Can i take b complex with prenatal vitamins

Pregnancy B Vitamins: How Important Are They?

Taking vitamins while pregnant

Maintaining a well-balanced diet is one of the best things you can do for your body. This is especially true when you’re pregnant. Foods rich in the eight B vitamins (known as B complex) play an important role in supporting a healthy pregnancy.

Mary L. Rosser, MD, PhD, attending physician at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Women’s Health at Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, explains that, “they keep your body strong while your baby is growing. They also change food into energy, giving you that needed boost during your pregnancy.” This natural energy lift will help if you’re feeling tired during your first and third trimesters.

Each of the B vitamins listed below is packed with benefits for you and your growing baby.

Vitamin B-1: Thiamine

Vitamin B-1 (thiamine) plays a huge part in your baby’s brain development. Pregnant women need about 1. 4 milligrams of vitamin B-1 daily. Natural sources of vitamin B-1 are found in:

• whole grain pastas
• yeast
• pork
• brown rice

Vitamin B-2: Riboflavin

Like all B vitamins, B-2 (riboflavin) is water soluble. This means that your body doesn’t store it. You must replace it through your diet or prenatal vitamins.

Riboflavin keeps your eyes healthy and your skin look glowing and refreshed. Pregnant women should take 1.4 mg of riboflavin daily. Women who are not pregnant need 1.1 mg daily. The following foods are filled with riboflavin:

• chicken
• turkey
• fish
• dairy products
• green vegetables
• eggs

Vitamin B-3: Niacin

Vitamin B-3 (niacin) works hard to improve your digestion and nutrient metabolism. Doctors recommend that pregnant women take 18 mg daily. A delicious lunchtime sandwich made with whole-grain bread and fresh tuna salad would be an excellent source of niacin.

Vitamin B-5: Pantothenic acid

Vitamin B-5 (pantothenic acid) helps create hormones and ease leg cramps. Pregnant women need roughly 6 mg of pantothenic acid daily. Breakfast that includes a good amount of B-5 could be scrambled egg yolks, or a bowl of whole-grain cereal.

Follow up with a vitamin B-5-rich lunch of brown rice stir-fry with broccoli and cashew nuts. An afternoon snack of peanut butter-filled cookies and a glass of milk can complete your daily requirements.

Vitamin B-6: Pyridoxine

Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) plays a part in your growing baby’s brain and nervous system development. It also is vital for producing norepinephrine and serotonin. These are two important neurotransmitters (signal messengers). Pyridoxine can help ease pregnancy symptoms of nausea and vomiting.

“We often recommend vitamin B-6 for relief of nausea in early pregnancy,” explains Amelia Grace Henning, CNM at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. “Typically, between 25 to 50 mg up to three times a day.” But, doctors advise that pregnant women should not go over the recommended daily dose.

Some natural sources of vitamin B-6 include:

• whole-grain cereals
• bananas
• nuts
• beans

Vitamin B-7: Biotin

The U.S. Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Science’s Institute of Medicine recommends a daily intake of 30 mcg of vitamin B-7 (biotin) during pregnancy (35 mcg for breastfeeding women). Pregnancy can often cause a biotin deficiency. So, make sure you’re getting enough. Vitamin B-7-rich foods include:

• liver
• egg yolks
• Swiss chard
• milk
• yeast

Vitamin B-9: Folic acid

Vitamin B-9 (folic acid) might be the most important B vitamin to take during pregnancy. The March of Dimes recommends that women of childbearing age take 400 mcg of vitamin B-9 daily before and after pregnancy.

Your folic acid needs will increase when you become pregnant. Vitamin B-9 can help to reduce your baby’s risk for developing birth defects, including spina bifida and other neural tube defects. Vitamin B is also essential to produce red blood cells.

