title: Adequate Vitamin D3Supplementation During Pregnancy: Decreasing the Prevalence of Asthma and Food Allergies.
abstract: Vitamin D is a secosterol that is naturally synthesized in the skin upon contact with ultraviolet rays. This vitamin can also be acquired from dietary and nutritional supplements. The active form, vitamin D3, is primarily responsible for calcium homeostasis and bone health. However, many recent studies have associated low levels of vitamin D3with asthma and food allergies. In this review, we discuss literature to explore the potential that vitamin D3deficiency may be contributing toward the development of asthma and food allergies. These studies indicate that mothers who supplement with doses of vitamin D3recommended for daily consumption (400 IU) by the United States Food and Drug Administration is not enough to deliver adequate levels to breastfed infants. Because sufficient vitamin D3serum levels correlate with a low incidence of asthma and food allergies, high dose vitamin D3supplementation (4000 IU) by pregnant and breastfeeding women may limit the development of asthma and food allergies in newborns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Finkel
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cira
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Leanne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mazzella
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bartyzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Annisce
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ramanna
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Kayla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strimel
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Amara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Waturuocha
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Musser
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burress
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brammer
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA; East Ohio Regional Hospital, Martins Ferry, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wetzel
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Health Sciences, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA; Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, West Liberty University, West Liberty, WV, USA.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Horzempa
keywords: asthma; food allergy; neonatal; pregnancy; vitamin D