“When it comes to eating right and exercising, there is no “I’ll start tomorrow.”  Tomorrow is disease.”

-V.L. Allinear

CNN recently published an article citing a study that was conducted concerning pregnant women and vitamin D.  Results of that study indicated that pregnant women could, and probably SHOULD, consume about 10 times more vitamin D than is currently recommended. 

Guidelines for vitamin D consumption in the past have been capped at 2,000 IU per day (according to doctor recommendations).  However, researchers have now stated that that much vitamin D is not only safe during pregnancy, but doubling that amount may actually reduce the risk of complications.

It is important to remember that pregnant women should consult with their physicians before any dramatic increase in vitamin D.  This study was only performed on women in their second trimester and beyond, and has not yet been tested for earlier term pregnancy.

The study performed tests on 500 women who were at least 12 weeks pregnant.  Researchers had each woman take a different dose of vitamin D on a daily basis.  Women took either 400, 2,000, or 4, 000 IU.  The women who took 4, 000 IU were found to be least likely to go into labor early, give birth prematurely, or develop infections.           

Bruce Hollis, Ph.D, and director of pediatric nutritional sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina stated, “We didn’t see a single adverse effect.  It was absolutely safe, and we saw a lot of improved outcomes.  The risk of preterm labor was vastly decreased and so was the risk of other complications of pregnancy.”

To read more of this article, click here.