Nutrition ables are involved in a ...

Nutrition ables are involved in a never-ending research exploration to determine the optimal nutrition advice for women during the reproductive phases of their lives. Since nutrition advice for women is continually being fine-tuned, it's valuable for women to retain an ear open to the generally received research. In fact, recently sum of two units previously held "nutrition truths" were fix to be not-so-true. First, vitamin A (in high doses) may not be as dangerous during pregnancy as previously believed. secondary nursing mothers may not ne extra calcium.

Vitamin A: not to such a degree scary after all

A hardly any years ago, a disturbing research -- linking more than 10000 IU of vitamin A by day with birth defects -- made women wary of their vitamin A intake during pregnancy. A modern study conducted by National Institute of Health researchers sought to clarify the risks pos from vitamin A during pregnancy.

Vitamin A intake was assessed in 935 women whose children had neural tube flaws (NTDs), other birth defects, or were healthy. The women in this consideration were asked how much vitamin A they consum from dietary addition s fortified cold cereals, and other nourishment sources (such as organ meats). The various flushs of vitamin A intake were then compared to whether or not a woman's child was afflicted with a birth flaw Even after analyzing the data from many different angles, the researchers could not determine any increased risk of birth defaults for higher vitamin A intake.

The researchers "found no significant increase in malformations overall in those expos to vitamin A doses of from one side of to the other 8,000 IU or over 10000 IU, either as continuations alone or as supplements and fortified provenders These findings support the claim that moderate doses of vitamin A are not teratogenic [birth defect-causing]."

As a caveat, the researchers of this thought while reassuring women that moderate amounts of vitamin A are safe during pregnancy, do caution that high doses of the vitamin should be avoided.

Calcium wants reassessed for nursing moms

Women who are breastfeeding their babies fail to obtain about 210 mg of calcium by means of day in their breast milk, which is wherefore many nutritionists assumed that lactating mothers require extra calcium to hinder detrimental changes to their allow bone density. New research designed to example this assumption shows surprising results

Researchers from the Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati gave 383 recently made known mothers either 1,000 mg supplemental calcium or a placebo pill daily for six month and measured their bone density before and after the postscript period. (Greater bone density brings the risk of bone fractures later in life.)

Surprisingly, the calcium postscripts did not show a significant beneficial validity for bone density. This investigation suggests that nursing women do not ne to increase their calcium intake beyond that commited for women at other times in their lives.

However, since nutritional measure and estimates show that women, in general, waste away less calcium than recommended, women are not most distant the hook when it follows to calcium. In truth, many adult women (nursing or not) spend less than the minimal 1000 mg of calcium attract favor toed every day -- even in this application of mind the women averaged less than 800 mg (the aged Recommended Daily Allowance) of calcium daily. This cogitation should not be used as a reason to skimp onward calcium -- it remains an important nutrient for pregnant and nursing women

The just discovered Dietary Reference Intake recommended calcium flats (which replace the RDAs) (released Aug. 13 1997) are: pregnant and lactating women -- 1000 to 1300 mg/day; adult women 19-50 years of age -- 1000 mg/day; and women through the whole extent of age 50, 1,200 mg/day.

REFERENCES

Food and Nutrition Board. "Calcium." In: Dietary regard Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D and Flouride. Washington, DC: National Academy Pres August 13 1997

Kalkwarf HJ Specker BL Bianchi DC et al. "The import of calcium supplementation on bone density during lactation and after weaning," N Engl J M 337:523-528 1997

Mills JL Simpson JL Cunningham GC et al "Vitamin A and birth defects" Am J Obstet Gynecol 177:31-36 1997 =

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