There are many common myths regarding prenatal vitamins. You may have heard that they'll give you energy or make your skin clear and hair grow fast. None of these are true. Technically, if you're not pregnant, you can probably take prenatal vitamins without harm -- but there's no benefit in doing so.
Prenatal Myths
There are many false rumors about the power of prenatal vitamins. Some claim that they increase the strength and growth rate of hair and nails, while others suggest that they'll give you energy or help you lose weight. In reality, there's no truth to any of these claims; prenatal vitamins can't do anything that regular multivitamin supplements can't do. The reason many women on prenatals have strong hair and nails, plus boundless energy, is simple -- they're pregnant, and these are effects of the pregnancy hormones.
Prenatal Vitamins
In reality, prenatal vitamins aren't much different from the regular multivitamins you might already be taking. They contain a mixture of vitamins and minerals, and the only thing that really sets them apart is that they have larger quantities of certain key nutrients. In particular, explain Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz in their book "You: Having A Baby," prenatals have large amounts of iron -- which helps you increase your blood volume -- and folic acid, which your fetus uses for neural development.
Prenatals and Safety
If you're not pregnant, prenatal vitamins won't benefit you in any particular regard; you're better off with regular multivitamins. They won't likely hurt you, either, explains dietician Katherine Zeratsky writing for MayoClinic.com. They're much higher in iron than you need if you're not pregnant, but most healthy women can process the extra iron without difficulty. It's important to keep them away from children, however, to whom a large amount of iron can be toxic.
Considerations
If you're not pregnant but are actively trying to conceive, you may actually benefit from prenatal vitamins. This is because a developing embryo forms the neural tube, which becomes the brain and spinal cord, at around 6 weeks gestation, explains Dr. Miriam Stoppard in her book "Conception, Pregnancy and Birth." This is before many women know they're pregnant. As such, taking prenatal vitamins before conception can help ensure that you have plenty of folic acid in your system, which contributes to appropriate neural tube development, during critical periods.
References
- "You: Having A Baby"; Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.; 2009
- MayoClinic.com: Prenatals
- "Conception, Pregnancy and Birth"; Miriam Stoppard, M.D.; 2008
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