Women who are deficient in vitamin B before they conceive may be more likely to give birth to obese and hypertense babies, according to a study conducted on sheep by researchers from the University of Nottingham, England, and published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Researchers fed 25 female sheep a balanced diet, while depriving another 25 of sufficient B vitamins to induce deficiency. The deficient sheep were kept in that state for eight weeks before being artificially inseminated, and for the next six days as well. After six days, the embryos from the vitamin B-deficient sheep were transferred to sheep that had been fed a balanced diet.
The embryos from the eggs of B-deficient sheep were significantly more likely to be obese and to experience high blood pressure in adulthood, and the effect was particularly pronounced in males.
Researchers fed 25 female sheep a balanced diet, while depriving another 25 of sufficient B vitamins to induce deficiency. The deficient sheep were kept in that state for eight weeks before being artificially inseminated, and for the next six days as well. After six days, the embryos from the vitamin B-deficient sheep were transferred to sheep that had been fed a balanced diet.
The embryos from the eggs of B-deficient sheep were significantly more likely to be obese and to experience high blood pressure in adulthood, and the effect was particularly pronounced in males.
Prior research in humans has indicated that women who are deficient in folate (a form of vitamin B-9) during the first 28 days of pregnancy, before signs of pregnancy usually appear, are significantly more likely to bear children who have spinal bifida and ancephaly. Supplementation with folate or folic acid after this time period will have no effect on a child that has already developed a neural tube defect.
A study earlier in 2007 showed that high blood levels of vitamin B-6 before conception may decrease the risk of miscarriage during early pregnancy.
http://www.naturalnews.com
A study earlier in 2007 showed that high blood levels of vitamin B-6 before conception may decrease the risk of miscarriage during early pregnancy.
http://www.naturalnews.com