Can Vitamin D for Pregnant Women Prevent Autism in Babies?

What does autism look like in mice? In medical research, mice that struggle with social interaction and exhibit stereotypical behavior are often considered to have autism. When researchers seek to conduct drug studies related to autism, they frequently turn to these mice first.

A recent study at the University of Queensland in Australia discovered a link between low Vitamin D levels in pregnant women and the risk of giving birth to a child with autism. Accordingly, they decided to examine the impact of administering a Vitamin D supplement during pregnancy—not just any supplement, but one consumed in the form of an active hormone.

A group of pregnant mice received this Vitamin D supplement during a pregnancy phase equivalent to the first trimester in humans. The result: all the mice born were neurotypical and did not suffer from autism.

Will doctors now recommend higher doses of Vitamin D for pregnant women? Not so fast. The concern is that administering the vitamin in an active hormonal form, as done in the mouse study, might adversely affect the skeletal development of the fetus.

"We have just received funding that will allow us to investigate what dosage of this supplement is safe for use in pregnant women," say the researchers, who promise to work on decoding the formula until they reach an optimal recommendation to reduce the risk of autism.

Meanwhile, this study joins a series of studies proving that modern humanity suffers from severe Vitamin D deficiencies—paying a high health price for these deficiencies.