at risk?
      • Men who have good levels of vitamin D in their bachelor years will have healthy and strong kids, study finds
      • Father's pre-conception vitamin D intake linked to child height and weight at 5 years old
      • Nearly 1 billion people lacking vitamin D
      • Vitamin D supplements could improve fertility
      • Vitamin D and probiotics, perfect friends
      • Inflammatory bowel disease: Vitamin D could ease symptoms of Crohn’s, colitis and IBS
      • All Scots advised to take vitamin D says new health guidance
      • Probiotic may boost vitamin D levels
      • Vitamin D can help you be strong and healthy
    • Cancer >
      • Study finds association between vitamin D, BMI and advanced cancer
      • Study Finds Vitamin D Supplements Reduce Risk of Developing Advanced Cancer
      • Effect of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level on lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancers: a nested case-control study
      • Vitamin D cuts colitis risk in cancer patients on immunotherapy by 65%
      • High Dose Vitamin D Beneficial For Colon Cancer
      • Prompting leukemia cells to die
      • Everything You Need to Know About Vitamin D and Cancer Prevention
      • Obesity and Vitamin D Deficiency May Indicate Greater Risk for Breast Cancer
      • Higher Vitamin D Levels Associated With Lower Risks Of Liver Cancer And Death From Chronic Liver Disease
      • More the Vitamin D, lesser the breast cancer risk
      • Scientists detect new ovarian cancer target
      • Higher vitamin D levels cut colorectal cancer risk
      • Vitamin D linked to lower risk of cancer- study
      • More vitamin D may be associated with lower cancer risk
      • New study suggests link between low vitamin D status and increased risk of ovarian cancer
      • Vitamin D relieves joint, muscle pain for breast cancer patients
      • Low Vitamin D Linked to Bladder Cancer
      • Low vitamin D levels increase risk for bladder cancer
      • Can Vitamin D prevent colon cancer?
      • Vitamin D fights pancreatic cancer
      • Vitamin D levels can affect aggressiveness of melanomas
      • Pancreatic Cancer Survical
      • TNBC
      • Vitamin D Melanoma
    • Childrens Health >
      • High-Dose Vitamin D Well Tolerated in Pediatric Patients
      • Why it’s so hard to identify seasonal depression in kids, and how to help
      • Vitamin D During Pregnancy May Benefit Children’s Bones
      • Vitamin D Deficiency linked to Anxiety and depression in Teens
      • Vitamin D During Pregnancy May Improve Dental Health of Babies
      • Newborns with Vitamin D Deficiency Have Higher Risk of Later Schizophrenia
      • Vitamin D-rich Diet May Decrease Cholesterol in Kids
      • Vitamin D Supplements To Curb Rise In Rickets
      • High vitamin D levels linked to lower cholesterol in children
      • Study Links Low Vitamin D Levels with Fracture Susceptibility and Severity
      • Vitamin D deficiency associated with pediatric obesity
      • Can Vitamin D Deficiency in Children Affect the Severity of Illnesses?
      • Can Vitamin D Reduce Risk of Pre-eclampsia in Pregnancy?
      • Warning to pregnant women on vitamin D: Shortages leads to children with poor motor skills
      • Development fears for children of expectant mothers with low vitamin D levels
      • Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy tied to autism risk
      • Another reason for obese children to go outside: Overweight youngsters with a vitamin D deficiency at risk of heart disease as they grow older
      • Taking Vitamin D During Pregnancy Shows Promise in Preventing Autism
      • Vitamin D deficiency found in children with digestive disorder, UMass study finds
      • Vitamin D deficiency in children exponentially increased in recent years, study finds
      • Maternal Preferences for Vitamin D Supplementation in Breastfed Infants
      • Prenatal Vitamin D Could Lower Baby's ADHD Risk, While Some Diabetes Drugs May do the Opposite
      • Neonatal Vitamin D Levels Appear to Affect MS Risk Later in Life
      • Vitamin D May Improve Symptoms in Children with Autism
      • October is Children’s Health Month
      • Vitamin D Intake During Pregnancy May Protect Against ADHD in Children
      • Regular vitamins likely unnecessary for children with healthy diets, doctor says
      • VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY LEADS TO STRESS FRACTURES IN 15-YEAR-OLD
      • Breastfeeding Moms Aren't Getting Enough of This Essential Vitamin
      • Why children’s allergies are on the rise and how dirt may hold key to reducing cases
      • Babies born to mothers with lack of Vitamin D 'more likely to have learning difficulties'
      • Vitamin D reduces Wheezing
      • Vitamin deficiencies may be linked to migraines in children
      • Vitamin D and MS
      • Less body fat for toddlers taking vitamin D
    • Sports & Endurance >
      • How Optimizing Your Vitamin D Status Promotes Muscle Health & Function
      • Reevaluating Vitamin D as a Sports Supplement
      • The Risks of Being Vitamin D Deficient as an Athlete
      • Vitamin D levels in blood tied to cardiorespiratory fitness
      • What We Know About Vitamin D and Performance
      • Girls with high level of vitamin D have stronger muscles
      • Increased vitamin D intake improves muscle strength and athletic performance
      • Low vitamin D levels associated with higher risk of muscle strain among elite-level football players
      • Are athletes realizing the importance of vitamin D before the general public?
