Drinking milk while being pregnant to develop strong bones for your child may not be enough. A recent study led by Dr. Rebecca Moon, University of Southampton states that Vitamin D helps in strengthening bones for children for years. It was observed that mothers who took Vitamin D supplements while being pregnant, had children with better bone density, than mothers who didn’t.

Findings of the study:

The study was conducted on 1000 pregnant women from several parts of the United Kingdom. They were randomly assigned to two groups – one group was asked to take an additional 1,000 International Units per day of vitamin D, and the other group was asked to consume a daily placebo tablet.

Prior research suggested that children demonstrated better bone strength at the age of four when they were born to mothers consuming Vitamin D supplements. The recent study tracked the bone health of 454 children between the ages of six and seven to understand if their bone strength persisted till middle childhood.

Dr Rebecca Moon, a NIHR Clinical Lecturer in Child Health at the University of Southampton and lead study author, in a media release, said that Vitamin D helps in strengthening the child’s bones and alleviating the risk of conditions like osteoporosis and fractures later in life.

Vitamin D supplements and the child’s future bone strength

The study emphasised the importance of Vitamin D supplementation for pregnant women to give birth to children with better bone density and strength. Vitamin D supplements also demonstrated a significant role in changing gene activity. In a study conducted in 2022, it was observed that Vitamin D supplements, taken during pregnancy, can lower the risk of babies developing atopic eczema for up to one year. While taking Vitamin D supplements, women are also more likely to opt for natural vaginal deliveries.

Calcium and phosphate in the body helps in building strong bones, teeth, and muscles. Vitamin D helps in regulating these hormones, thereby contributing to bone strength and density.

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