What Supplements Are You Taking?

[noodle_nut]

Hi All,

Now that it's all official for most of us, I am interested to know what vitamins, supplements people are taking and what people recommend.

My GP told me to take nothing but Folate but I can't really say me diet is that fantastic that I don't need vitamins!!

I am taking Folate and Blackmores Pregnancy but I have been told to take some other things like Acidophilus and I would love to know what others have learnt from experience or from more attentive health care professionals!!

Advice is always handy.

Hope everyone is well and happy

[pegasus]

Hi Noodle nut

I'm taking iron (liquid form as the tablets make me constipated!), Folate and Zinc. The main thing you have to steer clear of is vitamin A - too much isn't good for bubba. Iron is important for oxygen levels in red blood cells - always important when manufacturing a new bubba and I also know I have generally low haemoglobin levels. For some people it doesn't matter how much red meat you eat, it's about your ferritin levels (the deeper level of iron) and this isn't reflected in your haemoglobin. I take the folate for the first 3months to guard against neural tube defects, and Zinc to guard against stretch marks (some people take omega 3 or cod liver oil). I didn't get any stretch marks last time and who knows if it was the Zinc or not (but who cares - if it worked last time I'll follow the same regime).

At the end of your day - remember your pharmacist or dietician (or nutritionist) knows more about supplements than most GPs. The GP does 6 years of medical school to learn all they can about pharmacy, physiotherapy, nursing, occupational therapy, dietetics, speech pathology, radiography, etc..... the rest of these degrees are 3 or4 years specialising in one area. So good to ask some one who specialises in the area.

Also it's always good to check the concentrations on any supplements as multivits won't have the same concentrations as specialised supplements. Also check brands with someone who sells a range - some are absorbed into the body better than others - apparently with some, you might as well not be taking them as they're expelled before your body can absorb them.

PS. I'm lucky, my sister is a pharmacist who bought out a health food shop and has a nutritionist on hand to advise (hence my very biased post). :D

[BJelly]

I take Blackmores Pregnancy and Breastfeeding capsules. I've been happy with them - they are stocked at supermarkets and chemists - so they are easy to find.

[mummyx2]

I've been taking 500mg of Folic Acid 3x1000mg of Omgea3 and 1 multivitamin (cernovis) I chose the cernovis brand as there wasn't much vitamin A all the other's seemed to have had more if I remember correctly.

[Leaf]

Im taking Elevit vitamins for Pregnancy & Lactation - I was taking the Blackmores Pregnancy & Breastfeeding formula, but the doctor said Elevit was better (also more expensive).

I think that if you are taking the recommended folate intake, you can't go wrong.

[Seekrit]

I"m taking FeFol, but at the end of this packet I'll move onto elevit, as per doctors reccomendation.

I couldn't help but notice his baby software on his computer had the Elevit brand plastered all over it too.. suggestive suggesting?

[littlepickle]

I am using elavit now as this is the one my doc told me to get, I have been taking folate and omega3 and floravit liquid iron for the past 4 months now in preparation, I read somewhere that it was a good idea to start taking folate early so decided to get into the habbit of taking it even before we were ttc, made me feel like I was actively doing something iykwim
I find the floravit iron supplement liquid great, also I find that it gives me more energy, I checked with my doc and he said that the elavit alone should be ok, so I will probably give up the floravit and see how I go

[rachdent]

Geez - I read all your posts and feel guilty as hell. I'm only taking folate - although I only took that for my first baby too and he is perfect as!! Healthy too. Saying that, I was probably more careful and good about what I ate first tiem round, so maybe I should buy some of the infamous Elivit!!

[gumballgalaxy]

im taking blackmores pregnancy and breast feeding aswell. Those things are huge!

[bekkyboo]

ive been taking some natures own one - but as it started to make me throw up voilently after taking it (they are huge - and my body decided it didnt like them) im still trying to get another one... so just folate for now...

