One of the vital functions of B vitamins is to help us turn food into energy. However, as recent research shows, eating a range of foods rich in B vitamins can have substantial benefits, throughout our life, from the cradle to a healthy old age. Lisa Patient writes
Way back in 1970 the first study to conclusively confirm the link between folate (vitamin B9) deficiency and neural-tube defects such as spin a bifida was published. This led to the now widespread practice of folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy. However, emerging research points to lesser-known benefits of some of the other B vitamins during pregnancy.
Pregnancy
One such vitamin is vitamin B3, known as niacin, and found in fish, beans, nuts and mushrooms. An Australian study on mice found that higher intake of B3 may reduce incidence of miscarriages and birth defects in specific cases. The research followed observations of major birth defects in human babies with a specific genetic mutation that affects the body’s ability to make a molecule called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). 1 The team’s subsequent studies on mice discovered that added B3 in the diet during gestation prevented the malformations in offspring. However, more human studies would be needed.
In the UK, scientists at the University of Southampton have also studied the impact of vitamin B3 during pregnancy, and found that women with a higher blood level of a particular type of B3 called nicotinamide (one of the components of NAD), were less likely to have babies with eczema than those with lower levels. 2
While more research is needed to determine the safe dosage and any possible side effects of B3 during pregnancy, current advice remains to eat foods rich in B vitamins, and to take multivitamins especially formulated for pregnancy.
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