Vitamin D

We're staying indoors more and using sunscreen (usually a good idea). What's wrong with that? We're just not getting our daily dose of sunshine, complete with vitamin D. It's truly nature's vitamin and the benefits are enormous. More studies are needed but it appears this nutrient may play a role in later health of the child. In other words, prenatal vitamin D may help prevent a myriad of other diseases.

The Nutrition-wise blog of Mayo Clinic (by Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.,January 2009) suggests:

During pregnancy, the active form of vitamin D increases significantly, particularly in the second and third trimesters. During this time, the baby's bones are developing, as are the brain, the nervous system, and the other organs.

Recently, a review published in the journal "Nutrition Reviews" looked at the research about vitamin D and maternal, fetal, and infant health. Although much more research is required, it appears that vitamin D contributes to improving pregnancy outcomes, such as decreasing the risk of pre-eclampsia, and improving length of gestation, birth weight, and infant bone mineralization. It also appears that sufficient vitamin D in early life may decrease the risk of health problems later in life such as schizophrenia, brain tumors, asthma, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes.

These findings don't mean you should run to the local pharmacy for a mega dose of vitamin D. In fact, the article also warns of potential adverse effects of too much vitamin D on the cardiovascular system and allergies. Much is still to be learned and hopefully gained from further research. But here's what I can share as safe advice now:

If you are pregnant:

• Take a prenatal vitamin. If you can't tolerate that, take a regular multivitamin. Look for one with at least 200 international units of vitamin D (the U.S. recommended daily allowance).
• The current tolerable upper limit is 2000 IU. The Canadian Pediatric Society actually suggests that this level may be appropriate for winter pregnancies.

If you have infants/children:

• Infants fed breast milk need a vitamin D supplement, 400 international units daily, according to a 2008 report of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
• Infants fed formula need a vitamin D supplement until they are drinking at least a liter of formula daily. Again, the AAP recommends up to 400 international units to complement the amount in formula. Consult with your child's doctor or dietitian.
• Older children drinking less than a quart of vitamin D-fortified milk daily need a vitamin D supplement, up to 400 international units daily.
• Infants and children are at greater risk of toxicity — so be cautious with your dosing and administration.

Don't forget to take those daily walks. They not only provide vitamin D but they give you good exercise which helps many systems of the body and you get a natural seratonin boost that acts as an antidepressant. Once the baby is born the sunshine benefits double and you get your figure back! It's win-win.

Vitamin D in pregnancy

Another good thing about summer... we get vitamin D from the sun.

New evidence suggests that we need more than we thought we did of this important vitamin that prevents rickets and osteoporosis. Anthony Norman, PhD, of the UC Riverside is an international expert on the subject. has been researching this vitamin for 45 years. He has learned that possibly every organ of the body may be affected by this vitamin and inadequate intake may be implicated in type-1 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart failure, breast and other cnacers, IBS, TB, psoriasis and multiple sclerosis. He emphasizes that there is a relationship; not necessarily a cause and he feels more study is needed. Meanwhile, he recommends all adults get 2000 IU daily. However, there can be too much of a good thing and Dr. Norman recommends keepin the level below 10,000 IU daily.

Food sources are somewhat limited but some are now fortifying (milk and orange juice for example). Natural sources include butter, egg yolk, fish oil, fortified milk, leafy green vegetables, and skin exposure to sunlight.

It is believed that the tall buildings that block sunlight, sun screen and more time spent working and playing indoors contributes to the lack of vitamin D we are seeing now. It's probably a good idea to get your exercise outside

Read more in Medical News Today. If you wonder about how this affects you, talk to your doctor about this new information.

Vitamin D and Babies

Vitamin D is the amazing nutrient we get from the sun! It helps us build strong bones and absorb calcium. Cow's milk is fortified with vitamin D. In days gone by, we always saw babies out in their prams (perambulator = old style "buggy" like you see in central park or London, pushed by the nannies). The fresh air is good for the baby and it gives both the adult and the baby a good old fashioned vitamin boost. There's nothing old fashioned about a walk (or jog) in the park and it's good for the baby too. Getting back in shape after your delivery requires some exercise. There are plenty of good reasons for going outside.

We've become an "inside" generation, spending hours in front of computer screens and TVs, in buildings, indoor gyms and cars. Our lifestyle may be short-changing our babies too as we all miss out on the emotional health as well as physical benefits of walking outside. We're even sometimes afraid of the sun because of skin cancer concerns, but sunshine is still important - it's the sunburn we need to worry about; not the sunshine.

The benefits of exercise - even a daily walk around the block - are many. Boosting mom's supply of vitamin D is one of those which will also help her to have a good supply in her milk as well. There have been revised recommendations about supplementing breastfed babies with vitamin D. If the mother's stores are adequate this is probably unnecessary. Mom can take a supplement to increase the levels of vitamin D in her milk. It takes about two weeks of supplementation (60 mcg) to substantially raise the level of this vitamin in your milk . Read the article here by a breastfeeding expert at KellyMom.

The recommendation came because it can be difficult to determine if the baby (or mom) is getting adequate exposure to sunlight, even though it doesn't take a lot. Your baby needs 30 minutes of sunlight a week (without sunscreen - not needed in these small doses), beginning at two weeks of age. For people living in cold, northern areas where sunlight is minimal, this may be difficult, so supplementation is encouraged.

In an April, 17, 2003 Press Release La Leche League International responded to the recommendation saying, "Exclusively breastfed healthy, full-term infants from birth to six months who have adequate exposure to sunlight are not at risk for developing vitamin D deficiency or rickets. Rickets occurs because of a deficiency in sunlight exposure, not because of a deficiency in human milk."

This is important because some may believe formula is better than breast milk based on the recommendation. Nothing could be further from the truth. The many important components of breast milk which are not available in artificial baby milk far outweigh any decrease in vitamin D even if the mother's milk is weak in this vitamin, because sunlight gives the baby all the nutrient he or she needs. Babies LOVE to go outside too - in any weather. So, grab a stroller and enjoy walking with your little one. In cold weather, just make sure you have a blanket, hat and sweater. Your neighbors want a peek at the baby too. The benefits are enormous!

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