Hypovitaminosis D in persons with Down syndrome and autism spectrum disorder
J Neurodev Disord . 2023 Oct 25;15(1):35. doi: 10.1186/s11689-023-09503-y.
Natalie K Boyd 1, Julia Nguyen 2, Mellad M Khoshnood 1, Timothy Jiang 1, Lina Nguyen 1, Lorena Mendez 1, Noemi A Spinazzi 3, Melanie A Manning 4, Michael S Rafii 5 6, Jonathan D Santoro 7 8
Background: Plasma levels of vitamin D have been reported to be low in persons with Down syndrome (DS) and existing data is limited to small and homogenous cohorts. This is of particular importance in persons with DS given the high rates of autoimmune disease in this population and the known relationship between vitamin D and immune function. This study sought to investigate vitamin D status in a multi-center cohort of individuals with DS and compare them to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and neurotypical (NT) controls.
Methods: A retrospective, multi-center review was performed. The three sites were located at latitudes of 42.361145, 37.44466, and 34.05349. Patients were identified by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 or ICD-10 codes for DS, ASD, or well-child check visits for NT individuals. The first vitamin D 25-OH level recorded in the electronic medical record (EMR) was used in this study as it was felt to be the most reflective of a natural and non-supplemented state. Vitamin D 25-OH levels below 30 ng/mL were considered deficient.
Results: In total, 1624 individuals with DS, 5208 with ASD, and 30,775 NT controls were identified.
- Individuals with DS had the lowest mean level of vitamin D 25-OH at 20.67 ng/mL,
- compared to those with ASD (23.48 ng/mL) and
- NT controls (29.20 ng/mL) (p < 0.001, 95% CI: -8.97 to -6.44).
A total of 399 (24.6%) individuals with DS were considered vitamin D deficient compared to 1472 (28.3%) with ASD and 12,397 (40.3%) NT controls (p < 0.001, 95% CI: -5.43 to -2.36). Individuals with DS with higher body mass index (BMI) were found to be more likely to have lower levels of vitamin D (p < 0.001, 95% CI: -0.3849 to -0.1509).
Additionally, having both DS and a neurologic diagnosis increased the likelihood of having lower vitamin D levels (p < 0.001, 95% CI: -5.02 to -1.28).
Individuals with DS and autoimmune disease were much more likely to have lower vitamin D levels (p < 0.001, 95% CI: -6.22 to -1.55).
Similarly, a history of autoimmunity in a first-degree relative also increased the likelihood of having lower levels of vitamin D in persons with DS (p = 0.01, 95% CI: -2.45 to -0.63).
Conclusions: Individuals with DS were noted to have hypovitaminosis D in comparison to individuals with ASD and NT controls. Associations between vitamin D deficiency and high BMI, personal autoimmunity, and familial autoimmunity were present in individuals with DS.
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VitaminDWiki - Down's syndrome and low vitamin D - several studies
VitaminDWiki – Autism category contains:
Autism category has - see also Overview Autism and vitamin D, Autoimmune , Cognitive, ADHD
Interesting Autistic studies
Autism associated with low Vitamin D
- Most Autism Risk factors are associated with low vitamin D - March 2014
- Rickets – 26 percent had autism: no rickets, no autism (both associated with low vitamin D) – June 2015
- Autistics have half of the response to Vitamin D – RCT Oct 2018
- Vitamin D fights autism - trying to figure out how and why – May 2022
Autism TREATED by Vitamin D
- Autism in children reduced by Vitamin D (used 300 IU per kg per day) – RCT Oct 2016
- Autism treated by Vitamin D (monthly injection of 150,000 IU) – June 2017
- Autism decreased in 8 out of 10 children supplemented with vitamin D – April 2015
Autism PREVENTED by vitamins before and during pregnancy
- Autism risk is reduced by Vitamin D – early pregnancy or chlldhood – Umbrella review – July 2024
- Vitamin D and autism - treat: 300 IU per kg per day, prevent: during pregnancy 5,000 IU – Feb 2017
- Autism reduced 24% for each 4 ng more Vitamin D while pregnant ( ADHD 12%) – Feb 2024
- Autism rate cut in half when multivitamins (including vitamin D) used during pregnancy – Oct 2017
- Autism risk reduced 2X by prenatal vitamins (Vitamin D or Folic) – Feb 2019
