Holland & Barrett Folic Acid 250 Tablets 400ug
These folic acid tablets have been developed to support normal maternal tissue growth during pregnancy.
Taking 400µg of folic acid a day for at least a month before and 3 months after conception can increase your maternal folate status.
Key benefits
- Each tablet contains 400µg of folic acid
- May support normal functioning of the immune system
- Free from artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners, preservatives, added sugar, salt, milk, lactose, soya, gluten, wheat, yeast, fish and porcine
- Suitable for vegans and vegetarians
Customer reviews
Keyz Life-changing 5/5 stars
I’ve noticed a large improvement in how good and energetic I feel since taking them. I’m normally bad at taking my vitamins, but I take these like clockwork daily and have no problem doing so as they’re nice and small.
Is It Safe To Drink Alcohol While Taking Gerd Medications
Cimetidine may react with alcohol, leading to increased dizziness and drowsiness. Even metoclopramide may interact with alcohol. Other H2 blockers, antacids, and proton pump inhibitors donât interact with alcohol, and combining them is safe. However, drinking alcohol can worsen the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Therefore, it is better to avoid them completely or limit their use.
What Vitamins Should I Take While Pregnant
During pregnancy, your body needs extra vitamins to support your babys growth and development. Pregnant women need 600 micrograms of folic acid daily to reduce the risk of neural tube defects . They also need 770 mcg of vitamin A, 2.6 mcg of vitamin B12 and 600 international units of vitamin D.
In addition to vitamins, moms-to-be need a number of extra minerals, including iron and calcium. These nutrients are found in prenatal vitamins. Speak with your health-care provider about your specific nutritional needs.
Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.
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What Other Nutrients Should I Look For In A Prenatal Supplement
Your provider can recommend a good prenatal vitamin for you, and may suggest additional supplements to take as well, depending on your diet and other health factors. Common nutrients that pregnant women may need to take in supplement form include:
Calcium
Your prenatal vitamin may contain calcium, but theres a chance it wont be enough. You need calcium to help your baby grow strong bones and teeth as well as healthy nerves and muscles .
Most prenatal vitamins contain between 100 and 200 milligrams of calcium, but some dont contain any. Thats because calcium is a particularly bulky mineral, and the pills are already big enough!
To find out how much calcium you need and how to get it, see our complete article on calcium in your pregnancy diet.
Essential fatty acids
Prenatal vitamins typically dont contain any essential fatty acids, such as the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which are important for the development of your babys brain, nerve, and eye tissue.
Fish is a major source of DHA and EPA, but you have to be careful about not eating too much fish thats high in mercury while youre pregnant.
Because omega-3s are so important for your baby, its a good idea to talk with your healthcare practitioner about whether you need a supplement.
Learn more:
Vitamin D
Your body needs this fat-soluble vitamin to help build your babys bones and teeth. Vitamin D plays an important role in maintaining levels of calcium and phosphorus.
When Should I Start Taking Vitamin D In Pregnancy
Vitamin D in pregnancy You should take 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day between October and early March to keep your bones and muscles healthy.
Can I take Vit D during pregnancy?
Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy improves maternal vitamin D status and may reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia, low birthweight and preterm birth.
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Do I Need To Take Supplements
It’s recommended that all pregnant women in Australia take folic acid, iodine and vitamin D supplements.
Having a healthy diet is important and should provide you with the other nutrients you need. Check the Australian Dietary Guidelines for more advice. However, some pregnant women may need supplements of other nutrients besides folic acid, iodine and vitamin D.
If you have a known deficiency, your doctor might advise you to take a supplement. For example:
- if you are vegetarian or vegan and not getting enough vitamin B12
- if you don’t get enough calcium, which is vital for bone health, from dairy or other calcium-rich foods
- if you are low in iron
- if you may be low in omega-3 fatty acids, e.g. if you eat very little seafood
If you’re not sure whether you need a supplement, talk to your doctor.
Why Should I Take Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are like a nutrition safety net that helps you maintain the vitamins and minerals your body needs to grow a healthy baby and sustain your pregnancy. They work best when supported .
The most noted example of the benefits of taking prenatal vitamins is the fact that they help you get more folic acid. When taken before pregnancy, prenatal vitamins with folic acid can help drastically reduce the incidence of neural tube defects like spina bifida and anencephaly.
Other vitamins and minerals of importance in pregnancy include iron, calcium, vitamin D, DHA, and iodine. Your body needs twice as much iron as usual during pregnancy to build red cells to bring oxygen to the growing baby. You need 1000 milligrams of calcium per day as your baby develops its bones, teeth, and muscles. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. Iodine is needed for the development of your babys brain and nervous system.
