Prenatal Vitamins When You Aren't Pregnant

We all want to look and feel our best but sadly, oftentimes lack the proper lifestyle to achieve this goal. We look for products and supplements that help us feel better and pick up the slack. Vitamins offer nutrients and minerals the body needs, which it doesn’t always get from the foods that you consume. A multitude of vitamins helps us get just the right amount of nutrients the body needs to stay healthy. Many people prefer an all-in-one product that offers a daily dose of the most essential nutrients our body needs.

Prenatal vitamins provide pregnant women with essential vitamins and nutrients that the baby needs. Many women consider using prenatal vitamins before or after pregnancy because they know it offers all of the nutrients the body needs and more.

Calcium is an especially common mineral found in prenatal vitamins since the baby takes so much from mom. Methylfolate during pregnancy, the biologically active form of folic acid, is also important for a pregnant woman and found in the vitamins in large quantities. And, of course, iron is an essential nutrient that creates healthy, strong teeth and bones. It’s vital to a growing baby.

It’s said that prenatal vitamins help create the pregnancy glow that pregnant moms love to see every time they look in the mirror. They say the vitamins and all of the nutrients packed inside cause the hair to grow long, sleek and shiny - at rapid rates. All those extra nutrients found in the prenatal vitamin are doing something great for the body, aren't they? Many women wonder if using prenatal vitamins after pregnancy, or even before children, will create the same phenomenal health benefits and glow it creates for pregnant women.

Don’t rush to the drugstore to pick up a prenatal vitamin if you aren't with a child. It’s true this vitamin offers phenomenal benefits during pregnancy, but it's risky to use before or after those wonderful nine months. Prenatal vitamins and the ingredients inside work in combination with the changing hormones during pregnancy and without them, may not offer the same results.

Prenatal vitamins provide enough nutrients for both baby and mom. They often include additional amounts of iron, calcium, and folate than a typical multi-vitamin. The added amounts of folate could result in a B12 deficiency. A B12 deficiency causes a myriad of side effects, including fatigue and moodiness. Long-term B12 deficiency can also cause problems such as rapid heart rate, tingling hands and feet, anemia, and memory loss. Neurological damage may also occur after long-term B12 deficiency.

Prenatal pills may cause numerous side effects when taken by a woman who isn't pregnant. Side effects vary from one person to another but include constipation, upset stomach, and heartburn.

Liver damage is another risk for non-pregnant prenatal vitamin users. The high amounts of iron in prenatal vitamins can be toxic to the liver. Iron overdose signs include gastric bleeding, nausea, and diarrhea. Methylfolate during pregnancy doesn't cause the risk of liver damage.

Prenatal vitamins are designed for pregnant women. If you want to take a vitamin that offers the benefits of prenatal vitamins with fewer risks, consider using a multi-vitamin instead. Of course, getting the vitamins and nutrients your body needs is best done through a healthy diet, but vitamins are there to pick up any slack. Avoid prenatal vitamins if you're not pregnant (unless your doctor suggests otherwise), the risks may outweigh the benefits.

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