[JellyBean06]

I've been taking Folate for so long....but also since I found out I was pregnant, Blackmores Pregnancy. I know Elevit is the best but there are sometimes supply issues and it is really expensive. I've also been taking Fish Oil but my Pharmacist reckons Flax Seed Oil is heaps better. I've found Inner Health Plus is great to get rid of any Thrush or general unwellness in the intestines and is completely safe. :)

[littlepickle]

I was feeling mega tired before I started taking Elevit - miraculously, since starting the elevit I have not been getting mega tired any more - now thats got to be a good thing. I know it is a bit more expensive than the rest, but if it works then its worth it in my opinion. Having said that, what works for one does not work for all - I guess it is a case of trial and error

[MilkOnTap]

I'm still TTC and am only taking Blackmores Folate. Was going to begin the Pregnancy and Breastfeeding one when I conceive. I have seen Elevit advertised but dont know much about it.

Is it expensive? What are you looking at $ wise?
Should I be taking it while TTC or mostly worry about it when I have fallen?

[JellyBean06]

Correct me if it's changed but 90 Elevit tablets was $80 or there abouts???

[littlepickle]

Hi Ally,

I just took folate (for about 6 months prior to conceiving) my obs told me to move over to the Elevit once my pregnancy was confirmed as it also contains theother vitamins and minerals that are supportive during pregnancy and breastfeeding. I think the most important part as far as the baby is concerned is folate, the other vitamins contained are also good of course and support your body with energy levels etc. I was taking the blackmores until my pg was confirmed and I was sooo tired, I couldnt stay awake, It was awfull - just physically drained - but the elevit seems to have sorted that uou and I am almost bouncing with energy... :rolleyes:
It costs about $25 per box. The box contains 30, but I think it is well worth it as it makes me feel so much better!

[cosmic]

I was on the Blackmores Pregnancy and BF formula but changed to Elevit when it finally came back in stock at the local pharmacy. I had a big jumbo bottle of the Blackmores.. can't rememer the cost - maybe $50 for 140 tablets (approx 2 mths worth). And I think the Elevit was about $30 for a month? I don't remember exactly. When comparing price, remember that you have to take 2 of the Blackmores per day and only 1 of the Elevit.

Also I checked the ingredients of both, and Elevit has much more of everything... so 2 tablets of the Blackmores has less than 1 tablet of the Elevit. :rolleyes: Except for one thing - Fish Oil. Blackmores has it, Elevit doesn't. But I was taking extra fish oil anyway so now I just take the Elevit and 2 Fish Oils.

Also - the GP and Pharmacist both told me that we need at least 1000mg of Folate so they told me to take extra along with the pregnancy vitamin. I was taking and extra Folate with my Blackmores, but since Elevit has 800, I don't bother.

Phew.. hope that helps!! :)

[JellyBean06]

Well I've been taking Blackmores Pregnancy and they've done nothing to make me feel better so I reckon I'll move onto Elevit and see what that does.

[littlepickle]

Good move, I started to really feel the benefits after about 2 days I think

[hummingbird]

you would probably keel over when you hear what I am taking! I studied nutition though so I know what I am doing and would advise seeing a nutritionist or medical practitioner before embarking on a supplemental regime.

For six month prior to conceiving up until this moment I take:

on waking
zinc + selenium

after / with breakfast
multi mineral
multi vitamin
calcium and magnesium complex
liver support
oil (EPO and fish with vit E) x2
vitamin C
lactobacillus / bifidobacterium

after / with lunch
vitamin C
iron formula

after / with dinner
calcium and magnesium complex
liver support
oil

before bed
zinc
selenium

I will continue this programme right through breast feeding my bubba. It's very comprehensive and if I forget to take them every so often I don't freak out about it. The products are from a practitioner range called Natural Fertility Management from NutritionCare which you can get from any alternative health practitioner or nutritionist, however it is very expensive (luckily I can get it at the wholsale price).

