Warning to pregnant women on vitamin D: Shortages leads to children with poor motor skills
- Such children are more likely to score in the bottom 25% of motor skill tests
- They are also at a greater risk of impaired social advancement at 42 months
- Researchers believe vitamin D plays a role in the development of brain regions
- Aside from sunlight, vitamin D is found in oily fish and in small amounts in eggs
- Many pregnant women require supplements, however, overdosing is possible
07/2017
Pregnant women lacking in vitamin D are more likely to have children with poor motor skills, new research reveals.
Mothers lacking in this vital vitamin are at risk of having children that score in the bottom 25 per cent of motor skill tests at 30 months old, a study found.
Such children are also at a greater risk of impaired social development at 42 months, the research adds.
Researchers believe interactions between vitamin D and the hormone dopamine in foetus' brains play a critical role in the development of regions that control motor and social development.
Lead author Dr Andrea Darling from the University of Surrey, said: 'Our research shows that if levels are low in expectant mothers, it can affect the development of their children in their early years of life.
How the study was carried out
Researchers from universities of Surrey and Bristol analysed 7,065 mother-child pairs who took part in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.
They investigated the mother's vitamin D serum concentration during pregnancy.
Vitamin D deficiency was defined as having less than 50 nmol per litre in the blood.
Optimal levels are often considered to be 100-to-150 nmol per litre.
The researchers also analysed at least one measurement of childhood advancement.
This could include development at the ages of six-to-24 months, a behavioural questionnaire at seven years, an IQ test an eight years or reading ability at nine years.
Motor skills was measured by the child's ability to kick a ball, balance, jump, hold a pencil and build a tower with bricks.
Key findings
Results revealed that vitamin D deficient mothers are more likely to have children that score in the bottom 25 per cent of motor skills tests at 30 months old.
They are also at a greater risk of impaired social development at 42 months.
Vitamin D levels have no effect on IQ or reading ability later on in childhood.
The researchers believe interactions between vitamin D and the hormone dopamine in foetus' brains play a critical role in the development of regions that control motor and social development.
The findings were published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
What the researchers say
Dr Darling said: 'The importance of vitamin D sufficiency should not be underestimated.
'It is well-known to be good for our musculoskeletal systems, but our research shows that if levels are low in expectant mothers, it can affect the development of their children in their early years of life.
'Vitamin D is found in oily fish (e.g. salmon, sardines, mackerel and fresh tuna) and in small amounts of red meat, eggs, fortified fat spreads and some breakfast cereals.
'However, unless a large portion of oily fish (100g) is eaten daily it is difficult to get the recommended daily intake of 10 micrograms per day from food alone.
She said: 'Many pregnant women, especially those from minority groups with darker skin (e.g. African, African-Caribbean or South Asian), will still need to take a 10 micrograms vitamin D supplement daily, particularly in the autumn and winter when vitamin D cannot be made from the sun in the UK.
'However, it is important to remember that "more is not necessarily better" and it is important not to take too much vitamin D from supplements as it can be toxic in very high dose's.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4689246/Lack-vitamin-D-pregnancy-affects-children.html
Comment: Old news. Hear what Dr. Eisenstein said on the subject years ago!
More than 60 years ago, based on the science of the time (science that has stagnated for 60 years), Dr. E. Orbermer of Italy wrote the following:
"Until further experimental evidence, adequate and incontrovertible, is made available, I submit that we should play for safety. In a climate like that of England every pregnant woman should be given a supplement of vitamin D in doses of not less than 10,000 IU per day in the first 7 months, and 20,000 IU (per day) during the 8th and 9th months."
OBERMER E. Vitamin-D requirements in pregnancy. Br Med J. 1947 Dec 6;2(4535):927.
The "adequate and incontrovertible evidence" that Dr. Orbermer wanted, to a certain extent, is finally here, 60 years later. As it has to do with developing human beings, it could not be more important. The study is the highest standard of proof, a randomized controlled trial, conducted by Professor Bruce Hollis and colleagues at the Medical University of South Carolina. They took 350 pregnant women, gave 1/3 of them 600 IU/day, 1/3 of them 2,000 IU/day, and 1/3 4,000 IU/day. Then they waited to see, among many things, which group would produce infants with at least 20 ng/ml of vitamin D in their blood, the lowest limit the 2010 Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) says is needed for good fetal health.
Hollis BW, Johnson D, Hulsey TC, Ebeling M, Wagner CL. Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy: double-blind, randomized clinical trial of safety and effectiveness. J Bone Miner Res. 2011 Oct;26(10):2341-57. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.463
Surprise surprise, only the 4,000 IU/day pregnant women group even approached the minimal safety level of 20 ng/ml in their infants. Furthermore, the 2010 FNB recommendations of vitamin D in prenatal vitamins would have left 50% of the White women and 80% of the Black women with fetuses below 20 ng/ml.
"Until further experimental evidence, adequate and incontrovertible, is made available, I submit that we should play for safety. In a climate like that of England every pregnant woman should be given a supplement of vitamin D in doses of not less than 10,000 IU per day in the first 7 months, and 20,000 IU (per day) during the 8th and 9th months."
OBERMER E. Vitamin-D requirements in pregnancy. Br Med J. 1947 Dec 6;2(4535):927.
The "adequate and incontrovertible evidence" that Dr. Orbermer wanted, to a certain extent, is finally here, 60 years later. As it has to do with developing human beings, it could not be more important. The study is the highest standard of proof, a randomized controlled trial, conducted by Professor Bruce Hollis and colleagues at the Medical University of South Carolina. They took 350 pregnant women, gave 1/3 of them 600 IU/day, 1/3 of them 2,000 IU/day, and 1/3 4,000 IU/day. Then they waited to see, among many things, which group would produce infants with at least 20 ng/ml of vitamin D in their blood, the lowest limit the 2010 Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) says is needed for good fetal health.
Hollis BW, Johnson D, Hulsey TC, Ebeling M, Wagner CL. Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy: double-blind, randomized clinical trial of safety and effectiveness. J Bone Miner Res. 2011 Oct;26(10):2341-57. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.463
Surprise surprise, only the 4,000 IU/day pregnant women group even approached the minimal safety level of 20 ng/ml in their infants. Furthermore, the 2010 FNB recommendations of vitamin D in prenatal vitamins would have left 50% of the White women and 80% of the Black women with fetuses below 20 ng/ml.
