Vitamin D Levels During Pregnancy Are Associated With Offspring Telomere Length: A Longitudinal Mother-Child Study

Context Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a biomarker of biological aging and is associated with metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Insufficient maternal vitamin D was associated with increased risk for many diseases and adverse later life outcomes. Objective This study investigates the relationship between vitamin D levels and offspring LTL at early life. Methods This observational, longitudinal, hospital-based cohort study included eligible mother-child pairs from the HAPO Hong Kong Field Centre, with 853 offspring at age 6.96 ± 0.44 (mean ± SD) years. LTL was measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction while serum vitamin D metabolites 25(OH)D2, 25(OH)D3, and 3-epi-25(OH)D3 were measured in maternal blood (at gestation 24-32 weeks) and cord blood by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results LTL at follow-up was significantly shorter in boys compared with girls (P Conclusion Our findings suggest 25(OH)D3 and 3-epi-25(OH)D3 in utero may impact on childhood LTLs, highlighting a potential link between maternal vitamin D and biological aging.