14 DAY TRIAL // A study conducted by Graham Devereux, M.D., Ph.D., from the UK University of Aberdeen and colleagues found that future mothers who do not consume appropriate levels of vitamin E during pregnancy have high risks of giving birth to asthmatic infants. Scientists warn that women carrying a child should consume foods rich in vitamin E all throughout the pregnancy period. Otherwise, the infants they deliver have high chances of developing autism by age 5.
Vitamin E is an essential vitamin which should be present in the recommended levels in everyone's body. It is a highly potent antioxidant which prevents all cells from being damaged by free radicals and other toxins within our bodies. Vitamin E also contributes to the health of our circulatory system by preventing the formation of excessive blood clots and also aiding and speeding up wound and lesions healing.
Sunflower seeds, nuts, wheat germs, margarine and vegetable oils such as sunflower, rapeseed or corn oil are very rich sources of vitamin E and medical experts recommend future mothers to consume as much of these foods as possible.
During the study, researchers found that women who presented the lowest levels of vitamin E intake during the pregnancy period were five times more at risk to deliver asthmatic kids than women who presented the highest levels of the particular vitamin. Wheezing and early persistent asthma were found more prevalent in offsprings of women who lacked vitamin E while being pregnant.
Dr. Devereux suggested that vitamin E in mothers is crucial for the baby's lung function and for the respiratory system also: "Our findings suggest that vitamin E has a dual effect on lung function and airway inflammation and that the effects could change at differing periods of prenatal and early life. Lung function was associated with early vitamin E exposure independent of atopy, whereas allergic airway inflammation was associated with vitamin E exposure in later pregnancy." However, the leader of the study added: "The results of the present study suggest that dietary modification or supplementation during pregnancy to reduce the likelihood of childhood asthma warrants further investigation."