Baby can suffer if mom has low vitamin C intake during pregnancy

Baby can suffer if mom has low vitamin C intake during pregnancy

(NaturalNews) University of Copenhagen scientists have found that
maternal vitamin C deficiency can have significant effects on the
baby's brain development, which cannot be corrected with after birth
vitamin C supplementation. This new research brings further evidence
that the mother's diet is crucial in shaping the health of her
offspring.

Vitamin C plays an important role in fetal brain development

"Even
marginal vitamin C deficiency in the mother stunts the fetal
hippocampus, the important memory center, by 10-15 percent, preventing
the brain from optimal development," explained one of the scientists
involved in the research. While far from trying to cause panic among
future parents, the Danish science team believes that their study
provides a great opportunity to help raise awareness about the
importance of adequate maternal dieting.

Scientists had
previously believed that mothers could somehow protect their unborn
babies through a mechanism which enabled the transport of certain
substances, including vitamin C. Unfortunately, the latest study shows
that this mechanism is insufficient if the mother's diet does not
provide high enough amounts of vitamin C.

Vitamin C plays
multiple roles in the health of adults as well. It is required to form
collagen, a protein found in skin, connective tissue and blood vessels.
Vitamin C also boosts immunity and helps repair tissue damage.

How to improve vitamin C intake

Vitamin
C is not only found in citrus fruits, but in numerous other fruits and
vegetables as well. In fact, the highest content of vitamin C can be
found in red peppers and guavas. A serving of 100 grams of red peppers
can provide 242 mg of vitamin C,
while guavas contain 377 mg per serving. Dark, leafy greens, like kale,
spinach and garden cress, are also high in vitamin C. Raw kale boasts
120 mg of vitamin C per serving, and garden cress provides 69 mg per 100
grams. Other notable sources of vitamin C include berries, kiwis,
papayas, broccoli and Brussels sprouts.

The key to optimal health
is not only in ingesting a lot of vitamin C, but also in absorbing it
and retaining vitamin C. Smoking and alcohol consumption are known to
deplete the body's vitamin C reserves, while dividing your vitamin C
intake into smaller, regular doses (for example, by consuming a varied
assortment of raw vegetables at every meal) will vastly improve
absorption. Consuming a lot of vitamin C at once can irritate the bowel,
so it is usually recommended to maintain a steady intake throughout the
day. Other substances such as synthetic medication, contraceptives,
antibiotics, antidepressants and steroids also usually interfere with
vitamin and mineral absorption, including that of vitamin C.

While
the average recommended dosage of vitamin C for an adult is around 1000
IU, pregnant women may need about four times as much, according to a
2010 study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting in Canada.

Source:-
http://www.naturalnews.com/038148_vitamin_C_pregnancy_infant_health.html