Increasing sunlight vitamins in young children may reduce later psychiatric symptoms

A recent study published in JAMA network open Examine the effects of vitamin D supplementation₃ Psychiatric symptoms during the first 2 years of life.

study: Effects of vitamin D ₃ Second-year supplements for psychiatric symptoms in 6- to 8-year-olds: a randomized clinical trial. Image credit: R_Szatkowski / Shutterstock.com

Vitamin D and neurodevelopment

In addition to its important role in skeletal health, vitamin D also plays an important role in neurodevelopment. Experimental studies have linked vitamin D deficiency to abnormal brain development. Several observational studies suggest that low vitamin D levels in childhood are associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorders.

In addition, low vitamin D levels have been associated with increased depressive symptoms and internalization and externalization problems later in childhood. Previously, the authors of the current study conducted a randomized clinical trial and found no benefit with increased vitamin D.₃ Supplements for children 2 years and younger based on developmental milestones, competencies, and problems of externalization, internalization, or dysregulation compared to standard supplements.

About research

In the current study, researchers looked at the effects of vitamin D.₃ 2nd year supplement for psychiatric symptoms from 6 to 8 years old. This is a follow-up study of the aforementioned trial, which initially enrolled 495 men and 492 women of Nordic descent from January 2019 to June 2014. Each child was randomized to receive 400 IU or 1,200 IU of vitamin D3 from 2 weeks through June 2014. 2 years old.

Children took 5 drops of the supplement daily. Questionnaires were used to obtain parental demographic, lifestyle and health data.

Hospital records were accessed for pregnancy, birth, and pediatric demographic data. Maternal serum was collected during routine follow-up visits from 6 weeks of gestation to her 27 weeks. The child’s serum samples were collected at 1 year of age and her 2 years of age, and all serum samples were analyzed for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels.

More than 55% of families participated in the follow-up, which began in November 2019. Families completed questionnaires on cognitive and psychological outcomes.

Psychiatric symptoms were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) questionnaire. A composite score of parent-reported total problems, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems was calculated.

Group differences in psychiatric problems were investigated by logistic and linear regression analyses. Supplementary analyzes assessed the association between her 25(OH)D levels at 1 or 2 years and psychiatric outcomes. To test the interaction between prenatal vitamin D levels and supplementation, children were stratified by their mother’s 25(OH)D levels.

research result

A total of 346 children with a mean age of 7.1 years participated in this follow-up study, including 177 children in the 1,200 IU vitamin D intervention group.

Significantly higher 25(OH)D levels were observed at 1 and 2 years in the 1,200 IU group than in the 400 IU group. Twenty children in the 400 IU group and 10 children in the 1,200 IU group had clinically significant internalization problems.

Externalizing problems were reported for 16 children in each intervention group. In the 400 IU and 1,200 IU groups, nine and her eight children, respectively, had complete problems. Similar findings were replicated in a sensitivity analysis limited to 318 children with Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) scores.

There was no effect of the supplement on global or external problems. Higher 25(OH)D concentrations in him at 1 or 2 years of age were associated with a lower risk of internalization problems and lower internalization problem scores in the crude model.

The effect of 25(OH)D levels over 2 years did not change after adjusting for sex, maternal depressive symptoms, single parent status, and time of delivery. However, the effect of 1-year 25(OH)D levels on internalization of problem scores was attenuated.

25(OH)D levels for 1 or 2 years had no effect on global and externalizing problems. Her 25(OH)D concentrations in 96 mothers were <30 ng/ml. The mother's 25(OH)D level did not affect the child's psychiatric problems.

The risk of internalization problems was greater in children in the 1,200 IU treatment group with maternal 25(OH)D levels <30 ng/ml compared to those in the 400 IU treatment group with maternal 25(OH)D levels <30 ng/ml. lower than the children in the group. ml.

Conclusion

The study observed a prevalence of internalization problems of 5.6% and 11.8% with higher vitamin D intake and standard vitamin D intake, respectively. There was no difference between global and externalized problems.

Children who took standard supplements and had maternal 25(OH)D levels <30 ng/ml internalized more than children who took higher supplements, regardless of their maternal 25(OH)D levels. Problem scores were significantly higher. Taken together, the study results show that the risk of internalization problems between the ages of 6 and 8 is reduced with higher vitamin D supplementation.