Folate vs Pregnancy Vitamin Capsules

[ImSethsMum]

Hi all, just wanted to ask if the Folate Tablets you can buy (I have the blackmores brand 500mg tablets) are to be taken WITH Pregnancy Vitamin tablets (like Cenovis Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Formula) or if you take both are you getting too much Folate?

The preg vitamin capsules say on the box that they contain Folic Acid (Folate) but dont say how much. If its only a small amount then I'd rather take the plain Folate Tablets that are 500mg so I'm sure to be getting the right amount IYKWIM.

Its all pretty confusing and thought some of you might have been through the same thing and worked out what was what :fingerscrossed:

Thanks,
Kelly

[Mamalicious]

I've been wondering the same thing, HELP US SOMEONE!!! :p :D

[Pauline70]

I visited my Ob Gyn last year to discuss problems with not falling pregnant. He asked what pre-pregnancy vitamins I was taking and I said Elevit. He told me that all I needed was Megafol 0.5 which are $4.95 for 100. He said if you are getting a balanced diet then you don't need Elevit. I took Megafol until I fell pregnant (for the folate) but now I've switched back to Elevit which I'll stick with until I get over this wretched tiredness. They are quite pricey and I get sick of driving to a cheap pharmacy to try and get the best price.

I did take the Blackmores Pregnancy and B/Feeding vitamins last pregnancy with DD and found no problems with them. And they are considerably cheaper than Elevit!

To answer your question re: too much folate, I wasn't aware you could take too much? but best to check with your GP if you're concerned.

[beauybabe27]

Folate tablets are good on your first preg. but if your getting dizzy spells and all day sickness its better to take a multivitamin without vitamin A.
Make sure it has a high calcium as posible omega fatty acids and at least 400 of folate. 400 is the rec dose, unless the doc says otherwise. this cuts out those dredded iron tablets too.
I would be lost without them.
the cheepest brands can be a little dodgy with the ingreidients.
but so can some of the dearer ones.
For me blackmores is $41 a pack, way more than I can afford. I found a close equ. within reson of price. for $20. they are Eviden. not quiet cheep n nasty but still very good.
They stop my dizzy spells to a point and help to ease nausa. Then so does vegimite. :)

[PurpleButterfly4]

This was mentioned in another thread, but can't remember where. I think someone said you shouldn't take anymore than 500mg of folate. so i s'pose it depends on how much folate is in the tablet ur taking... could then take extra folate to make up the 500mg

[SPC]

The recommended minimum dose of folic acid is 400-500mcg, that's micrograms, however, if you have had a baby with spina bifida it's recommended you take 10 times that, ie 5mg, that's milligrams. So, no you can't really take too much folic from those little 500mcg tablems.
New research suggests that taking 1mg of folic for one year before falling pregnant reduces the risk of premature labour too. So I'm taking Swisse pregnancy vitamins and another 500mcg of folic on top. And calcium and magnesium and fish oil too, cos there's research for those being a good plan.