Vitamin B3 deficiency in pregnancy: the risk of infantile eczema increases in babies

Vitamin B3 deficiency in pregnancy: increases the risk of infant eczema in infants

Women who manifest a deficiency of B vitamins in their blood during pregnancy, especially vitamin B3, will have children who are more likely to develop infantile eczema, an inflammation of the skin that is very common in infants. In contrast, for children born to women with adequate levels of vitamin B3, the risk of being affected by this type of dermatitis is reduced by 30 percent.

This is according to the results of a study carried out by researchers at the University of Southampton (UK) and published in the journal Clinical & Experimental Allergy.

Infantile eczema: a disease affecting infants in industrialized countries

Atopic dermatitis or childhood eczema (or atopic) is a very common skin inflammation in the child population, especially in industrialized countries, where it has increased in the last 30 years. In Italy the problem is quite common; this condition affects 20% of children under 7 years of age and about 18% of children aged 7 to 16 years. Eczema is characterized by particularly dry and irritated skin, compared with that of healthy individuals, features that facilitate the penetration of irritants, or pathogenic microorganisms that favor the development of infection. 

Noncutaneous diseases such as asthma and allergic rhinitis are often associated with this disorder. Currently, atopic dermatitis is considered a multifactorial disorder, that is, due to both a genetic predisposition and environmental and/or psychological factors. Childhood eczema involves the immune system, so several hypotheses have been developed about factors that may promote this excessive immune activation, including:

• the excess of hygiene
• the excessive use of detergents
• the decrease in infectious diseases

According to these theories, children's lack of exposure to bacteria and other regulators of the immune system causes it to be activated toward certain allergens causing asthma, dermatitis and other allergic diseases. The risk of childhood eczema has also been linked with several environmental factors involving mothers during the period of pregnancy, including age, mother's level of education and smoking habits, and according to some research, also maternal diet during gestation.

The role of vitamin B3

According to some studies, a lack of B vitamins, especially vitamin B3, also known as niacin, is implicated in the development of allergic conditions, asthma and inflammatory bowel disease. In particular, nicotinamide, a derivative of vitamin B3 known for its potent anti-inflammatory action and beneficial effects in cases of inflamed skin, so much so that nicotinamide-based creams are used in the treatment of eczema, Vitamin B3 is found mainly in foods of animal origin, both meat and fish, in mushrooms, and to a lesser extent in certain vegetables, grains and fruits. In some countries of Europe, such as England, mandatory fortification of bread with vitamin B3 has been introduced. Niacin is also an ingredient in some energy drinks.

Nicotinamide reduces the risk of eczema

The new British study investigated the link between vitamin B3 levels, in women during pregnancy and the risk of childhood eczema in offspring by examining the amount of nicotinamide, and related metabolites, in the blood of 497 mothers-to-be. According to the results, higher nicotinamide levels were associated with a 30 percent lower chance of developing atopic eczema in 12-month-old children, while no correlation was found with 6-month-olds. An even stronger association was also found with elevated levels of anthranilic acid, a metabolite of tryptophan, a molecule that can be converted into vitamin B3.

First study to show link between vitamin B3 and eczema

According to Sarah El-Heis, one of the researchers who conducted the research, although the positive role of vitamin B3 against dermatitis was already known, no study before this one had shown a link between serum levels of niacin, during pregnancy, and the risk of atopic eczema in children. In any case, further research will be needed to study this interesting association, but the findings are further evidence of the beneficial potential of a healthy diet during pregnancy and how potentially modifiable maternal behaviors can influence this common and distressing condition for new mothers.

Source: S. El-Heis et al. "Higher maternal serum concentrations of nicotinamide and related metab olites in late pregnancy are associated with a lower risk of offspring atopic eczema at age 12 months." Clinical & Experimental Allergy.