Prenatal Vitamins: Aren’t All Prenatal Vitamins The Same? No They Are Not, But They Should.
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Have you noticed how many different vitamins and supplements are available at your local grocery, corner pharmacy or discount mass retailer store? It used to be that the only way a pregnant woman could get a prenatal vitamin was with a doctor’s prescription. Now days, you can just walk up to the vitamin / supplement’s shelf and take your pick from several bottles.
Aren’t All Prenatal Vitamins The Same?
No, they are not. Why? The first thing you need to realize is that prenatal vitamins along with all supplements such as St. John’s Wart and the like are weakly regulated by the FDA.
Up until 1994, vitamins and supplements also know as “dietary supplements were subject to the same regulatory requirements as were other foods.” (Overview of Dietary Supplements – www.cfsan.fda.gov). In 1994, President Clinton signed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) that loosened the requirements for testing and marketing of dietary supplements, including prenatal vitamins.
“Under DSHEA, a firm is responsible for determining that the dietary supplements it manufactures or distributes are safe and that any representations or claims made about them are substantiated by adequate evidence to show that they are not false or misleading. This means that dietary supplements do not need approval from FDA before they are marketed.” (Overview of Dietary Supplements – www.cfsan.fda.gov).
So, it is up to the manufacture to determine if the dietary supplement contains the ingredients that are listed on the label, that they are safe to be consumed and that the ingredients do what they are advertised to do.
Problems With Prenatal And Multivitamins
1. Calcium and iron together. Here is a little known dietary secret – never eat a dairy product with a high iron food, like dark green leafy vegetables or red meat. This is because calcium easily binds with iron and produces a molecule that cannot be digested by the human body. It will go through the digestive track and be pooped out. Your body will not get any benefit from the iron or the calcium in your prenatal vitamins.
2. Poor nutritional quality. Most all prenatal vitamins contain synthetic forms of vitamins and minerals. They are easy to manufacture but are not exactly the same as the natural form of these vitamins. Your body will not absorb these synthetic vitamins as easily as those found in fresh produce. The synthetic form is harder on your liver.
3. No Omega-3 or Omega-6. Both of these supplements are necessary for healthy brain and nervous system development. These are essential fatty acids that your baby needs. If by chance a prenatal vitamin does contain these essential fatty acids, how sure are you of the source of them? Are they free from harmful heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and other environmental toxins?
Fish is high in omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. From which fish did the vitamin manufacture get these fatty acids? Depending on the species of fish and geographic location where the fish were caught, they may be filled with toxic heavy metals that will cause severe complications in your baby’s development.
4. Most prenatal vitamins potency is inadequate, that is not strong enough for mom and baby. Don’t expect a prenatal vitamin to supply ALL of the nutritional needs of you and your baby. How, can one little pill give you everything you need? It cannot. A prenatal vitamin is a good aid, but it is not a replacement for eating a well balanced diet of fresh vegetables, fruit, diary and healthy carbohydrates.
It is still a good nutritional practice to take your prenatal vitamin each day. However, the best pregnancy nutrition to eat fresh and natural foods. They are the best source of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and protein that your developing baby needs.
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