There are two good reasons to take prenatal vitamins: if you're pregnant or planning to become shortly, and if you're breastfeeding. If neither of these apply, prenatal vitamins aren't appropriate for you--they're extremely expensive, and don't benefit you in any particular way. For instance, they can't affect your physical attractiveness.
Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins have much in common with regular daily multivitamins, with the exception of the fact that they contain larger quantities of certain key ingredients. Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, in their book "You: Having A Baby," explain that prenatals contain, in particular, very high levels of iron to help pregnant women make extra blood. They also contain extra folic acid, which a developing baby uses to build the nervous system.
Vitamin Myths
There are a number of myths surrounding prenatal vitamins and their effect upon your physical appearance. You may have heard, for instance, that they'll increase your hair growth rate or make your nails stronger. You may have heard they'll keep you lean or reduce breakouts. None of these claims are true; prenatal vitamins can't do anything that regular daily multivitamins can't, and regular daily multivitamins can't do anything that a healthy, balanced diet can't.
Reasons for Myths
The reason you may have heard that prenatal vitamins can make you beautiful is that many of the women taking prenatal vitamins look fantastic. They have thick, full hair, their nails grow fast and strong and they have glowing skin. These effects aren't from the prenatal vitamins, however--they're from pregnancy hormones. Pregnancy increases the blood flow to your skin, which improves hair and nail quality, and leads to an excellent complexion.
If You're Not Pregnant
There's no good reason to take prenatal vitamins if you're neither pregnant nor breastfeeding. While the vitamins probably won't hurt you, notes dietitian Katherine Zeratsky in an article for MayoClinic.com, they won't help you either. If you don't think you're getting adequate vitamins from your food, you can try a women's daily multivitamin to help supplement your cellular needs. Regardless, taking a prenatal vitamin is merely an unnecessary expense if you're not pregnant.
References
- "You: Having A Baby"; Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.; 2009
- MayoClinic.com: Prenatal vitamins: OK for women who aren't pregnant?
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