      • Why Vitamin D Is Extra Important for Athletes
      • Optimizing athletic performance through research
      • Nearly 60% Of College Football Athletes Don’t Get Enough D
      • A spotlight on vitamin D
      • High levels of vitamin D may improve muscle strength
      • Low levels of vitamin D may increase risk of fractures in active people
      • Why Vitamin D Is Extra Important for Athletes
      • Low Vitamin D weaker athlete
      • Vitamin D profile in National Football League players.
      • Endurance and D
      • Peak Athletic Performance and Vitamin D
    • General Health >
      • Vitamin D Supplements Linked to Slower Epigenetic Aging
      • Many of us have a vitamin D deficiency and don't know it
      • Vitamin D Helps Modulate Blood Sugar & Promotes Metabolic Health
      • Vitamin D and marine omega 3 fatty acid supplementation and incident autoimmune disease: VITAL randomized controlled trial
      • HEALTH AND WELLNESS The 4 vitamins and supplements this immunologist takes every day to strengthen her immune system: ‘Your body will thank you’
      • If You've Hit A Wall Combating Dry Skin, You May Be Lacking This Vitamin
      • Vitamin D supplements lower risk of autoimmune disease, researchers say
      • Vitamin D3, but not D2, linked to improved immunity
      • Vitamin D and fish oil supplements reduce risk of autoimmune conditions
      • Vitamin D deficiency visible for the first time in teeth after cremation
      • Body pain and tiredness? Could be lack of vitamin D
      • This Little-Known Factor Doubles (Or More) Your Vitamin D Needs
      • 5 Vitamin D Benefits You Should Know About
      • Vitamin D Benefits
      • 7 Reasons to make sure you get enough Vitamin D Accoring to the Doctors
      • Very high dosages of vitamin D may delay frailty in old age
      • Vitamin D deficiency: Could a lack of the sunshine vitamin be causing your cold?
      • Hidden hunger: the crucial health role of Omega 3 and Vitamin D
      • Vitamin D: the superstar of prevention
      • Is Dry Skin A Sign Of Vitamin D Deficiency? Know How It Can Affect Your Skin
      • Coping with seasonal affective disorder
      • Skin Warning Signs That May Indicate You Have Vitamin D Deficiency
      • Vitamin D increases protection against infection, new model suggests
      • Vitamin D deficiency linked with increased risk of death, particularly from diabetes: study
      • People with diabetes, hypertension are Vitamin D deficit: Study
      • Intake of vitamin D supplementation may slow diabetes progression
      • New study sheds light on the role of vitamin D in muscle cells
      • Why you can't absorb vitamin D through a sunny window
      • Vitamin D Benefits That’ll Make You Take the Nutrient More Seriously
      • 5 tips to improve your cognitive functions
      • 5 Ways Women Can Keep Their Bones Healthy
      • Flu Prevention Tips
      • Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Disease Severity, Mortality Risk in IPF Patients
      • 6 Health Problems That Are Caused Due To Vitamin D Deficiency
      • Vitamin D deficiency - does your hair look like this? Warning signs of deficiency revealed
      • Winter Increases Risk Of High Blood Pressure
      • 4 smart tricks to overcome chronic fatigue syndrome without popping pills
      • What can a psychiatrist tell us about vitamin D?