- Autism 3X more likely after closely spaced pregnancy vs 3 year apart– Jan 2011
- Low Vitamin D decreases fertility and increases subsequent autism, ADHD, etc – Feb 2018
- Women who had supplemented with any vitamins were 6 X less likely to have autistic offspring – Jan 2018
- Autism rate in siblings reduced 4X by vitamin D: 5,000 IU during pregnancy, 1,000 IU to infants – Feb 2016
Autism and Vitamin D Receptor (not enough Vit D gets to the cells)
This list is automatically updated
- More than 30% of Autistics also have ADHD - Nov 2024
- Autism treated by an activator of the Vitamin D Receptor: supforaphane - March 2024
- Autism may be synergistically treated by Vitamin D and probiotics – July 2022
- Autism 2X to 3X more likely if poor Vitamin D Receptor – June 2020
- A good Vitamin D Receptor (or perhaps more vitamin D) protects against lead during pregnancy
- Autism much more likely if poor Vitamin D Receptor – many studies
Autism - other risk factors
- Autistic symptoms reduced by Vitamin D and or Omega-3 – RCT March 2019
- Autism risk increased if infant had antibiotics (2X), acetaminophen (3X), or no vitamin D drops (1.5X) – June 2018
- 20 X more Parkinson's and 100X more Autism with GMO soy in China
- Note >100X increase in Autism while having GMO soy in the US
- Fewer neurons in males born from COVID-19 vaccinated mothers (rats) - Jan 2024
- Vaccinations resulted in increased office visits for children 16 months later - Nov 2020
- Does a vaccine increase the risk of Autism – March 2019
- Autism 2.75 X more likely in Hib vaccines containing Mercury – May 2018
- Vaccinated children had more chronic diseases - Sept 2018
- Autism and ADHD type disorders were 14X more likely in survey of extreme preterm vaccinated infants - April 2017
Dr. Cannell on Autism and Vitamin D in VitaminDWiki
- Autism treated by Vitamin D (80 – 120 ng) – Cannell update May 2018
- Autism Causes, Prevention and Treatment: Vitamin D Deficiency etc. – Book April 2015 Cannell
- Autism cured in a child with Vitamin D, Dr. Cannell comments and cofactor recommendations – March 2015
- Autism and Vitamin D - Dr. Cannell in Life Extension Mag - Jan 2014
- Autism treated by Vitamin D: Dr. Cannell - video June 2013
- includes his list of 27 reasons to associate Vitamin D with Autism in 2013
- Many autistic children are getting some Vitamin D, Omega-3, probiotics, etc. – Aug 2019
- Autistic symptoms reduced by Vitamin D and or Omega-3 – RCT March 2019
- Omega-3 probably can decrease Autism and ADHD – March 2019
- Autism treated in one person by Omega-3 plus Vitamin D – Dec 2018
- Autism problems reduced by Vitamin D, Omega-3 – RCT Oct 2018
- ADHD, Autism, Early Psychosis and Omega-3 – review Dec 2017
- Autism risks include chemicals, deficiency of vitamin D, Omega-3 – mini-review April 2016
VitaminDWiki – Autoimmune category contains:
204 items in Autoimmune category - Vitamin D and MS Asthma RA Diabetes Gut Allergy Hay Fever Lupus Psoriasis
- Predicted 95% autoimmune cured by HIGH-DOSE vitamin D - 2014
- 10% of the UK have Autoimmune Diseases - Lancet May 2023 PDF is behind a paywall
- Increase in 20 years : coeliac disease 2.19 X. Sjogren's syndrome 2.09, and Graves' disease 2.07
- All 43 references are FREE on-line
- Autoimmune diseases fought by Vitamin D, especially if have more than 40 ng – Sept 2022
- The BEST Nutrient for Autoimmune Conditions (Vitamin D) - video May 2022
- The number 1 Deficiency behind All Autoimmune Diseases (Vitamin D) video - Dec 2023
- Autoimmune disease clusters run in families having low D
- How Vitamin D reduces inflammation, improves immunity and fights autoimmunity – review Dec 2018
- 120 doctors and 20,000 MS patients using high dose Vitamin D Dec 2018
- Vitamin D has treated Multiple Sclerosis and autoimmune diseases for 16 years – Coimbra April 2018
- Vitamin D Receptor is associated in over 58 autoimmune studies
- More autoimmune disease if higher pollution or lower UVB - Feb 2023
- Many autoimmune diseases associated with low vitamin D or poor Vit D genes – July 2019
See also web: consensus that ~50 diseases are autoimmune, ~50 more are suspected:
Down syndrome people have even lower D levels if have additional Vitamin D diseases – Oct 20233774 visitors, last modified 26 Oct, 2023,