For a while zinc made me vomit (this was when I started getting morning sickess) so I had to take it with food (zinc absorption can be inhibited by other nutrients which is why you should take it on its own). I took a zinc taste test last night to check my levels and for the first time ever I scored #1 - which indicates my levels are right up there which is great (prevents stretch marks!)

pegasus makes some very valid points, as does littlepickle. I congratulate you all on making the effort to supplement your diet, the products you have all mentioned are worth the effort. We simply can not get all the nutrients we require with current farming practices and stressors on our bodies. And if you are like me and have indulged in one too many chocolate magnums whiclst pregnant well extra vits can not hurt - just be careful of vit A.

[cosmic]

Hi Siobhan, Wow.. that's a lot of supplements. :eek: Do you rattle? :p

I'm glad you mentioned about Vitamin A. Also, I'm interested to see that you take EPO. I was taking it to help with TTC but definitely read everywhere not to take it while pregnant as it stimulates the uterus to contract possibly causing miscarriage. I heard to take Fish Oil or Flaxseed (or alternate them) instead. Any comments, since you have a nutrition background?

C.

[jaydensmum]

Im taking the Blackmores Pregnancy Vitamins. :D

jaydensmum

[hummingbird]

Hi Cosmic,

I have never heard of EPO being contra-indicated in pregnancy, but I am wondering if there is a vague connection between EPO, prostaglandins and induced labour. I think this is going to be a long post..........

EPO is one of the richest sources of omega 6 essential fatty acid (EFAs), gamma-linoleic acid (GLA). In the body GLA gets converted into DGLA (di-homo gamma linoleic acid) and from there into prostaglandins, which are extremely active, hormone-like substances in the body. The particular kind of prostaglandins made from EPO are called 'series 1'. These keep the blood thin, relax blood vessels, lower blood pressure, help maintian water balance, decrease inflammation and pain, improve nerve and immune function and help insulin to work (among other things!).

Synthetic prostaglandins (considerably larger doses than EPO on its own can simply not provide) are used to prepare for childbirth by ripening the cervix (the softening, effacement and dilation that occurs before active labor). Less orthodox methods of cervical ripening include sexual intercourse, nipple stimulation, castor oil etc ... all those things you have heard may help to 'bring on labour'.

Another method I have heard of for cervical ripening is the introduction of oral EPO, 500mg, three times daily with or without insertion of EPO capsules into the vagina, where they melt and 'dissolve' into the cervix and membranes, during the last four weeks of pregnancy (dosages and timings vary depending on the practitioner). It does not start labour, it simply prepares the cervix.

In terms of studies done to prove / disprove the use of EPO in cervical ripening and as a possible contra-indication to pregnancy was a clinical trial done in 1999: Oral evening primrose oil: its effect on length of pregnancy and selected intrapartum outcomes in low-risk nulliparous women. (Dove D., Johnson P.)

The summary is as follows:
Evening primrose oil is widely used by many midwives to hasten cervical ripening in an effort to shorten labor and decrease the incidence of postdates pregnancies. Although its efficacy has been studied in the relief of symptoms of a number of medical conditions, its use has not been well studied, if at all, for the purpose of cervical ripening. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of oral evening primrose oil on the length of pregnancy and selected intrapartum outcomes in low-risk nulliparous women. A two group retrospective quasi-experimental design conducted on a sample of women who received care in a birth center, compared selected outcomes of 54 women taking evening primrose oil in their pregnancy with a control group of 54 women who did not. Findings suggest that the oral administration of evening primrose oil from the 37th gestational week until birth does not shorten gestation or decrease the overall length of labor. Further, the use of orally administered evening primrose oil may be associated with an increase in the incidence of prolonged rupture of membranes, oxytocin augmentation, arrest of descent, and vacuum extraction

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10380450&dopt=Abstract

Unfortunately I could only get the summary so I am not sure of the doses used and period of time. But is seems to disprove the theory that EPO brings on an early labour and has no effect on the length of labour. It would appear however that it may increase oxytocin during labour, so perhaps this is where they get the idea of contra-indication.

