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Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
About a third of pregnant women in the US lack sufficient vitamin D to support healthy pregnancies − new research
Children whose mothers had higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy scored better on tests of memory, attention and problem-solving skills at ages 7 to 12 compared with those whose mothers had lower levels. That is a key finding of a new peer-reviewed study that my colleagues and I published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. While vitamin D has long been known for its role in maintaining bone health, scientists have since uncovered its importance in regulating immune function, reducing inflammation and protecting the nervous system. Now, growing evidence – including our new findings – suggest it may also support brain development beginning in the womb. My team and I found that the link between prenatal vitamin D levels and childhood cognition was strongest among Black families, who also face higher rates of vitamin D deficiency. This suggests that vitamin D supplementation may be a promising, low-cost strategy to support brain development while reducing racial disparities. Our study also suggested that vitamin D levels early in pregnancy may be most important for childhood cognitive development, highlighting the importance of early action by health care providers. We analyzed more than 900 mother-child pairs across the U.S. who participated in a large national study called ECHO, short for Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes. We measured vitamin D in the mothers' blood during pregnancy and assessed children's cognitive abilities using a standardized test battery. We also accounted for other important factors that shape childhood development such as the mother's education, neighborhood conditions and the child's age and sex. This new study builds on our earlier findings that higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy are linked to higher IQ in early childhood and with reduced behavioral problems in middle childhood. Collectively, these studies suggest that vitamin D plays a crucial role in brain development during pregnancy, with lasting benefits for children's cognitive and behavioral outcomes. Why it matters Vitamin D deficiency is a common global problem. In the U.S., about 42% of adults have vitamin D levels below 20 nanograms per milliliter, or ng/ml, a commonly used cutoff for deficiency. About a third of U.S. pregnant women are deficient, and the rates are even higher among Black pregnant women, with 80% found to be deficient. This racial difference is partly due to differences in skin pigmentation, as melanin pigment reduces the skin's ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight. Although we can get vitamin D both from sun exposure and our diets, deficiency is common because these sources don't meet everyone's needs. Sunlight isn't always a reliable source, especially for people with darker skin, those living in northern climates or those who often wear sunscreen or sun-protective clothing. Natural food sources such as fatty fish, egg yolks and certain mushrooms contain some vitamin D, and fortified products such as milk and breakfast cereals help, but not everyone eats enough of these foods to maintain healthy vitamin D levels. That's why supplements are often necessary and are recommended in many cases by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Although current guidelines recommend that pregnant women consume 600 international units, or IUs, of vitamin D daily, higher doses of at least 1,000 to 2,000 IU are often needed to correct deficiency. On average, U.S. women consume only 168 IU from food and beverages, and many prenatal vitamins provide just 400 IU. This highlights an important opportunity for clinicians to improve screening and support around vitamin D supplementation both before and during pregnancy. If a simple, low-cost strategy such as prenatal vitamin D supplementation can help support brain development, it may yield lasting benefits for children. Long-term studies have shown that higher cognitive scores in childhood are linked to better memory and reasoning in older age, as well as longer lifespan. What still isn't known While our studies have linked higher vitamin D levels in pregnancy to improved cognitive and behavioral development in children, we cannot yet prove that vitamin D is the direct cause. Therefore, studies called randomized controlled trials – the gold standard of research – are needed to confirm these findings and determine how best to translate them into clinical practice. These studies will be essential for determining the optimal target levels for vitamin D to support brain development in pregnancy. The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Melissa Melough, University of Delaware Read more: Prenatal supplements fall woefully short in providing crucial nutrition during pregnancy – and most women don't even know it Prenatal supplements largely lack the recommended amount of omega-3 fatty acids to help prevent preterm birth − new research Dietary supplements and protein powders fall under a 'wild west' of products that necessitate caveats and caution Melissa Melough receives funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
30-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Surprising nutrient-packed drink is better for you than water
You may want to thank your parents for forcing you to drink a glass of milk with every meal. As it turns out, it could be nature's Gatorade, the unexpected gold standard of hydration. Water and sports drinks are lauded as hydrating powerhouses, while milk is associated with strong bones, but researchers in Scotland found whole-fat and skimmed milks can do both. The team found the two milks contain significantly higher concentrations of natural electrolytes like potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium than water. These play an important role in regulating nerve signals, blood pressure, blood sugar and muscle contractions. The more liquids you drink, the faster they get absorbed into the bloodstream, where they dilute the body's own fluids and hydrate you. These fluids can pass quickly, however, and the sodium in milk acts like a sponge and holds onto water in the body, resulting less fluid loss during urination. Milk also has a higher osmolality, meaning it flows into the bloodstream easier than plain water molecules would. This leads to more effective hydration. So, by filling your Stanley Cup with milk instead of H2O, you're more likely to be hydrated faster and for longer. The study, published in 2019 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at 12 young adults who drank water, milk and other sugary beverages. They found milk permeate - a byproduct of milk filtration that consists of lactose and minerals - maintained a positive fluid balance for much longer and a higher beverage hydration index compared to water or other carbohydrate-based drinks like sports and energy drinks. Melissa Majumdar, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, who was not involved in the study, told CNN: 'This study tells us much of what we already knew: Electrolytes — like sodium and potassium — contribute to better hydration, while calories in beverages result in slower gastric emptying and therefore slower release of urination.' While exercising, the body sheds many essential nutrients like sodium and potassium to fuel the muscles and keep you sustained as you work out. Post-exercise hydration, therefore, is vital for your body to recover those lost nutrients. To avoid injury, milk supplies the body with about 330mg of calcium, which strengthens bones, decreasing the risk of a stress fracture, and maintains muscle movement and nerve signal transmission. It's also been shown to maintain a normal heartrate, which keeps the heart from working too hard during a workout. For athletes, milk could provide a healthier option than drinks like Gatorade or Powerade, which can contain added sugars and artificial dyes. These have been linked to behavioral problems, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Instead, milk contains no added sugar and won't cause a blood sugar spike - risk factors for diabetes. For those who are lactose-intolerant or vegan, non-dairy milks can also have larger water concentrations, though they have fewer nutrients like calcium than regular cows' milk.
