Autism linked to vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy (again), researchers find
Further new evidence of a link between Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and autism puts the important role of this 'sunshine Vitamin' in early life back in the spotlight
FAB RESEARCH COMMENT:
Once again, Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk for autistic spectrum disorder in the resulting children. For details of this research, see:This new study - using data from a general population birth cohort study, which allowed researchers to control for a wide range of possible confounding factors - adds to a considerable body of existing evidence that prenatal Vitamin D deficiency affects brain development in ways that can increase risks for not only autism spectrum disorders, but related developmental conditions, including ADHD and schizophrenia.
Importantly, dimensional traits associated with autism, rather than clinical diagnoses of this condition, were the primary outcome measure. The association of lower prenatal Vitamin D status with higher scores on these traits was robust, even when controlling for several factors known to influence Vitamin D status and/or the likelihood of autistic traits, such as race-ethnicity, maternal age, sex and socioeconomic status.
Association studies like this one cannot be taken as definitive evidence of cause and effect relationships.
To establish causality, randomised controlled intervention trials (RCT) - in this case, involving Vitamin D supplementation vs placebo - would be considered the 'gold standard' study design. However, nutrients are not drugs - and such trials are not well suited to nutritional interventions for many different reasons.
What's more - for ethical and/or practical reasons, such trials are are extremely difficult if not impossible to conduct in vulnerable groups such as women during pregnancy - especially with a long enough follow-up period to assess effects on neurodevelopmental conditions that may only become apparent during childhood & adolescence, or even adulthood.
For more information on this topic, see also the following article lists, which are frequently updated:
14th December 2016 - The Guardian
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The important role vitamin D plays in early life is back in the spotlight after Australian researchers noticed a link between a deficiency during pregnancy and autism.
The study 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.
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.
“This study provides further evidence that low vitamin D is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders,” said Professor John McGrath from the University of Queensland’s Brain Institute, who led the research alongside Dr Henning Tiemeier from the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands.
McGrath said supplements might reduce the incidence of autism, a lifelong developmental condition that affects, among other things, how an individual relates to their environment and other people.
“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.
Blood samples with a vitamin D reading of less than 25.0 nmols is considered deficient.
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