Impact of Vitamin D Supplementation on Gross Motor Development of Healthy Term Infants: A Randomized Dose-Response Trial.
In addition to benefits for bone health, vitamin D is implicated in muscle function in children and adults.


OBJECTIVE
To determine if vitamin D dosage positively correlated with gross motor development at 3 and 6 months of age. We hypothesized that higher doses would be associated with higher scores for gross motor skills.


METHODS
A consecutive sample of 55 healthy, term, and breastfed infants from Montreal, Canada were recruited from a randomized trial of vitamin D supplementation between 2009 and 2012. Infants were randomized to 400 International Units (IU) (n = 19), 800 IU (n = 18) or 1,200 IU (n = 18) vitamin D3/day. Motor performance at 3 and 6 months was quantified by the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). Plasma vitamin D3 metabolites were measured by tandem mass spectrometry.


RESULTS
AIMS scores did not differ at 3 months. However, total AIMS scores and sitting subscores were significantly higher at 6 months in infants receiving 400 IU/day compared to 800 IU/day and 1,200 IU/day groups (p < .05). There were weak negative correlations with length and C-3 epimer of 25(OH)D.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to our hypothesis, gross motor achievements were significantly higher in infants receiving 400 IU/day vitamin D. Our findings also support longer infants being slightly delayed.
a The Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba , Winnipeg , Manitoba , Canada.|b University of Manitoba , Pediatrics and Child Health , Winnipeg , Manitoba , Canada.
Brandy
B
Wicklow
c School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition , McGill University , Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec , Canada.
Sina
S
Gallo
d Montreal Children's Hospital , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
Annette
A
Majnemer
c School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition , McGill University , Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec , Canada.
Catherine
C
Vanstone
c School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition , McGill University , Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec , Canada.
Kathryn
K
Comeau
e Departments of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences and Medicine , Queen's University , Kingston , Ontario , Canada.
Glenville
G
Jones
f Department of Nutritional Sciences , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada.
Mary
M
L'Abbe
g EURO-PHARM International Canada Inc. , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
Ali
A
Khamessan
d Montreal Children's Hospital , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
Atul
A
Sharma
c School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition , McGill University , Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec , Canada.
Hope
H
Weiler
c School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition , McGill University , Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec , Canada.|d Montreal Children's Hospital , Montreal , Quebec , Canada.
Celia
C
Rodd
D002170:Canada; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D047929:Term Birth
D002762:Cholecalciferol
Alberta Infant Motor Scale; gross motor; infant development; infant motor skills; vitamin D