What supplements are you taking while TTC?

[GenericDietCola]

DH and I have been TTC DC2 for a year now and, after two mcs last year, we're keen to maximise our chances of a healthy conception this time. I take antenatal vitamins as well as vit B complex whenever my LP is a bit short. DH takes zinc although we don't know if he has any problems with his swimmers or not.

I'm curious to know what supplements others take and why? Let's rattle our way to healthy 2012 babies!

Right now I'm just on folic acid. Though I went out and bought Selenium, Vit D and Vit B complex yesterday.

I've actually decided to skip taking the new ones until I see my consultant on Thursday though, as he might have some advice on what to take. I'll post here if he tells me anything useful.

Thank you Stasi. Just read that vit B complex is good for egg quality, so I might take it anyway, short LP or not.

Any other drug addicts supplement fans?

I used to take folic acid every day, but have just switched to Pregnacare conception in an effort to get that elusive BFP after reading an article in the Telegraph.

www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8928234/Women-trying-to-conceive-should-take-vitamins-researchers.html

They're quite expensive but are 3 for 2 at Boots at the moment. They seem to have everything in including a few things I hadn't previously heard of (inositol, l-arginine & n-acetyl cysteine).

Ooh Pixie thanks for the link - worth a try I think, although IIRC the ingredients are more or less the same across the branded and unbranded antenatal vitamins. Might check this more closely though - and if they contain selenium, vit D and vit B then maybe there's no need for separate tablets.

I took the Boots equivalent of Pregnacare Conception, plus a high dose of B6.

I am just taking B6 to help luteal phase (even though mine is a fairly standard 14 days anyway!) B6 is sometimes prescribed for morning sickness too so I figure if its safe in pregnancy then it must be ok for TTC! I take magnesium and Vit D3 because there is some research that women who miscarry are deficient in both of those (although its not clear if thats a cause or effect of the miscarriage IYSWIM?) And then Omega 3 and standard conception vits. I know one of the RMC specialists recommends everything I'm on for the ladies he treats (bar the B6) so I figure that makes them safe for TTC.

Happy pill-popping!

I am taking:

Zita West conception vits
Fish oils
B vits 100

High dose Vit C just before ovulation

Not convinced any of it is of any use however

Thank you Love, Green and Farfalla.

Far what are the differences between the Zita vits and the Pregnacare ones (if you know off-hand)? And does vit C help egg quality? That's worth trying surely!

I am taking the following

ASDA Folic acid - although I think this leave a funny tablet taste for the rest of the day
ASDA 1000 soluble Vit C (drink when I first get to work to replace my morning coffee - I actually quite enjoy it )
ASDA Selenium with Vit A,C & E

I also have a couple of brazil nuts and cinnamon on my porridge (thanks Generic) when I remember!!!

I have just bought some Pregnacare conception vits on 3 for 2, but haven't started them yet.

Interesting article Pixie but this quote caught my eye:

'Prof Alison Murdoch, Professor of Reproductive Medicine at Newcastle University said: ?This is not a well designed study; the numbers are small and they have not provided any evidence of causation.'

I was on folic acid and B6 for the first six months of ttc, but have been put off Pregnacare because it's so bloody expensive. I've just started on Morrison's own Pregnancy vitamins which are £4 for 45 so much more pocket friendly! Who knows if it'll do the trick? I'm a bit cynical about a lot of supplements if you have a healthy diet to be honest, for example if you take more than the RDA of vitamin C then you just excrete the left over vitamin, but now that I'm cycle 7 I figure it can't hurt!

Ah yes Sweetie must start on the Brazil nuts and cinnamon again! Selenium is found in Brazil nuts and I forget why that's important and cinnamon is supposed to increase blood flow to the reproductive organs.

Disco I'm a cynic too, but after a year and 2 mcs I feel that it can't hurt to add a few supplements to my (mostly) healthy diet. I suppose it's a way of feeling you have some control over the process.

I'm compiling a shopping list as we speak!

It isn't a great study... If you've got the money to spend on supplements, fine, but if you've not, then don't worry about it. That study doesn't really show much and certainly doesn't prove anything. If you've got limited money then I would put it towards healthy food rather than vitamins unless you've got a particular problem with your diet!! (eg can't stand veg...)

I'm using superdrug's own brand pregnancy vitamins. Compared to pregnacare etc it has lower levels of everything apart from folic acid but I have a pretty healthy diet so I figure it's OK!

Apparently Vit C can increase progesterone, this is quite a nice website with some good research which I studied obsessively after my first MC

Apparently it needs to be buffered vitamin c for absorbtion.

sites.google.com/site/miscarriageresearch/vitamins-and-miscarriage/vitamin-c

I started taking the zita west at the recommendation of my accupuncture lady. It seems to have a lot more stuff in it than pregnacare. Its even more expensive though
She is adamanat that the cheaper vitamins are useless as they are not easily absorbed by the body but who knows? I am giving it 3 more months on it and then will probably move to pregnacare.

I take the pregnacare conception vitamins and whilst I haven't got my BFP yet, my skin, hair and nails are the best they've ever been.

Can I ask please where you buy the zita West vitamins from, and will I need to remortgage the house to buy a month's supply?

Is there much difference between that Sanatogen?

The answer is yes I think so although I don't know how much pregnacare costs. I get it from Amazon as its cheaper than from the Zita West website directly. Its about £17 for a month.

Sorry the yes was in answer to 'do I need a mortgage'. I have no idea how effective they are versus Sanatogen or cheaper brands. Surely they must all do the same sort of thing?

Pregnacare and Equazen's Mum Omega. I took them prior to getting pg with DS, all the way through, all through breastfeeding and pretty much ever since.
Both of the ones I take are on permanently 3 for 2 at Boots, so that helps with the cost.

Thanks Farfalla, its good you can get them from Amazon, I wasn't sure if you could only get them in London or something. Pregnacare is usually around £10 a month, sometimes you can get them on a Buy 1 Get 1 half price in H&B, i'm wary though of buying them to far in advance as I don't know if the vitamins go off or are less effective after a while?

PreheatedOven I LOVE your name!

I have been taking Boots own conception tablet and put DH on Boots A - Z as we are both Vegi and I'm worried about his zinc levels.

I'm also taking two teaspoons of Manuka honey a day. Who knows, might help.

worrying I think as they're in blisterpacks they're ok to store - it's the ones in tubs that "go off", as apparently the damp gets to them and the level of some vitamins (like vit c) decrease, iykwim. I read you shouldn't store them in the kitchen (because it's damp - all that steam etc) and you should use open tubs within 1 month.

What're the fish oils for, far?

I take pregnacare conception as I'm quite a run-down person anyway; I was taking "normal" vitamins before ttc, but then someone said they can have prohibitively high levels of vit a, so I changed over.

Thank you everyone for your comments. So far, we have:

Antenatal vitamins (probably don't need to be branded ones, but check that the cheaper ones contain the same ingredients and the same quantities as the branded ones)

The following if not contained in the antenatal vits:
Vit B complex for egg quality and if you have LP defect
Selenium
Vit D3 - possibly useful in cases of RMC
Magnesium - possibly useful in cases of RMC
Omega 3
High dose vit C prior to ovulation to increase progesterone

Thank you very much worryingtrend :)

Sorry more questions I'm afraid!
High dose VitC is 1000mg ok? Do I take this from CD1 to O?
How much VitB complex should we be having?

Google is so confusing!

What does Manuka honey do?