Vitamins?

[esmeraldathistle]

Hi ladies

I'm interested to hear what vitamins or supplements you all take and what they do?

I'm taking Solgar Prenatal vitamins and high quality fish oil.

I'm curious as to why there is such a big difference in the nutritional information on the UK version I had compared to the US version. I'm assuming to do with different guidelines per country but just wondering what other people's thoughts were?

(I hadn't realised the first bottle I bought was US the second UK and there seemed to be a big difference will see if I can find them both)

UK version (not sure how well this is going to paste!)

Amount Per Serving % DV
Calcium (as carbonate, citrate)
652 mg
82
Bulking Agents: microcrystalline cellulose, maltodextrin,
dicalcium phosphate, alginate, pea starch, citric acid,
mannitol
Magnesium (as oxide, citrate)
227 mg
61
Anti-caking Agents: vegetable stearic acid, vegetable
magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide
Soya Protein Isolate/Amino Acid Blend
80 mg
(L-glutamic acid, L-aspartic acid, L-leucine, L-arginine,
L-lysine, L-phenylalanine, L-serine, L-proline, L-valine,
L-isoleucine, L-alanine, glycine, L-threonine, L-tyrosine,
L-histidine, L-tryptophan, L-cysteine, L-methionine)
Cellulose Gum
Iron (as bisglycinate†)
14 mg
100
Vitamin C (as L-Ascorbic acid)
50 mg
63
Glazing Agents: hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, vegetable
glycerin (from palm kernel oil and coconut oil)
Vitamin E (15 IU, as D-alpha tocopheryl acid succinate)
10 mg α-TE
83
Zinc (as oxide, bisglycinate††)
11.5 mg
115
Glycine
10 mg
L-Aspartic Acid
10 mg
Niacin (vitamin B3, as nicotinamide)
10 mg NE
63
Copper (as gluconate, bisglycinate††)
1000 µg
100
Pantothenic Acid (as D-pantothenate, calcium)
5 mg
83
Inositol
5 mg
Choline (as bitartrate)
2 mg
Manganese (as bisglycinate††, gluconate)
0.5 mg
25
Natural Source Beta-carotene
1.8 mg
Vitamin B6 (as pyridoxine HCI)
1.25 mg
89
Carotenoid Mix
4.8 µg
Thiamin (vitamin B1, as thiamin mononitrate)
0.85 mg
77
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
1 mg
71
Iodine (as potassium iodide)
75 µg
50
Folic Acid (as pteroylmonoglutamic acid)
400 µg
200
D-biotin
150 µg
300
Chromium (as picolinate)
12.5 µg
31
Selenium (as L-selenomethionine)
12.5 µg
23
Vitamin D2 (200 IU, as ergocalciferol)
5 µg
100
Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin)
4 µg
160
*EC RDA = EC Recommended Daily Allowance

US version - has double the folic acid

Both countries use different systems for vitamin requirements. US uses RDA which is recommended daily allowance, UK uses DRV dietary reference values. Speaking very generally US assumes poor quality diet and over supplements (which in itself can cause problems and may be unlikely to be absorbed). UK takes a more evidence based approach which may be why it seems recommendations change frequently.

In the UK the only two recommended to supplement in pregnancy are folic acid and vitamin D. I would suggest the cheapest one that contains both and nothing else. If you follow a restricted diet other vitamins may be beneficial but I would seek specialist advice.

In the US they also supplement with vitamin A in pregnancy we do not do this in the UK as butter is widely eaten and a good source and margarine is fortified. In one small study in Spain pregnant women supplemented with vitamin A had a higher degree of birth defects.

I suspect in coming years in the UK advice will change to suggest including iodine supplementation, however too high supplementation can cause thyroid deficiency thus likely to benefit more from eating seafood( ie twice weekly fish or kelp once or twice a week) than taking a supplement.

Vitamin supplements like everything else can be too much of a good thing and are no substitute for a healthy diet

I am an experienced NHS health care professional with a degree and years of experience including working with women Witt chronic illness who were pregnant and had a more "delicate" balance with vitamin requirements.

Thank you for your reply feefeefs, I have a varied and generally healthy diet do you think this means the Solgar prenatal ones are overkill and I should just get a plain vit d and folic acid ones? The ones I'm taking now are the UK version with 400 ug folic acid etc

I would say use up the UK ones you've already got! But if you need more buy the plain vitamin d and folic acid ones, you'll often find just putting the word "pregnancy" or "conception" doubles the price so if you read the labels and they seem to contain the same thing it doesn't have to specify pregnancy. Also "own brand" just as good whenever they survey pharmacists next to none of them buy any "branded" drugs or vitamins. Hopes this helps and good luck!