Many pregnant women take Vitamin D supplements to help lower the risk of asthma of their unborn child. However, two new studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that a daily dose of Vitamin D does not have any effect at all.
Dr. Hans Bisgaard, one of the authors of one of the studies, said that a daily Vitamin D intake did not show "a statistically significant effect on the primary end point of persistent wheeze." He elaborated that it did not contribute to a reduction of the child's risk for asthma, respiratory tract infection or chronic wheezing.
As per HealthDay News, the team led by Bisgaard monitored more than 600 pregnant women until childbirth. They closely tracked the children up to three years old where it was shown that the Vitamin D supplements made no significant effects on the child's susceptibility to asthma.
Although according to Bisgaard and his team, further studies might just be needed. But this time around, a higher dose of Vitamin D might be used, and supplementation would be started at the early stages of pregnancy.
In the other study, led by a doctor of Brigham and Women's Hospital - Dr. Augusto Litonjua, it involved 900 pregnant women who were already considered to be at risk of having a child with asthma. A portion of the women took 4,000 IU of Vitamin D, while another team took only 400 IU of Vitamin D.
When the children were already three years old, 30 percent of children from the 400 IU group had asthma, while 24 percent from the 4,000 IU group developed the ailment. While there was a 6 percent difference, the rate was considered insignificant by Litonjua.
Just like Bisgaard, Litonjua and his team believe that more studies are needed to determine whether a daily Vitamin D supplement during pregnancy can lower the risk for asthma of a child. Since the supplement does not cause any harm to the mother and baby, a daily intake can be considered as safe.
The American Pregnancy Association has highlighted some of the benefits that mother and baby could get from Vitamin D. It can help strengthen the immune function and supports optimum bone health. It also helps the body in absorbing calcium and phosphorus and contributes to proper metabolism.
