I am Pregnant! So what Supplements do I Need?

There is enough confusion around supplements in general, but throw being pregnant into the mix and it gets even worse!

There is a huge difference between the quality of various pregnancy supplements, and this is a time when it is even more important to consult with a practitioner to make sure you are not only spending your money on a worthwhile product, but to make sure you are taking the best products possible for you and your child. Many over the counter products contain poor quality forms  vitamins and minerals at inadequate doses, as well as often containing additives and fillers which do you no good at all.

Vitamin C, folate/folic acid, iron, zinc, and calcium requirements all increase during pregnancy. Other key nutrients include DHA, vitamin A, vitamin B6 and B12, biotin, chromium and iodine.

Let’s take four different pregnancy products and compare them briefly.

Elevit contains 800 mcg synthetic folic acid, 60 mg iron in the form of ferrous fumerate, 220 mcg iodine, 1.9 mg B6, 2.6 mcg B12, 30 mcg biotin, 85 mg ascorbic acid, 200 IU Vitamin D3, and trace amounts of the other B vitamins.

Bioceuticals InNatal contains 100 mg Vitamin C, 150 mcg biotin, 150 mcg Folinic acid, 500 IU Vitamin D3, 25 mcg chromium, 175 mcg activated B12, 20 mg Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6), and small-moderate amounts of the rest of the B Vitamins.

Tresos Natal contains 50 mg Vitamin C, 500 mcg biotin, 500 mcg total activated folate from two different forms, 1000 IU Vitamin D3, 50 mcg chromium, 700 mcg activated B12, 7.5 mg iron amino acid chelate, 270 mcg iodine and 15 mg zinc amino acid chelate.

Orthoplex Pure Natal contains 300 mcg biotin, a total of 300 mg ascorbic acid in different forms plus 301 mg straight Vitamin C, 1000 IU Vitamin D3, 25 mcg chromium, 400 mcg activated B12, a total of 500 mcg folic acid from different forms, 8 mg iron bisglycinate, 260 mcg iodine, 11 mg P5P, 30 mg Vitamin B6 and 12.3 mg zinc citrate dehydrate.

BUT REALLY – WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN!!??????

Are you confused yet? No wonder! There are so many different forms of the different vitamins and minerals, and marketing is deceptive. Just because one product says that is has x amount of something, compared to another product that only has y amount, x amount may be in a poor quality form or one that does not have a high absorption.

The difference between all the formulas also shows how much confusion there is around what is actually needed during pregnancy.

For this reason, PLEASE, for the sake of your health and that of your child’s; consult with a practitioner who has studied nutrition and supplementation extensively. He or she will be able to supplement you with the product that SUITS YOU, as well as providing you with all the dietary advice necessary so you can get the majority of your nutrition from real life food.

Happy baby making!

***This post is not intending to promote or demote one product over another, but simply to point out the range of variation between products. I have no affiliation with any companies, and the products I chose were random, apart from the inclusion of Elevit, which was chosen because it is commonly prescribed by doctors

Author: Georgina Duncan. To find out more about Georgina, visit here