Just realised Ovaltine contains vitamin A - thanks very much Bounty pack!

[BoredNinja]

I stupidly started drinking Ovaltine light a few weeks ago, thinking it was ok because I'd got a free sample in my booking-in Bounty pack and a voucher saying how great Ovaltine was for pregnant women as it doesn't have any caffeine.

On the side of the jar in big letters it says it contains all the B vits and folic acid.

I've just seen it also contains vitamin A. So not actually suitable in pregnancy at all.

I realise it's mostly my own stupid fault for not checking (or forgetting I'd checked - maybe that's why it was in the back of my cupboard). But why the hell would they recommend it in the pack given out by midwives?

Anyway, what are the effects from having too much vitamin A? I've only had one or two cups a day, if that, which is 25 - 50% of the recommended daily dose (for someone who's not pregnant, obviously). I'm 23 weeks pregnant, if that makes a difference.

Does it say how much vit A is in there? I believe women should avoid more than 0.6mg a day so if you only have a couple of cups surely that's fine?

Just checked the contents list with ovaltine online the vit A amount is minuscule, so have no fear all will be well. Good luck with the baby

It's 200ug per serving. Not sure how ug relates to mg - will google now.

Banned foods have high vitamin A. I think Ovaltine only has a teeny amount.

X post - thanks for that caketinrosie, I actually feel better about it now. I was just kicking myself for not noticing before.

Thanks squizita. Got my sensible head back on now - was panicking a bit for a moment. I still think I'm going to lay off the Ovaltine from now on. Tbh I wasn't that fussed about it anyway, but thought it was a healthy-ish hot drink!

Isn't it that it's preformed vitamin A - the type that's found in liver - that's bad? I had thought it was actually different to the sort of vit A you'd get in tablets/ other foods naturally.

It's the type of vitamin A you get in liver - is it retinol? - that's the bad one. You still need a balance of vitamins in pregnancy so sure you'll be fine :)

I also had the same mini panic when I realised my Horlicks has Vitamin A in it!! However, I was told on MN that is only the Vitamin A found in fish and meat that is a concern in pregnancy and that other forms are fine to take.

I really wouldn't give this a second thought !

Don't carrots have vitamin A and those are fine so some mjust be allowed!