By Staff Writer - January, 15th 2014

Mothers-to-be with high levels of vitamin D have stronger children, scientists have found. In a study of almost 700 English mothers and their children, they found that the more of the so-called sunshine vitamin a woman had in her blood during pregnancy, the stronger her child’s grip at the age of four. It is thought that vitamin D has an effect on the way muscle fibres grow in the womb, helping them to work harder in later life.

Natural Health News — Children are likely to have stronger muscles if their mothers had a higher level of vitamin D in their body during pregnancy, according to new research.

Low vitamin D status has been linked to reduced muscle strength in adults and children, but little is known about how variation in a mother’s status during pregnancy affects her child.

Low vitamin D concentrations are common among young women in the UK, and although women are recommended to take an additional 10?g/day of vitamin D in pregnancy, supplementation is often not taken up.

In new research, published in the January edition of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, scientists at the University of Southampton in the UK measured vitamin D levels  in 678 mothers in the later stages of pregnancy.

When the children were four years old, grip strength and muscle mass were measured. Results showed that the higher the levels …

Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium in the body, which helps to keep bones and teeth strong and healthy, as well as providing a baby with enough vitamin D in their first months.

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