I could not find any studies to support that EPO orally administered during pregnancy possibly inducing labour. I would be really interested to know where you have read this and if there are any sources quoted to support this.

All this being said, many people receive all the omega 6 oils they need through a healthy diet. The supplement I take is a complex of oils (200mg EPO equivalent to 20mg GLA and 600mg fish oils equiv to 36mg EPA and 150mg DHA) and vitamin E/tocopherols. I find complex can work better then individual nutrients taken on their own. All up I am consuming 800mg of EPO daily (2 x oil capsules twice daily) and would have no problem recommending this to any pregnant woman in a consult situation.

Sorry for the long post!

[hummingbird]

Vitamin A does play a very important role for the integrity of all the mucous membranes - linings of the mouth, intestines and vagina. It's also important for healthy eyes, skin, hair and bone structure.

It is now widely recognised that too much vitamin A during pregnancy can be teratogenic (causing malformations of an embryo/fetus). One study has shown vitamin A to be a danger when women take more than 10,000IU per day. Unlike most other vitamins, vitamin A can be stored in the body.

Vitamin A is necessary for zinc absorption so you will often find them together in supplemental form (at around 2,500IU). Just be sure you are not exceeding 8,000IU of vitamin A daily.

There are probably more incidences of congenital abnormalities due to a deficiency of vitamin A than there are incidences of teratogenic effects from an excess. You may prefer to take beta-carotene (up to 6mg) which is entirely non-toxic and which your body will convert to vitamin A as required.

[cosmic]

Thanks Siobhan! That's useful information. :)

In terms of where I read that about EPO, I probably couldn't tell you specifically but I know I did a lot of googling on supplements etc when trying to conceive and many of the sites I found suggested taking EPO to help increase cervical mucus to aid conception, but only to take it to ovulation.. for the reason I mentioned earlier. :confused:

Perhaps if you google it, you'll find some of those sites too if you're interested.. just to know what's being spread around out there!

[hummingbird]

Hi Cosmic,

Yeah I did a google search and the only site I could find that supported their warning of EPO in pregnancy was the study mentioned in my previous post, which actually states that EPO had no effect on the length of gestation or labour. It certainly doesn't mention anything about inducing labour.

But you are right - there are a few sites that contra-indicate EPO in pregnancy, they just don't state why. I am on a mission now to find out and will let you now if I find anything.

Siobhan

[cosmic]

Go girl! :D I will look forward to hearing what you come up with!

[noodle_nut]

Hey guys, thanks for all the replies to my post. It's turned out to be really interesting what people are taking and what has been recommended by professionals. I am taking folate and Blackmores Pregnancy but am seriously considering changing to Elevit because I am absolutely exausted all the time and am hoping for a miracle cure!!!! Only kidding, but it seems like the Elevit is helping people overcome fatigue a little better.....and that's got to be a good thing, especially around Christmas!

I had a little freak out yesterday because my bottle of folate says "DO NOT EXCEED THE RECOMMENDED DOSE OF FOLATE" If I am correct the two tablets of Blackmores and the one 500mcg tablet of folate gives me 900mcg of folate! Now I'm worried I'm doing more harm than good....Waaaaaaa!

Any advice? :confused:

[cosmic]

Noodle_nut, I'm not sure if you saw my post before, but my doc AND the pharmacist told me separately that it is a good idea to take folate in addition to the two x Blackmores. They said they actually don't know how much we need but it is at least 1000 so most preggie vitamins aren't giving us enough.

One elevit, from memory contains 800 so I have just stopped taking the extra folate since changing to Elevit from Blackmores.

No need to stress! :)

[noodle_nut]

Thanks Cosmic, I'm such a stress head at the best of times and now, I just want to get it right. Thanks for your comforting words.

