Moms’ prenatal vitamin D reduces eczema
- First clinical trial finds protective effect for children
Dry, itchy and inflamed skin—called eczema or atopic dermatitis—is common in young children. While not contagious, the condition does increase chances for food allergies, hay fever, and asthma. In this study, 703 moms began taking a placebo or 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day, beginning at week 14 of pregnancy.
At 12 months of age, kids born to moms who had taken vitamin D were 45 percent less likely to have developed eczema compared to kids whose moms had taken the placebo. Children who were breastfed for at least one month were 52 percent less likely to have developed eczema.
Doctors noted the effects weakened after two and four years, which suggested other postnatal influences might become more important beyond infancy, and recommended supplementing children with vitamin D to sustain the eczema benefits.
REFERENCE: BRITISH JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY; JUNE 2022, ARTICLE NO. 21721
Reference: Nutrition & Diabetes; 2022, Vol. 12, Article No. 37