Taking a prenatal vitamin daily with at least 600 mcg of folic acid, and eating folate-rich foods, will ensure that you get the right amount. Sources of folic acid include:

• oranges
• grapefruits
• green, leafy vegetables like spinach
• broccoli
• asparagus
• nuts
• legumes
• breads and cereals

Vitamin B-12: Cobalamin

B-12 (cobalamin) helps to maintain your nervous system. Sources of vitamin B-12 include:

• milk
• poultry
• fish

The recommended amount of cobalamin during pregnancy is roughly 2.6 mcg per day.

But, doctors also believe a vitamin B-12 supplement along with folic acid (found in prenatal vitamins) will help prevent birth defects such as spina bifida and defects that affect the spine and central nervous system.

The takeaway

Routine supplementation of vitamin B complex beyond what’s included in prenatal vitamins is typically not recommended, says Henning. “While there may be some research in this area, data to date has not supported changes in routine supplementation.”

Take simple steps to eat a well-balanced diet filled with a combination of these B vitamins to keep you and your baby strong and healthy.

Prenatal Vitamins While Not Pregnant: Can I Take Them?

The famous saying about pregnancy is that you’re eating for two. And while you might not actually need that many more calories when you’re expecting, your nutritional needs do increase.

To ensure that expectant moms are getting enough vitamins and minerals, they’ll often take a prenatal vitamin. Prenatal vitamins are associated with reducing risks for pregnancy complications like neural tube defects and anemia.

With so many benefits, it’s easy to wonder if you should take them even if you aren’t expecting or trying to get pregnant. But for the most part, if you aren’t thinking about bringing a little one into the world, the majority of your nutrients should come from your diet — not a vitamin.

Here’s a look at the risks and benefits of taking prenatal vitamins.

The vitamin aisle at your local pharmacy contains a huge assortment of vitamins for different genders and ages. Prenatal vitamins are specifically geared toward women thinking about becoming pregnant or who are pregnant.

The concept behind prenatal vitamins is that some of a women’s nutritional and vitamin needs increase with pregnancy. A baby especially needs certain nutrients to develop. Expectant moms don’t always take in enough nutrients in their daily diets. Prenatal vitamins are meant to bridge the nutritional gap.

It’s important to remember that prenatal vitamins are a supplement to a healthy diet for expectant moms. They aren’t a replacement for a healthy diet.

Lots of different prenatal vitamin types are available on the market. While there’s not a specific formulation for all prenatal vitamins, you’ll likely find that prenatal vitamins contain at least these key nutrients:

Calcium. According to the Mayo Clinic, pregnant and adult women need 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily. Prenatal vitamins typically have between 200 and 300 mg of calcium. This contributes to a woman’s calcium requirements but doesn’t account for all of her daily calcium needs. Calcium is important for all women because it keeps their bones strong.

Folic acid. Taking in enough folic acid is linked with reducing neural tube defects like spina bifida. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant women (and those trying to get pregnant) take in 600 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day from all sources. Since it may be difficult to get this much folic acid from foods alone, a supplement is recommended.

Foods that have folic acid (also known as folate) include beans, leafy green vegetables, asparagus, and broccoli. Many fortified foods including cereal, bread, and pasta have folate too.

Iron. This mineral is necessary to create new red blood cells in the body. Because a woman increases her blood volume during pregnancy, iron is a must-have. According to the Mayo Clinic, pregnant women need 27 mg of iron a day. This is 8 mg more than women who aren’t pregnant.

Prenatal vitamins often contain other vitamins and minerals. These could include:

• omega-3 fatty acids
• copper
• zinc
• vitamin E
• vitamin A
• vitamin C

Always talk with your doctor before starting to take prenatal vitamins. If you’re trying to conceive or are pregnant, your doctor will likely recommend that you take them.

While you can buy prenatal vitamins over the counter, doctors can prescribe them too. Women who are carrying multiples, pregnant teenagers, and pregnant women with a history of substance abuse have a higher risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Prenatal vitamins are particularly important for these women.

Doctors often recommend that women who are breastfeeding also continue taking prenatal vitamins after delivery. Prenatal vitamins can serve as a further supplement to lactating women who need plenty of nutrients to make breast milk.