      • Vitamin D for Asthma
      • Researchers discover a new gear in life's clock: Vitamin D
      • Can vitamin D prevent the flu?
      • Vitamin D: It’s that time of the year
      • What's the link between cold weather and the common cold?
      • 11 Sneaky Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency
      • Are you smarter in summer? Brain health changes with the seasons
      • What's the link between vitamin D, gum health, and diabetes?
      • Infection Risk Lower in Dialysis Patients with High, Normal Vitamin D
      • Researchers Find Link Between Vitamin D and Asbestosis
      • We Can Thank Poor Evolutionary Design for Vitamin D Deficiencies
      • Vitamin D deficiency ups diabetes risk in women: Study
      • REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BE TAKING VITAMIN D SERIOUSLY
      • Is vitamin D deficiency to blame for lung disease?
      • Many people lack Vitamin D — even in the Sunshine State
      • Vitamin D deficiency may up diabetes risk
      • Low Vitamin D Linked to Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women
      • Vitamin D deficiency: How to reverse a shortfall and stop painful symptoms
      • Vitamin D could provide psoriasis relief
      • Is vitamin D really a cure-all – and how should we get our fix?
      • Study confirms vitamin D protects against colds and flu
      • The Benefits of Vitamin D – Why It’s the Sexiest Vitamin Around
      • Research finds vitamin D is important for respiratory health
      • Is Vitamin D Really Effective For Cold and Flu
      • Vitamin D deficiency: 6 symptoms
      • Vitamin D could help millions of people with irritable bowel syndrome
      • Frailty not ‘inevitable result of ageing’, can be reversed
      • Should ALL pregnant women take vitamin D?
      • Vitamin D supplementation may be more effective than sun exposure at raising vitamin D levels
      • Study confirms vitamin D protects against colds and flu
      • 7 Benefits of Vitamin D You Might Want to Know About
      • Could Fish Oil, Vitamin D Help Ease Lupus?
      • Study confirms vitamin D protects against colds and flu
      • Are YOU vitamin D deficient? 6 signs even your doctor might miss
      • Top Myths of Vitamin D
      • Vitamin D May Lower Asthma Attack Risks
      • Vitamin D supplements may reduce asthma severity
      • The Shocking Truth About Vitamin D Deficiency And Its Repercussions
      • Vitamin D Might Be The Key Ingredient In Vitiligo Treatment
      • Vitamin D insufficiency linked to lower virologic response in HBV
      • BACK TO SCHOOL COLD PREVENTION
      • Too little vitamin D may hinder recovery of injured corneas
      • Gut reaction to a healthy life
      • Low Vitamin D Levels Increases the Risk for Chronic Headaches
      • Vitamin D Levels Predict Multiple Sclerosis Progression
      • Study Links Certain Jobs to Vitamin D Deficiency
      • Can Vitamin D Improve Sunburn?
      • Vitamin D guidelines need to be updated – here’s why
      • Daily fruit smoothie helps couples trying to start a family
      • Vitamin D deficiency could cause deadly diseases, warn UAE doctors
      • Vitamin D Deficiency May Cause Early Menopause
      • Lactose intolerance linked to lower vitamin D levels
      • Vitamin D Helps Friendly Bacteria Repopulate The Gut, Making It The Perfect Campanion To Probiotic Supplements
      • Sunscreen ‘is making us vitamin D deficient’, controversial study claims
      • Widespread Vitamin D Deficiency Likely Due to Sunscreen Use, Increase of Chronic Diseases
      • Doctor’s Tip: The low-down on vitamin D
      • Pet vet: Understanding the importance of vitamin D for pets
      • Vitamin D could provide psoriasis relief
      • Can A Vitamin Deficiency Cause Depression?
      • Increased Fracture Risk: Seniors Not Taking Vitamin D Supplements
      • 11 surprising things you might not know about vitamin D
      • What is rickets, what causes the condition, is there a cure and how can I prevent Vitamin D deficiency?
      • Sunshine vitamin linked to fewer heart events: Meta­-analysis
      • Study finds link between vitamin D levels and severity of malabsorption issues
      • ‘Proof’ that Vitamin D can fight flu
      • Sunshine Is The Natural Treatment For Preventing Pre-diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes and More In Children and Adults
      • Vitamin D is not just beneficial, it’s a necessity
      • Vitamin D pills 'could stop colds or flu'
      • Vitamin D Supplementation: Protection from Respiratory Infections?
