Vitamin D intake during pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of MS in offspring

Objective. Vitamin D may have a protective role in the aetiology of MS, but the effect of vitamin D in pregnancy on adult onset MS has not been studied.

Methods: In 2001, 35,794 mothers of participants of the Nurses' Health Study II completed a questionnaire inquiring about their experiences and diet during pregnancy with their nurse daughters. This allowed these investigators to study  the association of maternal milk intake, maternal dietary vitamin D intake, and predicted maternal serum vitamin D during pregnancy and their daughters' risk of developing MS.

Results: MS was diagnosed in 199 women. The relative risk of MS was lower among women born to mothers with high milk or vitamin D intake during pregnancy. The relative risk of MS was 0.62 (38% lower) for nurses whose mothers consumed 2 to 3 glasses of milk per day compared with those whose mothers consumed <3 glasses per month. The predicted vitamin D level in the pregnant mothers was also inversely associated with the risk of MS in their daughters. 

Conclusions: Higher maternal milk and vitamin D intake during pregnancy may be associated with a lower risk of developing MS in offspring. 

Mirzaei et al. Gestational vitamin D and the risk of multiple sclerosis in offspring. Ann Neurol. 2011 Jul;70(1):30-40. doi: 10.1002/ana.22456.

"This supports my current recommendation that all woman should be taking physiological doses of vitamin D supplements during pregnancy. In fact we all should be supplementing our dietary intake all the time. I currently recommend 5,000U of vitamin D3 per day."

Other posts on this blog in relation to Vitamin D:

17 Jul 2011
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05 Jul 2011
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11 Jul 2011
"This study provides a hint that vitamin D supplementation that results in higher blood vitamin D levels many suppress EBV within the body. Interesting? We think very interesting and trying to work out how EBV and ...
05 Jul 2011
"This study is another reason to make sure that you are vitamin D replete. There is not enough good quality sunshine in the UK to do this so you need to take supplements. I advocate 5000U of vitamin D3 per day." ...
24 Jul 2011
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05 Jul 2011
Vitamin D websites. You may find these websites helpful: Vitamin D Council & Vitamin D3 World CoI: Nil. Posted by Gavin Giovannoni at 09:38 ยท Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Google Buzz ...

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