Research shows that women who have low vitamin D levels at 20 weeks pregnant are more likely to give birth to a child that has autistic traits emerge at some point during their young childhood. The study has sparked immediate concern for a great number of people and has also outlined the importance of vitamin D supplements during pregnancy.
Vitamin D is naturally found in abundance in the sun, but doctors will not recommend prolonged exposure, due to the increased risk of skin cancer. So, pregnant women especially should be looking to enhance their vitamin D levels another way, for example via certain foods, or through the use of supplements. It’s this vitamin that is vital for maintaining strong bones and has also been linked to brain growth too.
Professor John McGrath from the University of Queensland’s Brain Institute led the research into Vitamin D and its connection to autism, alongside Dr. Henning Tiemeier from the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands. McGrath commented, “This study provides further evidence that low vitamin D is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.” He also explained that there is a good chance that taking supplements will reduce the possibility of autism.
There are other conditions as well as autism that can be linked to a vitamin D deficiency including asthma, reduced bone density, and schizophrenia. So it’s vital that healthy levels of vitamin D are maintained during pregnancy to ensure the baby gets the best start in life that it possibly can.
Another study at the Murdoch Children’s Institute found a new link between vitamin D and food allergy.
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