Vitamin D 'safe for use in pregnancy'
There have been conflicting reports about vitamin D for years. A new study claims the supplement is safe in pregnancy ‘even in high doses’, finding no adverse effects either in the mother or their newborn.
The research team, led by Dr. Bruce Hollis from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, analysed varying dosages of daily supplements up to a vitamin D level of at least 32 nanograms per milliliter.
In the past, there have been fears that too much vitamin D could harm the fetus.
But a study of 350 pregnant women, randomly assigned to three groups, showed those in the higher dose group actually benefitted health-wise.
Vitamin D plays a role in homeostasis, the body's internal regulation, during pregnancy. A deficiency in vitamin D can effect immune, pancreatic and cardiovascular systems.
"In our study subjects, a daily dosage of up to 4,000 IU of vitamin D was required to sustain normal metabolism in pregnant women," said Dr Hollis. "Furthermore, following decades of speculation into its safety our research has demonstrated vitamin D supplementation to be both safe and effective."
