Other nutritional interventions target oxidative stress. Alcohol increases oxidative stress, which in turn can initiate a cascade of events that eventually lead to widespread CNS cell loss during development (Brocardo et al. 2011). In rodent models of FASD, pregnant females given nutrients high in antioxidant properties (e.g., vitamin C, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids) during the time they also are given alcohol, give birth to offspring with reduced oxidative stress and cell loss, and fewer behavioral impairments (Brocardo et al. 2011; Patten et al. 2013a). Although antioxidant treatments in animal models are encouraging, researchers prematurely terminated a clinical trial utilizing high doses of vitamins C and E in women with alcohol-exposed pregnancies because of safety concerns (Goh et al. 2007).
