Is It A Good Idea To Take Prenatal Vitamins If You're NOT Pregnant?

The (Main) Purpose of Prenatal Vitamins

Oh, the continual contradictions of modern (westernized) medicine, chile. Today, I say that because, while there are health-related articles which say that most people don’t need dietary supplements, literally last fall, CNN published an article entitled, “Billions aren’t eating enough of 7 critical nutrients. Here’s how to get them in your diet.” And what do vitamins do? Provide additional nutrients.

Listen, I take vitamins — and I can feel a difference when I don’t. Besides, one of the first things that a newly pregnant woman is told is to take prenatal vitamins. Why? Because they are designed to do for her, on a grander scale, what vitamins do for all of us: help her to receive the nutrients that her diet may be missing — ones that are absolutely critical to her baby’s growth and development. In fact, many health professionals believe in prenatal vitamins so much that they recommend women take them even weeks into making the decision to conceive a child in order to increase the baby’s chance of being healthy throughout the entire pregnancy.

If you’re a woman who happens to fall into this category, consuming prenatal vitamins about 12 weeks before trying to make a baby is a good idea. Please make sure that the ones that you choose include the following nutrients:

Folic Acid: It reduces the potential of DNA defects occurring in the baby’s brain or spine.

Calcium: It helps with the development of the baby’s skeletal system.

Iron: It provides oxygen support and helps with the development of the baby’s red blood cells.

Iodine: It helps the baby’s thyroid hormones to be healthy.

DHA: It strongly supports a baby’s brain and visual tissues.

Vitamin D: It helps with the baby’s overall growth and development.

Okay, so now that you know some of the specific benefits that come with pregnant women taking prenatal vitamins (as opposed to “regular” ones) — you might be curious about if there is ever a time when individuals who aren’t pregnant (nor are planning to conceive) should take them.

Good question.

Why Some People Take Prenatal Vitamins Without Being Pregnant

The Kind of Unpregnant People Who Should Consider Taking Prenatal Vitamins

Growing up, I actually knew a few people who would take prenatal vitamins, just for the kick of it. Why? Because they liked what the vitamins did for their skin, hair and nails. Honestly, though, there are still ongoing studies being conducted to see if prenatal vitamins will even help a pregnant woman in this department. Plus, contrary to popular belief, many vitamins and minerals don’t just store up in your system for a rainy day (when you need more of them), so taking “regular” vitamins instead will probably achieve the same results that you are looking for sans the side effects (which I will get into in a moment).

Does this mean that no one (who isn’t pregnant) should take advantage of what prenatal vitamins have to offer? Not exactly.

If you happen to have an iron deficiency, if you’re in the process of recovering from surgery or an illness or if certain restrictions in your diet are preventing you from getting certain nutrients that are in these types of vitamins, they actually may be of benefit to you. You definitely should speak with your doctor before making them a consistent part of your health regimen, though. I’m about to explain why.

The Pros And Cons Of Taking Prenatal Vitamins

The Side Effects of Taking Prenatal Vitamins

Okay, so why should you not just toss prenatal vitamins back like they’re candy? Well, this is where one of my favorite Aristotle quotes (that I’ve shared in other content) comes in very handy: “The excess of a virtue is a vice.” Because there is a higher concentration of nutrients in prenatal vitamins (because remember, they are for the mother and the growing baby), if you’re not pregnant and you try them out, there is a chance that you could experience some unpleasant side effects like bloating, constipation, an inflamed thyroid, problems with properly digesting prescribed medications and even an increased risk of cancer.

Listen, vitamins and herbs may be more natural yet that doesn’t automatically make them less potent than a lot of meds. So, definitely factor in the pros and cons of them before consuming them.

Should You Take Them? Here’s The Bottom Line

Always Remember That Diet Modifications Can Help with a Vitamin Deficiency

I don’t care if it’s your doctor or a health-related article on the internet — you’re going to be hard-pressed to find content that says that you can eat junk food and then suddenly make everything alright by simply taking a vitamin…any kind of vitamin. The truth of the matter is, if you want to get as many nutrients into your system as possible, eating the right types of food is what you need to do.

When it comes to the specific nutrients that are in prenatal vitamins, here are the foods that you should consume:

Folic Acid(which helps your system to produce new red blood cells):eggs, dark leafy greens, bananas, avocados, citrus fruit, beans and flaxseeds.

Calcium(for strong teeth and bones):yogurt, milk, collard greens, kale, orange juice, cheese and spinach

Iron(it keeps your red blood cells healthy, so that your system receives the oxygen that it needs):beef, lamb, tuna, sweet potatoes, raisins, dried apricots and rye bread

Iodine (it supports your thyroid):cod,cottage cheese, iodized salt, eggs, prunes, lima beans and seaweed

DHA (click here to read what this omega-3 fat does):salmon, chia seeds, walnuts,quinoa, cod, scallops and hard-boiled eggs

Vitamin D (it helps to fight diseases and regulates moods): fatty fish, mushrooms, beef liver, fortified cereals, plant-based milk (that is fortified with vitamin D), sardines and cod liver oil

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So, are prenatal vitamins, for a non-pregnant person, wrong or dangerous? For the most part, not really. Are they necessary? Same answer.

Honestly, your best bet is to eat well and consume a supplement that you know you need.

Leave the prenatal vitamins up to the ones who they were actually created for: soon-to-be moms.

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