      • Relapse Risk Up With Low Vitamin D Levels in Ulcerative Colitis
      • Supplementation with vitamin D associated with improved testosterone, erectile function among middle-aged men
      • We all need the Vitamin D
      • 7 Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency People Often Ignore
      • 8 Surprising Things You Didn't Know Vitamin D Could Do For You
      • Low vitamin D level predicts CV morbidity, mortality in type 2 diabetes
      • 10 Things That Will Happen If You Lack Vitamin D
      • Vitamin D study outlines impact of supplements in seniors
      • Vitamin D deficiency and the risk of tuberculosis: a meta-analysis
      • Vitamin D improves gut flora and metabolic syndrome
      • Low Levels of Vitamin D May Be Tied to Balance Problems in Fibromyalgia Patients
      • High Levels of Vitamin D Supplements May Help Improve Lung Function in CF Patients, Study Shows
      • Vitamin D Modestly Tied to Sex Hormones in Older Population
      • Sun exposure as kids may prevent nearsightedness in later life
      • Vitamin D reduces respiratory infections, but there's a catch
      • Insufficient Sun Exposure Called Emerging Public Health Problem By World-renowned Researchers
      • Weight loss combined with vitamin D supplements can reduce inflammation linked to cancer and chronic diseases
      • Higher Doses of Vitamin D Can Lower Incidence of Respiratory Infection
      • Poor fertility linked to low vitamin D levels
      • Men and the Power of Vitamin D
      • Vitamin D and Immune Function
      • High quality evidence suggests vitamin D can reduce asthma attacks
      • The association between vitamin D and COPD risk, severity, and exacerbation: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis
      • How to boost your energy levels
      • Low Vitamin D Increases Mortality Risk
      • Air pollution and vitamin D deficiency linked to dementia.
      • The Vitamin D Deficiency Epidemic … 40% World’s Population Low on D
      • Low Vitamin D Linked with All-Cause Death
      • Your Family Doesn't Have To Get Sick This Fall
      • Vitamin D is essential for the elderly living without sunshine in their lives
      • Taking THIS vitamin could protect you against cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s
      • Vitamin D tablets may help reduce asthma attacks, review finds
      • Vitamin D Proven More Effective Than Both Anti-Viral Drugs and Vaccines at Preventing the Flu
      • Bring me sunshine: How I beat eczema
      • Insulin Resistance and Vitamin D
      • Diverticulitis risk lower with higher vitamin D
      • Vitamin D deficincy linked to problems in pregnancy.
      • High Doses of Vitamin D Unlikely to Help MS Patients, But Daily Low Dose Good for All,
      • Natural Vitamin D Supplement Effective for Nondialysis CKD-MBD
      • 8 Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency
      • Vitamin D deficiency could increase risk of diabetes related coronary heart disease
      • Low D may increase nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
      • Vitamin D for prostate health
      • Pregnant women with good intake of vitamin D lower risk
      • Fight infection like an Olympic athlete
      • Lack of vitamin D lowering fertility in Gulf, doctors say
      • Rayaldee Approved for Secondary Hyperparathyroidism Vitamin d Deficiency
      • Increase vitamin D levels to cut kidney problems
      • Sunbathers live longer
      • Crohn’s disease causes vitamin D deficiency
      • Taking vitamin D avoid new-onset diabetes risk
      • Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Diabetic Retinopathy
      • UK sun not enough
      • morbidity and D
      • Macular and D
      • Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D
    • Heart Health >
      • STUDY NAILS DOWN A LINK BETWEEN VITAMIN D AND HEART HEALTH
      • Vitamin D-3 could 'reverse' ​damage to heart
      • Vitamin D and the Heart
      • Vitamin D Can Mend a Broken Heart
      • D deficiency linked to high blood pressure
      • Stress of open-heart surgery significantly reduces vitamin D levels, but supplementation helps
      • Vitamin D reduces early mortality: study
      • Vitamin D-3 could 'reverse' damage to heart
      • High Vitamin D Dose May Rapidly Cut Arterial Stiffness
      • Heart failure 12 times more likely in people with vitamin D deficiency
      • Exercise and vitamin D better together for heart health
      • Sunshine vitamin linked to fewer heart events: Meta­-analysis
      • Vitamin D levels could predict risk of poor cardiovascular health
    • Neurological health >