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Pink Stork Total Postnatal + Dha
Another Pink Stork vitamin that you will find very useful is this complex product. These vitamins will address all your wellness needs as a new mother.
- It contains a selection of all the B vitamins you might need along with Iron and Folate. The DHA extract in these vitamins is vegetarian as it comes from Algae.
- This product is supported by doctors and recommended to nursing mothers to keep their bodies in balance. You can use it without fear of any risks, and you will feel much more energized shortly after taking these vitamins.
- They contain no GMO, BPA harmful chemicals, or gluten, and they dont have any artificial coloring either.
- These vitamins will help you recover faster after giving birth, and you will be ready to take care of all your babys needs without feeling tired or having mood swings.
- In a bottle, you receive 60 capsules, which are just the right amount for one month. This product is made by nursing women for nursing women, which makes it a lot more reliable.
Healthy Eating For Pregnant Women
What you eat during pregnancy affects not only your own health and wellbeing and the development of your baby, but there is also substantial evidence that it can have a lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of your child later in life.
Choose a wide variety of healthy foods from the 5 food groups to make sure your and your babys nutritional needs are met to support the health and growth of your baby.
You may find that you need to eat more of some foods to ensure key nutrients are obtained, but there is no need to eat for two.What to include in your pregnancy diet:
- A variety of fruits and vegetables of different types and colours. Ideally 2 serves of fruit and 5 serves of vegetables every day.
- Increase your intake of grain and cereal foods to 8½ serves a day. Choose mostly wholegrain and high fibre options.
- Select foods high in iron . Iron-rich foods are important for pregnant women. 3½ serves of meat or meat alternatives are recommended.
- Make a habit of drinking milk, eating hard cheese and yoghurt, or calcium-enriched alternatives. Reduced-fat varieties are best. 2½ serves per day are recommended.
- Drink plenty of water
- Limit your intake of foods and drinks high in saturated fat, added sugar and salt to small amounts.
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The Best Supplements To Take If Youre Trying To Get Pregnant
If youre the type of person whos proactive about your healthand youre strongly considering a babythen youve probably spent some time Googling supplements that will help enhance fertility or that will ensure youre stocked up on the nutrients your baby needs to thrive. But often, these searches result in ultra-long lists of somewhat obscure-sounding nutrients, leaving you wondering: Do I really need all of these? The answer: Everyones different, but you probably dont need to start popping 10 different pills if youre planning to get pregnant.
Here, we consulted fertility and womens health experts about the supplements that are appropriate for most women looking to conceive in the near future, plus tips on the most fertility-friendly diet.
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Are All Prenatal Vitamins Pretty Much The Same
No. Prescription vitamins are regulated by the Food and Drug administration, but theyre not required to contain certain nutrients. There are many different formulations available, with different concentrations of each nutrient, says Kukreja. Some have a little of everything others contain only a handful of nutrients. If you have special health considerations, your OB may suggest a supplement with added nutrients to meet your needs.
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Making Sure You Get Enough Iron
During your pregnancy you will be given regular blood tests. One of the reasons for this is to monitor your iron levels. Iron plays a key role in making the haemoglobin in red blood cells which is very important for both you and your baby. Iron helps move oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body and your babys too!
About 50% of women dont get enough of this important mineral in pregnancy, which can leave them anaemic, especially after 20 weeks of pregnancy. This is more likely to be the case if youre a vegetarian or vegan, suffer from severe morning sickness or are carrying multiple babies. Whilst low Iron is something that will most-likely be picked up by your midwife, its always best to speak to your midwife or GP if you start to feel extra tired, dizzy or breathless.
Its recommended that you consume between 27 mg and 45mg of iron a day. For most women, Iron supplementation is safe during pregnancy. However, not every mum-to-be needs extra Iron, especially since the mineral can be found in many foods. As always, talk to your practitioner before adding any new supplements to your diet.
Some of the best iron-rich foods include:
- Fortified breakfast cereals
- Spinach, broccoli, or spring greens
- Nuts and dried fruit, such as dried apricots
- Wholemeal bread and fortified breakfast cereals
Make sure you eat foods containing Vitamin C as these help you absorb iron. These include:
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Good Food Hygiene Reduces The Risk Of Infection
Good food hygiene is the best way to reduce the risk of salmonella and listeria infections. Suggestions include:
- Always wash your hands before and after preparing food.
- Keep your kitchen surfaces clean.
- Do not let uncooked food contaminate cooked food.
- Wash fruit, vegetables and salad before eating.
- Cook food thoroughly.
- Keep pets away from kitchen surfaces.
- Wear rubber gloves when handling cat litter trays or gardening.
- Store food at correct temperatures.
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How We Select Supplements
Our team works hard to be transparent about why we recommend certain supplements in our dietary supplement methodology.
