Fish oil and vitamin D supplements in pregnancy lower the risk of croup in babies and young children

Medical Xpress / European Lung Foundation / European Respiratory Society International Congress ^ | Sept. 5, 2022 | Nicklas Brustad et al

[ConservativeMind]

Babies and children under three years old are less likely to develop croup if their mothers took fish oil and vitamin D supplements during pregnancy, according to new results from a clinical trial. The findings are from a randomized controlled trial.

Croup is a viral chest infection that affects young children. It causes a characteristic "barking" cough, a hoarse voice and difficulty breathing. Croup is common and usually mild, but some children will need hospital treatment and breathing support.

The study was presented by Dr. Nicklas Brustad.

"There is currently no vaccine against the pathogen that causes this disease. Therefore, other preventive strategies are needed, and measures initiated during pregnancy might be important since croup occurs in babies and young children. For such purpose, there is evidence that both vitamin D and fish oil could have an influence on the immune system."

The study included 736 pregnant women. The women were divided up into four groups. One group were given a high-dose vitamin D supplement (2,800 international units per day) and fish oil containing long-chain n-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (2.4 grams), the second group were given high-dose vitamin D and olive oil, the third group were given standard-dose vitamin D (400 international units per day) and fish oil, and the final group were given standard-dose vitamin D and olive oil. All the women took the supplements daily from their 24th week of pregnancy until one week after their babies were born.

Overall, children whose mothers took the fish oil had an 11% risk of croup, compared to 17% in the children whose mothers took olive oil (a 38% decrease). Children whose mothers took high-dose vitamin D had an 11% risk of croup, compared to an 18% risk in those whose mothers took the standard-dose vitamin D (a 40% decrease).

[ConservativeMind]

The amounts used in the study were:

2,800 IU of Vitamin D 2,400 mg of Omega-3 fatty acids from some needed amount of fish oil capsules or liquid.

This provided a 38 - 40% lower risk of croup in the children.

[ConservativeMind]

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[bunkerhill7]

My mother would shove a spoonful of cod liver oil down our throats daily as soon as we could walk.