      • New Research Shows Vitamin D Deficiency Leads to Dementia
      • Vitamin D supplementation may reduce ADHD symptoms, finds study
      • low d linked to fall, sleep problems and depression
      • Potential link between vitamin d deficiency and loss of brain plasticity
      • SUNBATHE AND QUIT SMOKING TO REDUCE MS RISK IN SPAIN’S MALAGA SAY LEADING DOCTORS
      • At risk of getting, or have, multiple sclerosis? Load up on vitamin D: MS Society
      • 4 things you can do to prevent stroke
      • Vitamin D: The Only Dietary Supplement Showing Significant Benefit for MS
      • Vitamin D Supplementation May Help Ease Depression
      • Easing your winter blues this season
      • Reducing Vitamin D Levels in Women May Up the Risk of Multiple Sclerosis
      • UNBC study shows vitamin D boosts brain function
      • Vitamin D Eases Depression, Fatigue in Spinal Cord Patients
      • Sharon Ní Chonchúir on having a baby despite her MS
      • Dutch study confirms link between certain psychiatric disorders and vitamin D deficiency
      • Vitamin D Deficiency and Depression
      • Vitamin D During Pregnancy Reduces ADHD Risk
      • Low Levels of Vitamin D in Patients With Bipolar Disorder
      • Vitamin D Supplements Improve Cognition in Patients With MS
      • Can vitamin D prevent Alzheimers?
      • The signs you might have seasonal affective disorder
      • A deficiency of THIS essential vitamin could lead to MEMORY loss
      • Vitamin D levels predict risk of brain decline in Chinese elderly
      • Vitamin D and MS
      • Alzheimer's Q&A
    • Pain >
      • Vitamin D Reduces Need for Opioid Pain Relief in Cancer Patients
      • The association of calcium and vitamin D use with implant survival of total knee arthroplasty: A nationwide population-based cohort study
      • Vitamin D for Back Pain and Disc Degeneration in Postmenopausal Women
      • Vitamin D may expedite wound healing in burn patients
      • Vitamin deficiency can cause pain
      • What is the link between psoriatic arthritis and depression?
      • Neuropathic Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency
      • Vitamin D supplements could help pain management
      • Recent clinical trial discovers vitamin D supplementation reduces chronic low back pain
      • Chronic Headache Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency
      • With Vitamin D Deficiency More Prevalent Than Previously Thought, Pain & Stress Center Presents Solution
      • How vitamin D inhibits inflammation
      • Easy ways to relieve crippling knee pain
      • Vitamin D Supplementation and the Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis
      • Migraines Linked to Low Levels of Vitamin D
    • ​Weight Managment >
      • Research links lower vitamin D levels to excess body fat
      • Vitamin D is important for decreasing belly fat
      • Study finds association between vitamin D, BMI and advanced cancer
      • Weight loss combined with vitamin D supplements can reduce inflammation linked to cancer and chronic diseases
      • Vitamin D deficiency can cause weight gain
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  • Vitamin D may get you discharged home sooner! A deficiency in the sunshine supplement trebles the length of time patients stay in hospital
  • 5 Probiotic Benefits That Have Nothing To Do With Digestion
  • Newborns with Vitamin D Deficiency Have Higher Risk of Later Schizophrenia
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  • Exercising and Taking Vitamin D and Omega-3 Supplements May Reduce Your Cancer Risk By 61%, Study Says

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy tied to autism risk

BY HANNAH FURFARO  
 JUNE 8, 2017
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Children born to women who had low blood levels of vitamin D while pregnant more than double their risk of autism1.
The findings come from a study of more than 4,000 children in the Netherlands. Only 68 of the children had an autism diagnosis by age 6, but the researchers still found a statistically significant link between vitamin D deficiency in the women and the children’s autism risk.
“When we looked at the analysis, I nearly fell off my chair,” says lead researcher John McGrath, professor at Aarhus University in Denmark and the Queensland Brain Institute in Australia. The study was a “lucky strike,” given the small sample size, McGrath says.
The absolute risk of autism associated with maternal vitamin D deficiency is still small, however. “Mothers with vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy need not panic about the mental health of their children,” McGrath says.
