Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Autism

The role vitamin D plays in early human health is back into the spotlight after Australian researchers noticed a link between a deficiency in pregnancy and autism.

The research, led by The University of Queensland’s Brain Institute Professor John McGrath and involving Dr Henning Tiemeier from The Netherlands, found pregnant women with low Vitamin D levels at 20 weeks’ gestation were more likely to have a child with autistic traits by the age of six.

“This study provides further evidence that low vitamin D is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders,” McGrath said on Wednesday.

The finding has led to calls for the widespread use of vitamin D supplements during pregnancy, just as taking folate has reduced the incidence of spina bifida in the community.

McGrath said supplements may reduce the incidence of autism – a lifelong developmental disorder that inhibits greatly a person’s ability to communicate with others.

“We would not recommend more sun exposure, because of the increased risk of skin cancer in countries like Australia,” he said. “Instead, it’s feasible that a safe, inexpensive, and publicly accessible vitamin D supplement in at-risk groups may reduce the prevalence of this risk factor.”

Vitamin D usually comes from exposure to the sun, but it can also be found in some foods and supplements. While it’s widely known vitamin D is vital for maintaining healthy bones, there’s also a solid body of evidence linking it to brain growth.

The study examined approximately 4,200 blood samples from pregnant women and their children, who were closely monitored as part of the long-term “Generation R” study in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

It’s not the first time vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy has been called into question. McGrath’s team previously found a link between low Vitamin D in neonatal blood and an increased risk of schizophrenia.

Earlier this year, an Australian study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, showed vitamin D wasn’t just important during pregnancy but also in the first decade of a child’s life.

Researchers at the Murdoch Childrens Institute Children found evidence of a clear link between a lack of vitamin D in early childhood and allergic disorders such as asthma and eczema.

Source: insidefmcg.com.au/2016/12/14/vitamin-d-deficiency-linked-to-autism/#daily, viewed 14 December 2016