[moonblossom]

I'm taking blackmores pregnancy and breastfeeding caps..oh BOY are they huge, also blackmores calcium, I've had no side affects from taking these tablets (apart from occasionally gagging on them LOL) and being my age, I need (and so does the baby) all the help we can get.

Many blessings

[BigW]

Lifestream Spirulina all the way. You can get it from health food shops, it is made in NZ and is absolutely fantastic.
I have had fatigue illnesses, and now have a medical condition, all I can say is, it is worth the cost.

It has all the vitamins, minerals etc listed above, in one tablet. You wont look back.

[hummingbird]

The current RDI of folate in TTC and pregnant women is at least 400µg (micrograms) a day.

There haven’t been any adverse effects associated with getting too much folate from food. And taking folic acid supplements over many years appears to be safe and isn’t addictive. It’s one of the vitamins your body gets rid of naturally if you have more than you need.

That said, there’s nothing to be gained from taking folic acid supplements above a dosage of 500 µg per day, except in certain conditions, such as if your body doesn’t absorb it well (which may be the case for many women these days) or where there’s a family history of nueral tube defects. I wouldn't be worried about taking 1,000µg per day.

Remember that B group vitamins, of which folate is a part of, should be taken together to ensure maximum absorption.

[JellyBean06]

I've started taking Elevit in the last couple of days....WOW! What a difference! Highly recommend it and it was cheaper than Blackmore's ($21.95 I got it for).

:)

[bambino]

I have been taking Elevit for the past 4 months. It contains the Folic Acid you need as well as a lot of other goodies that the body requires.
But remember that the maximum daily intake for Folic Acid is 800mg

[hummingbird]

Hi Cosmic,

I haven't been having much luck on contra-indications of EPO in pregnancy, but did come upon this information on www.babycentre.co.uk
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/expert/557909.html

Re: Folate
The daily dosage for folate for pregnant or nursing mums is 800µg (micrograms), or at least 400µg (micrograms). Supplemental ranges (ie doasge for those with mild to severe deficiency) can be from 1000-5000µg (micrograms). However I would not recommend more than 1000µg (micrograms) per day. Essentially folate is non-toxic, but it can cause abdominal distention, flatulence, hyperactivity, irritablilty, nausea, sleep disturbance and vivid dreams and muscle restlessness in high doses (ie over 1,000µg (micrograms)). I am pretty sure I have mentioned it before, but folate being part of the B complex needs to be accompanied by other B group vitamins for best absorption.

[M&M'sMummy]

Hi everybody,

I was taking Elevit through my first pregnancy and when I fell pregnant the second time my doctor told me about a new supplement called "FABFOL" In a green box that is exactly the same as Elevit but only costs $14.95 unlike Elevit that costs $20-$25.

ME-25
DH-25
DD-24/7/05
EDD-9/7/06

[becschasebaby]

im so glad this little forum is here. i have been struggling with this issue my whole pregnancy.

i was just taking folic acid, then i forgot for ages. then i tried the blackmores pregnancy and breastfeeding but they are huge and i cant get two of them down! i was real sick until about week 14, so i wasnt taking anything cause i was throwing them up. now i am feeling slightly better so i thought i would start taking something.

i havent been eating meat or anything cause it just makes me sick, and in the last week i have noticed a real drop in energy so i figured i would be low in iron. i went and got some Fefol, which has just made me so sick i have had to have two days off work.

HELP! what can i take that will boost my iron levels but wont make me sick?

[pegasus]

Hey Bec

I can't take iron in tablet form cos it constipates me (sorry if TMI). Instead I take it in liquid form. There is something called Clements Iron which also has B supplements. I took it all through last pregnancy, but have to admit I haven't been as good with this one (was too sick to take anything in the first 3months). I'm only just reintroducing certain foods now.

It's available from health food shops.

Cheers
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