Prenatal Viatamins

rass0

Hi!

I have a few questions about a prenatal vitamin. I realized the prenatal viatmin I'm currently taking only has 600 mcg of folate (I'm taking New Chapter Perfect Prenatal-an organic prenatal). From what I understand, folate is the pure form you can find in foods and folic acid is a synthetic form of folate. I read about the pros of folate over folic acid and vice versa (I read your body absorbs folic acid better) to the point where I'm confused. Do you have a recommendation of one over the other? 

I found a different prenatal I like with folic acid, Rainbow Light, but I'm nervous about the Vitamin A in this one.  The one drawback is it contains Vitamin A from both beta carotene and from palmitate at 4,000 IU. Should I avoid this one because it contians palmitate? I read this is something you should avoid.  I finally gave up on the organic/pure prenatals and started looking at Nature Made and then discovered this one has Red 40, which can lead to ADHD. 

I never thought this would be so hard.  I'm having trouble finding the best prenatal (they all seem to have positives and negatives). Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I'm doing what is best. Thanks for your help!

lazyreader

I grabbed the pill bottle that said "prenatal" and then bought it. 

KingLED

I think you're better off locking yourself in a bubble. 

LittleMrsW

14cath said:

Hi!

I have a few questions about a prenatal vitamin. I realized the prenatal viatmin I'm currently taking only has 600 mcg of folate (I'm taking New Chapter Perfect Prenatal-an organic prenatal). From what I understand, folate is the pure form you can find in foods and folic acid is a synthetic form of folate. I read about the pros of folate over folic acid and vice versa (I read your body absorbs folic acid better) to the point where I'm confused. Do you have a recommendation of one over the other? 

I found a different prenatal I like with folic acid, Rainbow Light, but I'm nervous about the Vitamin A in this one.  The one drawback is it contains Vitamin A from both beta carotene and from palmitate at 4,000 IU. Should I avoid this one because it contians palmitate? I read this is something you should avoid.  I finally gave up on the organic/pure prenatals and started looking at Nature Made and then discovered this one has Red 40, which can lead to ADHD. 

I never thought this would be so hard.  I'm having trouble finding the best prenatal (they all seem to have positives and negatives). Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I'm doing what is best. Thanks for your help!

You are definitley over analyzing this.

cateyes543

I did not think about it as much as you, but FWIW I use the rainbow lites and have no problems at all with them. 

Scatterbug

You should be getting all of your required vitamins from your food.  The only supplement actually required in excess of a healthy balanced diet should be folic acid. I have nothing against vitamin supplements at all and think they can be fantastic when you are lacking in certain things.  But how do you know you are lacking in these things without assessing your intake 1st.  Good luck whatever your choice. 

KMBC2552

Don't over think it. I take the Rainbow Light ones because they are the first ones that don't make me feel like I'm going to vomit 30 minutes later. I call that a win.

estakis

Hey, speaking of prenatals (I searched the boards and didn't find an answer, and apparently I'm too lazy to start my own discussion on this, I'm hijacking this thread)- do you all take one that has iron in it or not?  I started taking one with iron and quit because it was causing GI issues (upset stomach, constipation, weird aftertaste in my mouth).  I've heard too much iron is no bueno.  So, I switched to a prenatal without iron - is that what everyone else does while TTC?  I'm going in for my annual exam next month and plan to ask my doc.  But, just curous what others are doing.....

Edit: I can't spell

BabyCowbell

I take New Chapter and have been happy with them. For whatever it's worth, when I told the fertility acupuncturist that's the brand I take she said that's what she recommends to people.

The important part it that you take something, the rest is just personal preference.

kate5all

Oh I'm definitely a member of the "overthinking it" team!

I went down this rabbit hole about a month ago. I read that folinic acid is the most bioavailable form. I use MegaFolinic. It wasn't expensive. 

Does the form/brand really, truly matter? Probably not all that much. But I know that for me, doing the research and making these decisions all in the name of impending parenthood is kind of fun. Not everyone geeks out to this stuff and that's fine, too. 

And the "just pick something" ppl have a point: if you're actively TTC, you want to start taking some form of folic acid asap. 

kate5all

piccyami said:

kate5all said:

Oh I'm definitely a member of the "overthinking it" team!

I went down this rabbit hole about a month ago. I read that folinic acid is the most bioavailable form. I use MegaFolinic. It wasn't expensive. 

Does the form/brand really, truly matter? Probably not all that much. But I know that for me, doing the research and making these decisions all in the name of impending parenthood is kind of fun. Not everyone geeks out to this stuff and that's fine, too. 

And the "just pick something" ppl have a point: if you're actively TTC, you want to start taking some form of folic acid asap. 

Don't you mean folic?  Folinic acid is used for chemo, from the quick research I did.  But there's apparently a brand of folic acid labeled as megafolinic.  Really confusing.

Yeah, Megafolinic is the brand I use, and it's (supposed to be) folinic acid. The supplement facts on the bottle list Folate as calcium folinate or folinic acid. 

I found researching this whole thing to be confusing, too. All these terms often get used interchangeably, which makes it hard to pin them down! 

ETA:

That's interesting about the chemo treatments. But the source I got the folinic acid tip from was a nutritionist talking specifically about pregnancy, fwiw.