Even if you aren’t trying to get pregnant, you still might want to take a folic acid supplement. That’s because half of the pregnancies in the United States aren’t planned. Because the brain and spinal cord are already forming at the early stages of pregnancy, folic acid is vital. Women of childbearing age could also eat more folate-rich foods as an alternative to taking a supplement.

Prenatal vitamins are specific to the needs of pregnant and breastfeeding women. They’re geared to make up the common nutritional deficiencies a pregnant woman could have. But they aren’t really intended for women (or men) who aren’t expecting or lactating.

Taking too much folic acid each day can have the adverse side effect of masking a vitamin B-12 deficiency. Excess iron can be a problem, too. Getting too much iron is associated with health problems like constipation, nausea, and diarrhea.

Excess amounts of nutrients like vitamin A taken from synthetic vitamins could be toxic to a person’s liver.

Again, it’s better if you get these nutrients through your diet instead of a pill. For these reasons, most women should skip prenatal vitamins unless their doctors tell them otherwise.

Many women claim that prenatal vitamins affect hair and nail growth. Some claim that taking prenatal vitamins makes hair grow thicker or faster, and that nails could grow faster or stronger too.

But according to the Mayo Clinic, these claims haven’t been proven. Taking prenatal vitamins for better hair or nails likely won’t bring the desired results. They could also have adverse side effects.

If you’re considering taking prenatal vitamins and aren’t pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive, evaluate your diet first. Most people who eat a balanced diet don’t need to take a multivitamin. A balanced diet includes lean proteins, low-fat dairy sources, whole grains, and plenty of fruits and veggies.

But keep in mind that there are always exceptions to why you may need to take a vitamin or mineral supplement. Maybe your doctor found specific nutrition deficiencies in your diet. In this case, it’s usually better to take a supplement designed to treat your specific deficiency.

Being aware of potentially adverse symptoms can help you determine if you’re experiencing the side effects of excess vitamins or minerals.

Rachel Nall is a Tennessee-based critical care nurse and freelance writer. She began her writing career with the Associated Press in Brussels, Belgium. Although she enjoys writing about a variety of topics, healthcare is her practice and passion. Nall is a full-time nurse at a 20-bed intensive care unit focusing primarily on cardiac care. She enjoys educating her patients and readers on how to live healthier and happier lives.

Vitamins and pregnancy - articles from the specialists of the clinic "Mother and Child"

Albitskaya Elena Vladimirovna

Ultrasound doctor

Clinical hospital Lapino-1 "Mother and Child"

One of the most frequent questions that pregnant women ask their doctor is what vitamins should be taken during pregnancy? Let's say right away whether expectant mothers need to drink pharmaceutical vitamins or not - there is no unequivocal answer to this question. Some doctors believe that the necessary nutrients should be obtained from natural products. Others are in favor of taking pharmaceutical multivitamins. It can only be said unequivocally that vitamins and microelements must necessarily enter the body of a pregnant woman. We will tell you which of them are most important for the expectant mother.

Folic acid

Other names for this vitamin are vitamin B ₉ or B _c . This vitamin is necessary for cell division and reproduction, so it is especially important in the first trimester of pregnancy, when all organs and systems of the child are being laid. Folic acid plays an important role in the synthesis of hemoglobin, and with its deficiency, anemia can develop. And folic acid also helps to reduce the likelihood of spinal defects in a child, takes care of the correct formation of his psyche and intellect. It is better to start taking folic acid three months before the planned conception, since a small supply of this vitamin will only be useful for both the expectant mother and the baby. If the pregnancy has come unplanned, then folic acid must be taken as soon as the woman finds out about her situation. On average, the dosage of this vitamin is from 0.4 to 0.8 mg per day.

