Taking vitamin D supplements during pregnancy enhances the development of children’s nervous systems, as reported by scientists from the Medical University of South Carolina in the USA.
In a study published in 2023 in the journal Nutrients, researchers observed pregnant women and their children for 3-5 years. The development of children’s nervous systems was evaluated using Brigance Screen II tests, which assess progress in three areas:
- Speech
- Fine and gross motor skills
- Basic literacy and mathematical abilities
Vitamin D: Essential for the Nervous System
Vitamin D regulates calcium and bone homeostasis, plays a crucial role in the immune system, and influences brain development in children and brain function in adults. Vitamin D supplements improve the symptoms of neurocognitive conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Low levels of vitamin D increase the risk of developing autism spectrum disorders, behavioral disorders, schizophrenia, depression, and multiple sclerosis in children and adolescents.
Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy elevates the risk of children developing autism spectrum disorders (ASD), behavioral disorders, schizophrenia, depression, and multiple sclerosis. However, if a family already has a child with ASD, taking vitamin D during a subsequent pregnancy reduces the likelihood of ASD.
The vitamin D level during pregnancy affects the development and structure of offspring’s brains. Animal studies have shown that maternal vitamin D deficiency is associated with reduced gene expression crucial for human speech development. Vitamin D plays a neuroprotective role during fetal brain development, shielding dopaminergic neurons from the maternal immune system. Human research has demonstrated that children born to mothers with a vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy had smaller volumes of gray and white matter in the brain and reduced brain surface area.
The vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) gene’s genotype influences the vitamin D level. Despite receiving the necessary daily dose of vitamin D, children with the Gc1f gene variant experience vitamin D deficiency. Moreover, Gc1f intensifies the severity of ASD.
The Impact of Taking Vitamin D During Pregnancy on Child Development
To answer this question, scientists assembled a group of 350 healthy pregnant women in their 12th to 16th week of gestation. The pregnant women were divided into three groups. From the beginning of the study until childbirth, pregnant women received vitamin D3 at doses of 400, 2000, or 4000 IU/day. Blood samples for vitamin D were taken from the participants every month.
After giving birth, 172 participants agreed to have their children participate in a follow-up study when they reached 3-5 years of age. 156 children completed the study. Blood samples were taken from children at birth to measure vitamin D and VDBP genotype. Then, vitamin D levels were measured again when children reached 3-5 years. The children also underwent Brigance Screen II testing to evaluate their nervous system development.
Vitamin D status was categorized as follows:
- Deficient: <20 ng/mL
- Insufficient: 21-29 ng/mL
- Normal: >30 ng/mL
The vitamin D levels in pregnant women at the beginning of the study and one month before delivery correlated with the vitamin D levels in their children at birth. During subsequent observation at ages 3-5, 19.2% of children showed a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D levels at birth were the same for all VDBP genotypes, but at ages 3-5, vitamin D levels were significantly higher in children with Gc1s-1s, Gc1s-2, or Gc2-2 genotypes compared to those with the Gc1f-1f genotype.
Children aged 3-5 with higher vitamin D levels scored higher on the Brigance testing. Additionally, children whose mothers had higher education received higher Brigance scores.
Better speech development was observed in children whose mothers took 2000 IU/day of vitamin D during pregnancy.
Genotypes Gc1f-1s and Gc1-f2 for VDBP were associated with higher basic literacy and math skills compared to the Gc1f-1f genotype. Genotypes Gc1f-1s and Gc1f-2 and Gc1s-1s, Gc1s-2, and Gc2-2 were associated with lower speech development than the Gc1f-1f genotype. Motor skills were more developed in girls than in boys and in breastfed children.
Conclusion
Children whose mothers took vitamin D during pregnancy had better vitamin D status and higher test scores measuring nervous system development, regardless of maternal education and VDBP genotype.
Interestingly, higher vitamin D levels in adults are associated with improved cognitive function, while lower levels are linked to impaired cognitive abilities and the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Taking vitamin D supplements by patients with Alzheimer’s disease is associated with improved cognitive function and reduced beta-amyloid accumulation.
Children born to mothers who took 2000 IU/day of vitamin D during pregnancy had better speech development than those born to mothers who took the standard 400 IU/day dose. However, this pattern did not extend to children born to mothers in the 4000 IU/day group, even though this higher vitamin D dose improved pregnancy and newborn and infant outcomes.
Vitamin D is essential for nervous system development. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain adequate vitamin D levels during pregnancy, which can be achieved through supplements with higher vitamin D doses than the standard 400 IU/day.
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Reference
Vitamin D and Child Neurodevelopment—A Post Hoc Analysis
