According to a study, women who took extra vitamin D during pregnancy had stronger bones in their children up to seven years of age.
Bone density scans were taken for research led by the University of Southampton and University Hospitals Southampton, which showed that the children had more calcium in their bones and more of the mineral, which makes bones stronger and less likely to break. The chances are reduced.
In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers said the findings underscore the importance of vitamin D intake during pregnancy.
Vitamin D controls the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These minerals are important for healthy bones, teeth and muscles.
In 2009, researchers launched a study called Mavidos (Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis) involving more than 1,000 women from Southampton, Oxford and Sheffield.
During pregnancy, women were divided into two groups. One group was given a daily supplement of 1000 international units of vitamin D, while the other group was given a placebo.
A spokesperson for the University of Southampton said the results of the study confirmed that the positive effects of vitamin D on children’s bones were the same at four and six years of age and at seven years of age.