Calcium

An expectant mother needs about 1200–1400 mg of calcium daily, while an ordinary woman needs 800–1000 mg of this trace element. Why? During pregnancy, the amount of calcium in the body of the expectant mother is significantly reduced, since it is also spent on the growth and development of the child. Especially a lot of calcium is needed in the third trimester, when the baby's skeleton is calcified. But calcium is needed not only for the growth of bones and teeth of a child - with its help, his nervous system, his heart, muscles, skin tissues, eyes, ears, hair and nails are formed. A pregnant woman needs calcium for the full functioning of the kidneys, the prevention of muscle pain, constipation, osteoporosis, caries and toxicosis. In addition, this trace element protects the expectant mother from stress and nervous overload.

Vitamin E

This vitamin is involved in the process of tissue respiration, it helps oxygen to penetrate into every cell of the body. At the same time, vitamin E is an excellent antioxidant: it protects cells from the formation of free radicals that can provoke various diseases. This protective function is especially important at the stage of embryo formation. In addition, vitamin E helps to normalize the hormonal balance of the body. In the early stages, it participates in the formation of the placenta, and also protects against abortion. The dose of vitamin E during pregnancy is 15 mg.

Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils, not less than this vitamin in lettuce, tomatoes, rose hips, parsley, spinach and peas. Some vitamin E is found in meat, eggs and milk.

Magnesium

Magnesium is involved in all metabolic processes, helps to cope with stress, normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system and blood pressure, keeps blood vessels in good shape. Due to a lack of magnesium in the body, cramps in the muscles (usually in the calves) may appear. And since the uterus is also a muscular organ, with a lack of magnesium during pregnancy during gestation, the excitability of the myometrium increases, which leads to active uterine contractions. Therefore, with hypertension and the threat of abortion, magnesium is often prescribed.

Magnesium is found in whole grains and whole grain breads, figs, almonds, seeds, dark green vegetables and bananas.

iodine

Pregnant women are usually prescribed iodine in the first trimester. Up to 16 weeks of pregnancy, the development of the child and the laying of all its organs and systems are "under the protection" of the mother's thyroid gland. And if a woman has little iodine, then this means that some system or organ of the baby may suffer. And even when the child’s own thyroid gland is formed and starts working, she can still take iodine only from the mother’s body. Its daily dose is 250 mg per day.

Iodine is most easily obtained from seafood and sea or iodized salt. A lot of iodine is found in sea fish, seaweed, squid, persimmon, feijoa, dates, dried figs, dairy products and meat. However, iodine is destroyed by temperature effects, which means that after heat treatment, the amount of iodine in the products decreases sharply.

Iron

Iron is needed primarily to prevent anemia. After all, it is part of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout the body of the mother and child. In addition, iron is involved in protein synthesis, which is involved in the formation of muscle tissue. And iron deficiency can lead to increased uterine tone. The average daily dosage of iron is 30–60 mg. In some cases, if the woman's iron supply was initially reduced, the dosage may be higher.

Iron is found in meat, especially in veal, turkey, hare, pork and beef. There is iron in plant foods, but from there it is absorbed much worse. Iron is best absorbed when taken together with vitamin C.

If a pregnant woman eats properly and varied, eats a lot of fruits and vegetables, then she may not need an additional complex of vitamins for pregnant women. It may be necessary to drink some vitamins separately, but this should be determined by the doctor. If, before pregnancy, a woman had signs of vitamin deficiency, she eats incorrectly or poorly, then multivitamins cannot be dispensed with.

Inset

Vitamin B ₉ (folic acid) found in animal liver, spinach, asparagus, lentils, Brussels sprouts, beans and wholemeal flour. However, it is absorbed very poorly from food, no more than 50%. That is why it is prescribed to almost all pregnant women

At one time, our body will not be able to absorb more than 500 mg of calcium. Therefore, you should not try to get the entire daily norm of this trace element in one meal. Try to eat foods containing calcium in small portions several times a day

To increase magnesium concentration in tissues, vitamin B ₆ (pyridoxine) is needed, which facilitates its absorption and acts as a conductor of magnesium into the cell. Therefore, magnesium and vitamin B ₆ are often prescribed together.