We support supplements that are evidence-based and rooted in science. We value certain product attributes that we find to be associated with the highest quality products. And we prioritize products that are third-party tested and certified by one of three independent, third-party certifiers: USP, NSF, or ConsumerLabs.
It’s important to note that the FDA does not review dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they go to market. Our team of experts has created a detailed, science-backed methodology to choose the supplements we recommend.
Vegetarian Vegan And Special Diets In Pregnancy
A varied and balanced vegetarian diet should provide enough nutrients for you and your baby during pregnancy.
But you might find it more difficult to get enough iron and vitamin B12.
Talk to a midwife or doctor about how to make sure you’re getting enough of these important nutrients.
If you’re vegan or you follow a restricted diet because of a food intolerance or for religious reasons, talk to a midwife or GP.
Ask to be referred to a dietitian for advice on how to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need for you and your baby.
Find out more about healthy eating if you’re pregnant and vegetarian or vegan.
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Continued Supplementation Throughout Pregnancy
Canadian survey data show that it is difficult for most women of childbearing age to consume enough folate from diet alone to meet their pregnancy needs. Over 75% of non-pregnant/non-breastfeeding women aged 19 50 have intakes less than the Estimated Average Requirement Footnote 10 for pregnancy, 520 mcg of DFEs . To meet folate needs during pregnancy, women should consume a varied diet that provides dietary folate , and continue taking a multivitamin containing 400 mcg of folic acid throughout their pregnancy.
Table I This table charts the sources of dietary folate from different food.| Food |
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Are Prenatal Vitamins Fda
While it sets strict standards for the labeling of supplements, the FDA doesnt regulate supplements the same way that it does medications .
This means that the FDA doesnt oversee the actual production and ingredients of prenatal vitamins.
This is why its best to choose a product that has been third-party tested to ensure that your prenatal vitamin contains the types and amounts of ingredients that it claims to on the label.
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What Do Prenatal Supplements Do
As the name suggests, prenatal supplements are supplements that provide women with a dose of vitamins and minerals they need to help keep themselves and their baby healthy during pregnancy.1
Of all the prenatal vitamins, folic acid is up there as being one of the main supplements to take before getting pregnant.
Part of the vitamin B family, folic acid is essential for cell growth and development.
Taking 400mcg of folic acid every day for at least 1 month before and during pregnancy can help reduce the risk of your baby developing brain and spine health issues, which are known as Neural Tube Defects .
According to the NHS, you should continue to take folic acid until you are 12 weeks into your pregnancy.2
Vitamin D is also recognised as being an important prenatal vitamin too.
Ideally, we all need 10mcg of vitamin D a day and should consider taking a supplement to make sure our levels are maintained during September and March when we have limited sun exposure.
This particular vitamin is responsible for regulating our calcium and phosphate levels, which keep our bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
Taking more than 100mcg of vitamin D a day can be harmful to you and your baby.
Folic acid and vitamin D aside, there are also prenatal supplements that contain a blend of several vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin E, selenium, vitamin D and vitamin B6, all rolled into one prenatal multivitamin.
Postnatal Vitamins While Breastfeeding
Most medical professionals will agree that breastfeeding is the healthiest and best way to feed your new baby. In addition to providing essential vitamins and nutrients, breast milk also helps protect your baby against infection. Many experts assert, however, that simply eating a well-balanced diet may not be enough to ensure breastfeeding mothers get enough of the nutrients needed to maintain optimal health. Most doctors suggest mothers supplement their diets with vitamins while breastfeeding.
Often times, women opt to continue with the same prenatal vitamin used throughout her pregnancy. Nursing women, however, have unique nutritional needs that are not necessarily addressed by a typical prenatal vitamin to help ensure optimal health for both mom and baby.
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What Are The Most Common Medications
Some of the commonly prescribed medications for gastroesophageal reflux disease include:
Are Prenatal Vitamins Beneficial
Those that are trying to conceive: The CDC recommends that all women of reproductive age take 400 micrograms of folic acid each day to prevent neural birth defects in case you become pregnant.
Those that are pregnant: Pregnancy is a time of increased nutrient needs. According to USDA data, many pregnant and lactating people are not meeting recommendations for certain food groups and specific nutrients, so it is generally recommended for these populations to take a daily prenatal vitamin. Both the CDC and American College of Obstretricians and Gynecologists recommend taking a daily prenatal vitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid during pregnancy.
Those that are breastfeeding: It may be beneficial to continue a prenatal vitamin postpartum while breastfeeding however the RDAs for lactating women differ slightly from the needs of pregnant women. For example, prenatal vitamins may exceed postpartum needs for both iron and folic acid, and may be too low in iodine and choline.
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