Maternal Vitamin C May Lengthen Infant Telomeres
Maternal diet is thought to be very important in the development of a newborn foetus with antioxidants like vitamin C linked to the length of telomeres in newborn infants.
Nutrition throughout pregnancy is able to influence how a newborn infant grows and develops. This is unknown to many new mothers. For example folic acid is well known as having the capacity to influence neural tube development. The neural tube is very important in the development of newborn infant cognitive functioning. Folic acid is often recommended and prescribed for mothers bearing children.
Vitamin C is another vitamin which is thought to be able to influence the development of newborn infants. Vitamin C is an antioxidant vitamin which cleanses the body of oxidative stress. The body needs daily replenishment with this vitamin because of how often vitamin C is used. As one of the most important antioxidants in the body vitamin C may also protect our DNA.
Research shows that this could extend to our telomeres. The length of our DNA protective telomeres is just as important for protecting our genes from damage in adults as they are in newborn infants. Considering factors such as newborn vulnerability and development telomere length could actually be more important for newborn infants. Some studies suggest that telomere length in newborn infants could influence the risk of some diseases in later life.
One study has found that there could be a telomere protecting effect offered to newborn infants from higher levels of maternal vitamin C. Poor maternal nutrition has been linked to higher levels of oxidative stress and shortened telomeres or DNA damage in newborn infants.
Here the evidence that maternal vitamin C levels could influence newborn telomeres will be considered.
Vitamin C And Telomere Length
Our telomeres are important structures which protect the integrity of our DNA and genes. These looped structures at the ends of our DNA protect our genes from damage. Without them our genetics are vulnerable to damages from oxidative or harmful molecules.
Telomere length is also associated with increased lifespan and shortened telomeres are an accepted marker of accelerated aging. This is because shorter telomeres lead to cell death. When our telomeres are shorter than usual they are not as effective at protecting our DNA from damage and heavy damage or stress to our cells then causes them to die. Telomere shortening is also linked with age related health issues such as heart diseases.
As one of the strongest antioxidants within the body vitamin C offers telomeres some protection from damaging oxidative stresses. Vitamin C is considered to be an essential body antioxidant. Studies in adults have found that higher levels of vitamin C may preserve telomere length. Vitamin C needs constant replenishment throughout the day because of how often vitamin C is used. Vitamin C also supports healthy immune system functioning and influences red blood cell production mainly through increases in iron absorption.
Oxidative stresses are one of the leading causes of telomere shortening. Antioxidants like vitamin C could be considered as being very important in conserving telomere length. This could then have influences on preserving possible lifespan.
Maternal Vitamin C May Support Infant Telomere Length
A newborn infant uses their genetic material or DNA to thrive grow and develop throughout pregnancy. Seeing as vitamin C could preserve our genetics via protecting telomere length this vitamin may also preserve the genetic blueprint which a newborn infant would use to develop from in the future.
Vitamin C levels could therefore be really important for the optimal development of newborn infants. For newborn infants this vitamin could actually be as important for their future development as folic acid is but current research is limited.
One study has linked maternal levels of vitamin C to telomere length in about 100 newborn infants. The association between maternal vitamin C levels and newborn infant telomere length was very significant. This unique study is one of the first to assess how vitamin C could possibly directly influence newborn telomere lengths in pregnancy and the wellbeing of newborn infants.
This study and others suggest that preserving telomere length in newborns could be an important influence on the risks of developing some diseases later in life. Telomere length in early life is also thought to be an influencing factor on total lifespan. This means that maternal levels of vitamin C in pregnancy could also influence possible lifespan.
Heart issues and diseases are consistently linked with shortened telomeres. This is because telomere shortening is responsible for apoptosis or cell death within important cells of the heart. Some telomere issues in pregnancy and birth may manifest later in our lives too. This further emphasises the importance that telomere supportive nutrients such as vitamin C could have on the wellbeing of newborn infants.
Other Antioxidants And Infant Telomere Length
Various studies support the findings of the study with maternal vitamin C and suggest that maternal diets rich in antioxidants could influence positively influence telomere length in newborn infants.
Other researchers have linked maternal levels of vitamins C and E to reductions in the rate of telomere shortening. This may be as a result of their abilities to reduce systemic oxidative stress as strong antioxidant compounds.
Some studies have linked maternal levels of selenium which is supportive of antioxidant status to increased telomere lengths in newborn infants. Selenium supports optimal levels of the protein glutathione peroxidase which forms a part of the antioxidant complex with glutathione.
Glutathione is one of the main antioxidant compounds within the body which deals with oxidative stress and toxins. Vitamin C has been suggested to be able to enhance the survival potential of cells when active alongside glutathione. These two oxidative stress cleansing compounds have been shown to be slightly interdependent.
There is also a lot of evidence to show heavy pollution or toxin exposure to a mother may reduce telomere lengths in newborn infants and could therefore pose an additional risk to their wellbeing. This may be because these systemic contaminants initiate higher levels of oxidative stress within the body.
Some heavy metal toxins such as cadmium are able to cross the placental barrier and this is thought to be a source of telomere shortening. Maternal antioxidants such as vitamin C and selenium may play a role in protecting newborn infants from telomere shortening caused by excessive oxidative stress damage.
Overall the research shows that maternal levels of vitamin C could influence newborn infant telomere length to support more optimal development in their early years and beyond. This could influence risk of certain diseases later in life.
Summary
Maternal nutrients such as vitamin C may influence how a newborn infant grows and develops. This is unknown to many new mothers. Folic acid for example has well known possible influences on neural tube development in newborn infants which could support cognitive development. Poor maternal nutrition is linked to higher levels of oxidative stress and shorter telomeres or DNA damage in newborn infants.
The strong antioxidant effects of vitamin C have been linked to reductions in maternal oxidative stress and telomere length protection in newborn infants. This association of newborn infant telomere length with maternal vitamin C was highly significant. The antioxidants vitamin C and glutathione work alongside each other to reduce systemic oxidative stress.
Other studies have also linked maternal antioxidants with telomere length in newborns. Maternal levels of the antioxidant supportive mineral selenium are also positively linked with telomere length in newborn infants.
Oxidative stress is detrimental for our telomeres and causes reductions in telomere length. Our telomeres protect genes and other genetic material from damage. Shorter telomeres expose our DNA to possible damage which would cause cell death. For this reason telomere length is associated with aging.
For newborn infants telomere length could be very important and some studies suggest lengthy telomeres are preventative of some diseases in later life. Telomere shortening has been linked to increased risk of some heart diseases for example. Our genetic blueprint is very important for optimal development so the protection of telomere length could positively influence newborn infant growth.
Overall the studies shows that maternal levels of vitamin C could influence newborn infant telomere length for more optimal development in their early years and beyond. This may influence the risks of developing some diseases later in life.
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