This Supplement is Definitely a Baby Boost
Though prenatal vitamins shouldn’t take the place of a well-rounded diet for expectant mothers, they can help fill in nutritional gaps and offer some extra benefits.
New research suggests that a common nutritional supplement might aid in fetal brain development, possibly enhancing children’s social behavior and cognitive abilities. In fact, it could even lead to higher IQ scores, according to a study from recent findings.
Choline, found in everyday foods like chicken, eggs, beef, and fish, is crucial for functions like memory, mood regulation, and cell health.
In a clinical trial conducted at the University of Colorado, researchers examined the effects of phosphatidylcholine supplements— a form of choline— on children whose mothers took these supplements. The results indicated improved language skills and social behaviors in these children.
For example, the children of mothers who consumed the choline-based supplement exhibited fewer withdrawal traits often associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Interestingly, the four-year-olds whose mothers took high doses of the supplement scored about 8 points higher on an IQ test compared to those who received a placebo, with a number actually qualifying for gifted programs.
The trial was the largest randomized study looking into prenatal choline supplementation, involving over 200 pregnant participants. Half took 9,000 milligrams of phosphatidylcholine while the others received a placebo from 16 weeks of pregnancy until delivery.
Neither the participants nor the researchers knew which group received what until the conclusion of the study.
Behavioral assessments were conducted starting at 18 months and continued until the children reached four, with cognitive tests administered at ages three and four.
By age four, only 4% of the children in the supplement group exhibited ongoing social withdrawal, whereas 24% of those whose mothers took a placebo showed similar issues.
These social withdrawal behaviors can include disinterest in social interactions and decreased eye contact.
Importantly, the researchers found significantly fewer children in the supplement group displaying language difficulties or behavioral characteristics typically linked to autism.
However, improvements concerning attention problems were not particularly notable, and it’s worth mentioning that about one-third of the participants did drop out before the final evaluations.
Nevertheless, the authors of the study assert that the findings provide “safe, effective support for fetal brain development” via choline supplementation.
This could significantly influence how healthcare providers discuss prenatal supplements with expectant mothers interested in over-the-counter options.
Senior author Robert Freedman noted in a press release that “this study provides further evidence that choline supplements during pregnancy can lead to lasting impacts on children’s brain development.”
Choline contributes to brain development by activating a receptor associated with the CHRNA7 gene in developing neurons, which aids them in forming the necessary structures to process signals from other nerve cells before birth.
Many mothers, however, “don’t consume enough choline in their diets to fully equip their babies with what they need for complete neuronal activation,” Freedman explained.
It’s practically impossible to obtain adequate choline purely through a standard diet, which underscores the necessity of supplementation.
The researchers also suggested that the doses used in the study were somewhat higher than needed; they now recommend 7,200 mg of phosphatidylcholine or 900 mg of choline itself as a more suitable dosage.
