Are generic prenatal vitamins less superior than name brand or prescription prenatal vitamins?
I know doctors that say taking 2 Flintstone vitamins works just as well as a prenatal...they are all the same! :)
Not all vitamins are made equal. When I was pregnant with my twins I was on prescription vitamins for two reasons. First, the ones that were prescribed to me didn't make me sick (I had LOTS of sickness) and second they had a higher level of folic acid than the rest. But if you dont need the higher amount of Folic Acid...then they are pretty much the same...its just finding one that you can take easily if you have a finicky stomach like I do. =)
Hi M.,
Prenatals are just like any vitamin. There are good ones and there are bad ones. Vitamins need to absorb in order to work and specifically what absorbs needs to be good for you. The vitamins the doctors prescribe may or may not be any better. The question to ask is what is the delivery system for the nutrients. The generics at Walmart, Cosco, Walgreen's, etc even GNC are low grade and I will go as far as to say are dangerous unless you are supplementing with additional antioxidants. These type of vitamins create free radical activity and that's what causes disease.
The three major delivery systems are Gluconate, Sulfate and Chelate. Gluconate and Sulfate are very bad. (Flintstones and One a Day vitamins fall into this category.) Chelate is basically good. Whole food or Oligofructose, which is akin to whole food and Chelate, are the best. If your doctor doesn't know, he can find out for you. If he won't, I can recommend one if you like. GOOD vitamins should also help keep morning sickness at bay. If you are having issues with that then you need to shop around.
Hope this helps...and Congratulations!
M.
Hi M. - It depends on the brand, as I'm sure some are higher quality than others. One of the best things you can take for the health of your baby to be (and your own health) is Juice Plus capsules. Dr. William Sears (askdrsears.com) believes it's going to become a standard in prenatal care in the future because of the independent research proving it reduces risk of pregnancy complications and increases the odds of a healthy baby. To learn about the initial pregnancy research results (currently an even larger independent study is in progress) you can listen to a recorded message at 800-942-1260 (options 2,2). If you'd like more information WeThriveonJuicePlus.com. To a Healthy Happy pregnancy and newborn baby to be!! Congratulations!
I used to think they were all the same...until I actually had to take one. My midwife recommends a prenatal vitamin called Prenatal Forte by NF Laboratories. I've gotten them online and directly from my midwfie. They didn't upset my stomach and I really noticed a difference when I had my vitamin levels checked. It is a low dose vitamin so you take three a day, but your body absorbs it better.
I've been taking another organic prenatal that I found on drugstore.com...I can't recall the name at the moment. I've also been really happy with it.
There are vast differences in solubility and absorbency. Some are even harmful to the the antioxidants A C and E.
I would recommend the Melaleuca brand...OLIGO for your prenatals hands down. If you know a rep please contact them, if you need one contact me.
They are 100% Guaranteed to exceed your satisfaction or your money back.
I've read not. Just make sure they contain the minimum suggested for pregnancy. You can find those guidelines by doing a web search.
I asked my ob/gyn and he said that the are the same, one is just cheaper. I have been using the prenatal vitamins with DHA from One a Day Womens. For me it was cheaper than getting it through my insurance, running bout $14.88 for 30 day supply which I found at Walmart. Congrats!
H.
I am not sure if they are less superior but I found that the prescription vitamins were easier to tolerate and easier on my stomach than over the counter or generic. Good luck!
They are all the same!
my obgyn told me they were not, she said they were the same....I take the store brand....congrats on the baby!
Generally speaking, any generic brand is the same as a brand name.
T.
Looks like you've gotten a lot of mostly sound advice already. I just wanted to say that my chiropractor says that most vitamins you'll find in drug stores or major retailers just aren't as high a quality as those you can get in a health food store.
On the matter of prescription prenatals, I just switched from a prescription (Gesticare DHA) to one recommended by a knowledgable good friend (Rainbow Light, "Just Once"). I was a little leary of making the switch, but I am finally seeing stronger fingernails (they've been breaking most of my pregnancy despite the better "calcium absorption" system of Gesticare). I realize that's purely anecdotal, but I'm happy to have made the switch.
I take prenatal gummies because that's all I can keep down for majority of the pregnancy....I love them....They don't have iron or calcium...so I have to make sure I get those things elsewhere...but that's not that big of a problem. if I don't do gummies...I can't do anything...so I figure, better than nothing :)
They're the same, but some vitamins now contain DHA. Check for vitamins that contain that, too.
No, all prenatal vitamins (and any other vitamins) are not the same. You really have to check into the company that makes the vitamins and look into their safety and quality control measures and clinical studies done. Alot of vitamins contain toxins, chemicals, coatings, fillers, etc that can be absorped into your body and your baby's. I would highly recommend a vitamin called Vita-Lea from Shaklee. Shaklee is the #1 natural nutrition company in the U.S. and they have a trusted reputation for safety, quality and effectiveness. In all of their 54yrs in business, they have never had a product recall or FDA investigation. They do over 80,000 quality control tests per year and 349 contamination tests on each new raw ingredient. They also retest all of their ingredients upon delivery from their wholesaler. Their products will never hit the shelf unless they are 100% safe and this is guaranteed. I'm sure you've heard of tests being done on vitamins and supplements to see if they actually contain what is said on the label and the astonishing findings. Shaklee's will always contain what it says on the label and nothing more.
Vita-Lea is a natural, whole-food, plant-based vitamin and mineral supplement backed by 7 clinical studies. It has a patented folic-acid microcoating that allows for immediate release in the stomach to enhance the absorption of folic acid, which is essential during pregnancy. They also contain no artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, or preservatives. Vita-Lea absorps much faster than other brands so your body can use it right away. And your body can use everything in the vitamin. There are no toxic coatings or chemical fillers and this will help greatly with any sickness. You can check out Vita-Lea at www.greennutrition or register to win $200 in free products at www.freegreenproducts.info. Let me know if you have any questions.
For the extra dollars why gamble? I did alot of research myself and chose Sound Formulas brand throughout my pregnancy. If you want a quality resource for vitamins I would check out www.momemineral.com . They carry the best brands. Whatever your choice I wish you the best in health throughout your amazing journey!
OTC prenatals have a lower amount of Folic Acid - If you want to take OTC prenatals you should take an additional Folic Acid supplement - I believe there is a 0.4 mg? difference betweent the OTC & Rx. I ended up taking an OTC prenatal, 2 Folic Acid, 1 DHA every day! :S They didn't have the combo w/ the DHA in it when I was pregnant and though it would've been much less expensive to take the Rx for me, my OB actually declined to write a prescription for me because they didn't want to have to do the research & find a Gluten Free Rx prenatal... urgh :( While on a Gluten Free diet you don't get much/any of the fortified foods, so the Folic Acid supplement is even more important for us!
All prenatal vitamins are NOT created equal! I also use Melaleuca brand. You can't beat them!
Nope...they're the same thing, just less expensive.
