This Is How To Avoid Autism and schizophrenia in Newborns.

Key Facts:

Increased Risk: Babies with low vitamin D had higher chances of developing ADHD, schizophrenia, and autism.
Widespread Deficiency: Vitamin D deficiency is common in pregnant women worldwide.
Preventive Potential: Early-life vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of mental disorders.

Source: University of Queensland

Newborn babies with a vitamin D deficiency have a higher chance of later developing mental disorders such as ADHD, schizophrenia and autism, a major study involving The University of Queensland has found.

In the largest population study of its kind, researchers examined vitamin D status of 71,793 people, many of whom had a mental health disorder diagnosed during childhood and early adulthood.

Professor John McGrath from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, led the study that was based at the National Centre for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, and the State Serum Institute in Denmark.

He said they examined 6 mental disorders: major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and anorexia nervosa.

“We found evidence that people with lower vitamin D concentration as a baby had an increased risk of schizophrenia, ASD and ADHD,” Professor McGrath said.

“Previous research had linked neonatal vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk of schizophrenia and autism, but this study examined a wider range of mental disorders, and included evidence based on two vitamin D-related biomarkers and related genetics.”

Professor McGrath said their research suggested that vitamin D supplements during pregnancy and early life could help reduce the risk of mental disorders in adulthood.

“Vitamin D is important for a baby’s brain development, and low vitamin D levels are common in pregnant women across the globe,’’ he said.

“This is why many countries recommended the use of vitamin D supplements during pregnancy.

“Similar to how folate supplements are recommended during pregnancy to prevent spina bifida, our research suggest that optimising vitamin D levels in early life may reduce the risk of several neurodevelopmental disorders.”

The researchers analysed data from the iPSYCH study, which was founded in 2012 to investigate mental disorders in Denmark.

Vitamin D usually comes from sun exposure but can also be found in some foods and supplements.

Summary: Babies born with low vitamin D levels are more likely to develop mental disorders like ADHD, schizophrenia, and autism later in life. Researchers analyzed data from over 71,000 individuals, linking neonatal vitamin D deficiency to increased risks of several neurodevelopmental conditions.

This research expands on previous studies and suggests that early-life vitamin D plays a crucial role in brain development. The findings support recommendations for vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and early infancy as a preventive measure for mental health disorders.

The research is published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

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