McGrath and his team previously showed an association between maternal vitamin D levels and autism traits2. In the new study, they looked at medical records and other information to identify children with an autism diagnosis. The study appeared 10 April in the British Journal of Psychiatry Open.
“I really think we could say now that there’s quite strong evidence that this is one of the factors related to the risk of [autism],” says Mats Humble, senior lecturer at Örebro University in Sweden, who was not involved in the work. The findings are exciting because vitamin D deficiency can be safely treated with supplements, Humble says.
Some experts are not willing to go that far: The study is too small to draw firm conclusions about the link between vitamin D and autism, says Kristen Lyall, assistant professor in the Modifiable Risk Factors program at the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute in Philadelphia.
Investigating exposure:People get vitamin D from sunlight and from foods such as fish and milk. In 2008, psychiatrist John Cannell noted that the uptick in autism prevalencecoincides with an increasing awareness of the dangers of sun exposure3. Since then, several research teams have looked for a link.
In November, a study of 800,000 children in Scotland revealed that more children conceived in winter months have autism than do those conceived in sunnier seasons. The results hinted that a dearth of sunlight — and vitamin D — boosts the chances of autism.
McGrath and his team analyzed data from the Generation R Study, a Dutch repository of medical information and biological samples from pregnant women, their partners and their children. The repository includes blood collected from the women when they were 21 weeks pregnant and from the umbilical cord immediately after they gave birth. The cord blood reflects vitamin D levels in the fetus during the third trimester.
Last September, the researchers reported that children born to women who had low blood levels of vitamin D at both of these time points were more likely than the other children in the study to have autism features2. The researchers used the Social Responsiveness Scale, a widely used autism screen, for this study.
In the new study, the researchers used medical records to confirm which children had an autism diagnosis. Of the 4,334 children included in the analysis, 68 have autism.
Women who were deficient in vitamin D midway through pregnancy were 2.42 times more likely to have a child with autism than those with normal levels of the nutrient. There was no association between vitamin D level at the end of pregnancy and autism risk.
Most women with a vitamin D deficiency will not go on to have a child with autism: Of the 654 children in the study whose mothers were deficient in vitamin D during pregnancy, only 15 have autism.
Critical window:No one knows how vitamin D deficiency might increase autism risk. Giving autism mouse models the hormonal form of vitamin D prevents some autism-like behaviors in their pups, says Darryl Eyles, professor of neuroscience at the Queensland Brain Institute, who co-led the study4.
But how the hormone might alter behavior is unclear. What’s more, this form of the vitamin isn’t safe in humans, and it’s unclear if vitamin D supplements will have similar effects, Eyles says.
Some people with autism have low levels of vitamin D5. But it is difficult to determine whether deficiency boosts autism risk or merely reflects autism features, such as picky eating or a tendency to stay indoors.
“That is one reason why these studies on pregnancy or neonatal samples are so important,” Humble says.
Lack of vitamin D in the womb would need to act in conjunction with genes and other environmental factors to lead to autism, says study investigator Tonya White, associate professor of child and adolescent psychiatry and radiology at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam. “Since not all children who had an autism diagnosis were exposed to low maternal vitamin D during pregnancy, there are certainly other factors at play,” she says.
Scientists should examine whether there is a critical window when vitamin D is most important for fetal development, Lyall says. “It’s possible that vitamin D may be important throughout pregnancy, but I think we need more studies to really learn about the importance of timing in this association,” she says.
If additional studies confirm an association between maternal vitamin D deficiency and autism risk, clinicians may recommend that pregnant women take vitamin D supplements, as they do with folic acid.

REFERENCES:
  1. Vinkhuyzen A.A.E. et al. BJPsych. Open 3, 85-90 (2017) PubMed
  2. Vinkhuyzen A.A. et al. Mol. Psychiatry Epub ahead of print (2016) PubMed
  3. Cannell J.J. Med. Hypotheses 70, 750-759 (2008) PubMed
  4. Vuillermot S. et al. Mol. Autism 8, 9 (2017) PubMed
  5. Graf-Myles J. et. al. J. Dev. Behav. Pediatr. 34, 449-459 (2013) PubMed
https://spectrumnews.org/news/vitamin-d-deficiency-pregnancy-tied-autism-risk/

Comment:  Dr. Eisenstein had spoken on the connection between autism and Vitamin D for over 7 years!
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