Vitamin D in Pregnancy Boosts Child’s Muscle Development

Rebecca Lewis January 06, 2014

Vitamin D is gradually being recognised as a super vitamin. Now, a team of researchers at the University of Southampton has found that higher levels of vitamin D during pregnancy may contribute to better muscle development in children.

For the study, the researchers investigated the impact of the vitamin in pregnancy. Blood samples of the participants were taken 34 weeks into the pregnancy and the vitamin D levels were compared with how tightly their children could squeeze a device in their hand at the age of four (as a measure of muscle strength).

The results showed that women with high levels of vitamin D in the late stages of pregnancy were more likely to have children with greater muscle strength.

"There’s some evidence that ’fast’ muscle fibres go down in vitamin D deficiency and you get more fat in muscle.” Dr Nicholas Harvey of Southampton University told BBC. "If there is deficiency in utero then they may end up with a lower number of numbers of these ’fast’ muscle fibres."

The researchers are currently undertaking a trial in which 1,200 expectant mothers are given higher doses of vitamin D supplements to assess its impact on both bone and muscle strength in babies. Dr Harvey noted that taking vitamin D may have long-term benefits to increasing muscle strength. "It peaks in young adulthood before declining in older age and low grip strength in adulthood has been associated with poor health outcomes including diabetes, falls and fractures.”

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient needed for different bodily functions, such as calcium absorption, cell growth, bone and muscle development, inflammation control and neuromuscular functioning. Insufficient levels of vitamin D can lead to a weakened immune system, poor hair growth, increased cancer risk, and weakened muscles and bones.

Most vitamin D is made by the skin when exposed to sunlight, but it can be obtained from certain foods like fatty fish, fortified cereals and dairy products, oysters, and mushrooms. Vitamin D supplements are now being made available as well.

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Vitamin D ’boosts child muscles’