Less than 50% of many prenatal supplements have the adequate amount of choline and iodine

New research reveals that many prenatal vitamins don't contain enough of the nutrients that are essential for a healthy pregnancy, while others contain harmful levels of toxic metals.

The researchers tested a sample of 47 different prenatal vitamins (32 nonprescription and 15 prescription products) bought from online and local stores where people commonly shop.

The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends dietary reference intakes for choline at 450 mg/day during pregnancy and 550 mg/day during lactation, with a tolerable upper limit of 3,500 mg/day. For iodine, the recommended dietary reference intake for females aged 19 and older is 150 mcg/day, increasing to 220 mcg/day during pregnancy and 290 mcg/day during lactation. The tolerable upper limit for iodine is 1,100 mcg/day.

Additionally, the United States Pharmacopeia has established purity standards for pharmaceuticals, including limits for harmful substances: arsenic (2.5 mcg per oral daily dose), cadmium (0.5 mcg per oral daily dose) and lead (0.5 mcg per oral daily dose).

The researchers found most prenatal vitamins do not list choline, and many of those that do, don't contain the correct amount. Only 12 listed the choline content, which is about 26% and only five products (42%) had the right amount of choline as promised on the label.

When checking for iodine, they found most prenatal vitamins contain less than advertised, and very few provided the correct amount, with 53% of products listing iodine content, but only four (16%) products contained the claimed amount of iodine on the label.

They also found some products contained levels of heavy metals that were higher than expected. Specifically, seven products had too much arsenic, two had too much lead and 13 had too much cadmium, all above the purity limits set by the U.S. Pharmacopeia.

Low choline and iodine and high heavy metals were the issues found with a number of prenatal vitamins.

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2 posted on 11/25/2024 9:17:51 PM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)

Any vitamins should say “standardized formula” which means what they say is in it - is.

3 posted on 11/25/2024 9:22:23 PM PST by caww (O death, when you seized my Lord, you lost your grip on me......)

The iodine level may be lowered because most common salt brands have iodine. Too much iodine is also harmful.

4 posted on 11/25/2024 9:41:10 PM PST by wintertime ( Behind every government school teacher stand armed police.( Real bullets in those guns on the hip!))

Too little choline? Eat 2 eggs/day and that problem is more than solved. Make them pasture-raised to get the best nutrition.

Salt up those eggs a bit with iodized salt to solve the other problem.

5 posted on 11/25/2024 10:52:15 PM PST by Ancesthntr ("The right to buy weapons is the right to be free." - Can you shut the fucThe Weapons Shops of Isher)

6 posted on 11/26/2024 12:03:34 AM PST by Ikeon ( Why don't they, do what they say? Say what they mean? One thing leads to another. )

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