Prenatal vitamins aren’t just for women who are pregnant. There are many health benefits packed in these dietary supplements, and women who are not pregnant can benefit from using them, too. Read on for six reasons why you should consider taking prenatal vitamins when not pregnant. Show Prenatal Vitamins OverviewIf you’re interested in taking a dietary supplement but are not sure about the difference between multivitamins and prenatal vitamins, you may be unaware of how prenatal vitamins can benefit women regardless of whether or not they are currently pregnant. Multivitamins are designed to meet the needs of the average adult, and some are specially formulated to meet the needs of the average male or average female specifically. These vitamins are formulated based on the daily recommended intake for adults in general. On the other hand, prenatal vitamins are specifically formulated to meet the needs of pregnant women. Pregnant women have unique nutritional needs in order to support a healthy pregnancy, so they require more nutrients than at other life stages. Prenatal vitamins include larger amounts of some vitamins and minerals, such as folate, calcium, and iron, and exclude other vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, from their formulas entirely based on the specific requirements of pregnant women. However, just because prenatal vitamins are marketed for use during pregnancy doesn’t mean they can’t be useful when you’re not pregnant. Six Reasons to Take Prenatal Vitamins Before You Get PregnantPregnancy is a unique stage in a woman’s life, and her nutritional needs during this time are different than at any other time. Not only do pregnant women need enough vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to support their own health, they also must take in enough nutrients to support their developing babies. However, the time to start taking prenatal vitamins is actually before you get pregnant, and regardless of pregnancy status, women can benefit from taking prenatal vitamins because of the following reasons: Essential Nutrients for Prenatal VitaminsWhen choosing a prenatal vitamin, it is critical to read the labels and make sure you are choosing a vitamin that contains all of the necessary vitamins and minerals required to address any existing nutritional deficiencies you may have and support a future pregnancy. A good prenatal vitamin should contain:
Sources: https://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/prenatal-vitamins#1 https://www.webmd.com/baby/prenatal-vitamins-nutrition-your-baby-needs https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week https://www.aafp.org/afp/2007/0301/p671.html https://www.webmd.com/diet/vitamin-b12-deficiency-symptoms-causes https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Choline-HealthProfessional |