The theory that vitamin D deficient mothers are putting their babies at risk for vitamin D deficient disorders is gaining credibility in the scientific community, and an article on vitamin D’s apparent connection with childhood autism raised the bar further.

“As evidence of widespread vitamin D deficiency grows, some scientists are wondering whether the sunshine vitamin-once only considered important in bone health-may actually play a role in one of neurology’s most vexing conditions: autism,” Scientific American reported in an April 24 article available online.

The story discussed a study which showed that Somali immigrants in Sweden — taken from their sun-drenched homeland and placed in a northerly environment where they would make much less sunshine-induced vitamin D — were three-to-four times as likely to have children with autism or autism-related disorders.

“I’m glad Scientific American discussed my theory in some detail,” Dr. John Cannell, director of the independent non-profit Vitamin D Council said in a letter responding to the article. Cannell — who will speak at Smart Tan’s Oct. 10-11 Smart Tan Downtown annual convention — has been published on vitamin D-autism data and is a primary promoter of the theory that the two are connected.

Cannell’s web site has an entire section on the growing evidence behind the theory that vitamin D deficient mothers deliver vitamin D deficient babies who are more likely to suffer from autism. Click here to see that section on Cannell’s web site.