Nutrition and Pregnancy

September 30th, 2011 | Posted by Tamara Myles in Blog - (1 Comments)

I am currently taking a class called Nutrition Through The Life Cycle.  This is an interesting class because it is very specific about the importance of certain types of nutrients at different periods in the life cycle of an individual.

Right now we are talking about nutrition during pregnancy.  Many people are aware that what is eaten during pregnancy will have an affect on the fetus. However, what many may not know is how nutrition before pregnancy is just as important.

Many women may become pregnant and not know that they are pregnant until weeks later.  The first few days and weeks after pregnancy are very important.  Some women may have a deficiency in nutrients that are important before as well as after becoming pregnant. Folic acid for instance is very important and is a nutrient that plays a part in the formation of the spine.  The critical time period for this nutrient is 17 to 30 days gestation becuase that is when the neural tube is forming. Folic acid is taken to prevent the occurrence of malformations such as Spina Bifida and other congenital defects.


Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommends that women of child bearing
 age (15-44) take 400 micrograms of Dietary Folate Equivalent (DFE) from supplements, fortified foods and food folate.  Pregnant women should take 600 micrograms per day with 400 micrograms from supplements and fortified foods and 200 micrograms from food folate.  Sources of food folate would include foods such as beans and peas, green leafy vegetables and orange juice.

Other vitamins and minerals are important before and during pregnancy in addition to folate such as vitamin D, iron and calcium.  For more information visit the Yale Medical Group website.

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Is Your Multivitamin Giving You What You Need?

April 29th, 2011 | Posted by Tamara Myles in Blog - (0 Comments)

I take a multivitamin daily and I am sure some of you do too. It is my hope that it will supplement my diet and provide me with the amount of vitamins and minerals I need. Well, you should know that not all multivitamins are equal.  It is important that you read the label to make sure you are getting the correct amount.

How much do I need? I am going to give you a few suggestions that will give you some help.  Assuming you are a healthy individual, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), Adequate Intake Level (AI), and Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), which you can find on the USDA website gives you some guidelines.  The RDA will tell you how much of each vitamin and mineral that you should be getting each day.   The  Acceptable Intake (AI), is an amount that is set by researchers when there is no RDA because more research is needed. The UL is the highest level of a daily nutrient you should consume without any adverse health effects or risk.

It is important to remember that multivitamins are supplements.  They are not meant to replace whole foods to get your vitamin and mineral intake.  It is recommended that you get most of your nutrient requirements from whole foods but supplements are there to do just that, supplement your diet if you are not getting adequate amounts.  You need to take into account that more than likely you are getting some amount of vitamins and minerals in the foods that you eat daily so the supplement is not the only source you would be getting when you take it.

Keep in mind that the amount of a vitamin or mineral that you need varies with your age, sex, or if you are pregnant or lactating.

Here are some suggestions.  Make sure that when you read the label you are getting 1oo percent of the following vitamins:

  • Thiamin (B1)
  • Riboflavin (B2)
  • Niacin (B3)
  • B12
  • Vitamin D and E
  • Folic Acid

and that you are getting less than 100 percent of:

  • Chromium
  • Copper
  • Selenium
  • Zinc

Taking more than 300 mg of magnesium can cause side effects like diarrhea and the amount of Iron should be 9 mg or 18 mg.

Something to think about…..many people take calcium supplements but you should remember that your body can only absorb 300 to 500 mg at a time so if you are taking more than that it is not very beneficial to you.  So if you take a multivitamin and a calcium supplement at the same time and the intake of calcium from taking both is more than 500 mg you will not be absorbing it all.

For more information see the USDA website or the ADA website.

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The Dangers of Popping Vitamins and Minerals

April 19th, 2011 | Posted by Bethany Jones in Blog | Student Blogger - (0 Comments)

Though most would agree that vitamins and minerals are “good” for us, few seem to realize the potentially dangerous side-effects of taking too many.

According to a recent data brief from the National Center for Health Statistics, there is a “high use of dietary supplements in the U.S. adult population during the past 20 years.” More people, particularly women, are taking supplements to meet their nutritional needs.

While it is important to get enough vitamins and minerals, it’s also essential to not over do it. Many pharmaceutical companies sell their vitamins and minerals in high doses. Nature Made, a line of vitamins and supplements, sells vitamin C tablets at 1000 mg each. The label on the bottle suggests to take one tablet daily, but a 1000 mg is 13 times more vitamin C than is necessary. The National Institute of Health (NIH) advises adult men to take no more than 90 mg a day and women no more than 75 mg. Vitamin C toxicity can lead to gastrointestinal tract distress and diarrhea. And that is one of the least dangerous side-effects. Some vitamin toxicity (such as Vitamin B6) can lead to permanent nerve damage.

Like vitamins, minerals can be toxic if taken in excess. Too much calcium results in elevated blood calcium, calcification of the kidney, kidney stones, and reduced absorption of other minerals. Iron can cause liver damage and extra Iodine can cause an enlarged thyroid.

Though the reasons for not going overboard on vitamins and minerals are many, this doesn’t mean you should throw out all the vitamin bottles in your cabinet. It just means you should read the label and be aware that the amount in the bottle isn’t necessarily the amount you need.

By consuming a variety of foods, you will most likely meet all of your nutrient requirements. To find out how much of each vitamin and mineral you need a day, visit the USDA website.

For a list of delicious foods chock full of vitamins and minerals, go here.

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