A surprising supplement may give babies an IQ boost and social skills

Key Points:

• A new clinical trial from the University of Colorado found that prenatal supplementation with phosphatidylcholine, a form of choline, supports fetal brain development and improves children's social behavior and cognitive performance, including higher IQ scores.
• Children of mothers who took the supplement showed fewer social withdrawal behaviors often associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, with only 4% exhibiting lasting social withdrawal compared to 24% in the placebo group.
• The study involved over 200 pregnant women taking 9,000 mg of phosphatidylcholine or a placebo from 16 weeks of pregnancy until delivery, with children's behavior assessed up to age 4.
• Researchers noted significant improvements in language development and social skills but no notable changes in attention problems, and about one-third of participants dropped out before final assessments.
• Experts suggest that many pregnant women do not get enough choline from their diet alone, making supplementation important, with a recommended dose of around 7,200 mg phosphatidylcholine or 900 mg choline for optimal brain development support.