According to a report published in the April edition of HealthDay News, almost no dietary supplement in the United States provides key nutrients in sufficient amounts for pregnant women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Katherine A. Sauder and her colleagues at the University of Colorado Anschutz Health Campus in Aurora estimated the amount of supplementation required to ensure that pregnant women get the recommended daily intake. In 2007, 2008, and 2019, 2,450 pregnant women aged 14-50 years were asked to recall their 24-hour diets. The usual intake of vitamins A and D, folate, calcium, iron, and ω-3 fatty acids was estimated from food alone.
For supplementation, the target dose was ≥198 mcg retinol activity equivalents of total vitamin A, 7 to 91 mcg vitamin D, 169 to 720 mcg dietary folate equivalents of folic acid, 383 to 943 mg calcium, 13 to 22 mg iron, and ≥59 mg ω-3 fatty acids. Researchers found that out of the 20,547 supplements, 69 (33 prenatals) contained all six nutrients and seven (two prenatals) contained the target dose of five nutrients. One product had target doses for all six nutrients but required seven tablets daily and cost around $200 per month.
“Reformulation or development of products that maximize the number of pregnant women receiving enough (but not too much) vitamin A, vitamin D, folic acid, calcium, iron, and ω-3 FAs is needed,” the authors write.
Two authors have disclosed financial connections to the food industry and other industries.
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