supplements

[purplelou]

I am taking folic acid, but should I be adding anything else in (or for DH) to give us any extra help?? I see lots of people are taking cocktails of stuff.

 

[Shelley71]

I threw away my prenatals, folic and fish oil when I had my temper tantrum over OH's attitude. I figured why bother. LOL I'm still taking a woman's multi and D3 for overall health. I'm going to replace my folic though, and leave it at those 3 for now.

I've been tempted to try all these other home remedies, but the more I read, the more I learn that sometimes it just does nothing, and sometimes it can really screw up a cycle. Seeing as how I'm screwed up already, I'm not sure I'm willing to take any chances.

 

[booboo19]

I was taking WELLWOMAN Pregnacare vitmains & suppliments and my partner WELLMAN conception, we took them for 4 months but didnt get pregnant, i suppose i thought they would be a miracle pill !! I think, from what i have read, they have all the essential vitamins etc, in them for couples TTC

 

[Macwooly]

DH & I are on a cocktail each but predominately for general health or for existing health issues (me to control depression & DH to stabilise diabetes which doesn't require medication).

I take a prenatal multivitamin with folic acid in it for the whole cycle plus EPO, fish oil omega 3 (from CD1 to ovulation), flaxseed oil; Co enzyme Q10 and royal jelly for the whole cycle.

DH takes male prenatal multivitamins containing folic acid, zinc & selenium plus fish oil omega 3, co enzyme Q10, royal jelly, maca root and horny goats weed

We're not sure how much they help TTC but we feel better in ourselves with more energy since taking them

 

[Butterfly67]

At the moment just taking folic and epo for first half of cycle.

 

[Indigo77]

I am taking a prenatal vitamin with DHA and folic acid and a B complex for a longer LP.

DH is taking Fertility Blend for men.

If you are not taking a prenatal, i suggest that you both take a high quality multi.

 

[crystal443]

I take a prenatal, folic acid,injectable B12, epo for first half and I started MACA this cycle if it doesn't help with TTC I was hoping they would at least help with migraines and they have my O migraine didn't come at all and my pre AF was very mild. DH is on a multi for men and zinc

 

[dachsundmom]

I agree with everything that these lovely women have said; not to be a killjoy, but can I throw out a warning about taking too much or trying things based just on what you read on the boards?

Research what you are considering putting into your body and be clear about the reasons you want to try it. I believe that there are supplements that can help, but they can be just as dangerous if they are taken in the wrong amounts, for the wrong reasons, or combined with each other.

Good luck!

 

[Bubba3]

I agree with Dach there re some seriously potent herbs out there . Macwooly you sound totally on top of your game , with research and a combo that works.
I take a normal pre pregnancy vit with folic acid.
Iron
And this cycle added royal jelly to support the iron uptake and hopefully improve gen health and energy levels.
I also bought flaxseed capsules but decided against in order to keep it simple for a while.
I also chickened out of epo as was worried I'd mess up what is a good cycle
Good luck

 

[lisap2008]

Even if you dont want to take anything please still take folic acid at least 1000mcg a day , its been proven to prevent birth defects ,aid fertility and prevent miscarriage. it is a B vitamin so you cant take too much. it should be taken while TTC and continued throughout pregnancy.

before ovulation I take geritol complete and 4000mcg of folic acid.

after ovulation I take prenatals with extra 3000mcg of folic acid in the lp.

 

[crystal443]

I agree with everything that these lovely women have said; not to be a killjoy, but can I throw out a warning about taking too much or trying things based just on what you read on the boards?

Research what you are considering putting into your body and be clear about the reasons you want to try it. I believe that there are supplements that can help, but they can be just as dangerous if they are taken in the wrong amounts, for the wrong reasons, or combined with each other.

Good luck!

I def agree A doctor can usually tell you if it'll help and how much to start out with

 

[Macwooly]

I do agree with Dachsundmom about researching before taking supplements.

I was advised many of mine by my GP when weaning off antidepressants and did so much research before putting DH on anything so it didn't negatively affect his diabetes as he isn't on medication yet and we're trying to prevent him needing it for a while.

I did trust someone I thought I could trust over soy and had a horrendous cycle due to it so now I research, research and research some more before taking anything!

 

[purplelou]

thanks ladies, gives me some things to think about. I am already taking Folic acid (which is definitely recommeded to prevent neural tube problems) may discuss amulti vit with dh (cos his diet is not necessarily the best)

thanks again

 

[Butterfly67]

Even if you dont want to take anything please still take folic acid at least 1000mcg a day , its been proven to prevent birth defects ,aid fertility and prevent miscarriage. it is a B vitamin so you cant take too much. it should be taken while TTC and continued throughout pregnancy.

before ovulation I take geritol complete and 4000mcg of folic acid.

after ovulation I take prenatals with extra 3000mcg of folic acid in the lp.

Hi lisa, although you are right folic acid is a Bi vit and soluble, the recommended daily max is 1000 mcg so I would be wary of taking 4000mcg - or did your doc tell you to do that? The actual recommended dose is 400mcg per day unless you have some other medical problem and are directed by doc to take more. I have a website about folic acid so have been doing a lot of research on it but obviously every case is different so maybe you have been told to take that much

 

[lisap2008]

Even if you dont want to take anything please still take folic acid at least 1000mcg a day , its been proven to prevent birth defects ,aid fertility and prevent miscarriage. it is a B vitamin so you cant take too much. it should be taken while TTC and continued throughout pregnancy.

before ovulation I take geritol complete and 4000mcg of folic acid.

after ovulation I take prenatals with extra 3000mcg of folic acid in the lp.

Hi lisa, although you are right folic acid is a Bi vit and soluble, the recommended daily max is 1000 mcg so I would be wary of taking 4000mcg - or did your doc tell you to do that? The actual recommended dose is 400mcg per day unless you have some other medical problem and are directed by doc to take more. I have a website about folic acid so have been doing a lot of research on it but obviously every case is different so maybe you have been told to take that much

As I already said the more the better, some ladys will need more then others. you cannot overdose on folic acid
whatever your body does not need it will pee out.
in canada the recommended daily amount is 5000mcg a day because they found that it lessened birth defects even more.
in the US the daily recommended is 800mcg a day but I think they need to raise it higher.
I take more because of my age and PCOS and also the fact I have had 1 molar pregnancy and a few chemicals.
so please do more research before telling women they are taking too much folic acid.

 

[Butterfly67]

Even if you dont want to take anything please still take folic acid at least 1000mcg a day , its been proven to prevent birth defects ,aid fertility and prevent miscarriage. it is a B vitamin so you cant take too much. it should be taken while TTC and continued throughout pregnancy.

before ovulation I take geritol complete and 4000mcg of folic acid.

after ovulation I take prenatals with extra 3000mcg of folic acid in the lp.

Hi lisa, although you are right folic acid is a Bi vit and soluble, the recommended daily max is 1000 mcg so I would be wary of taking 4000mcg - or did your doc tell you to do that? The actual recommended dose is 400mcg per day unless you have some other medical problem and are directed by doc to take more. I have a website about folic acid so have been doing a lot of research on it but obviously every case is different so maybe you have been told to take that much

As I already said the more the better, some ladys will need more then others. you cannot overdose on folic acid
whatever your body does not need it will pee out.
in canada the recommended daily amount is 5000mcg a day because they found that it lessened birth defects even more.
in the US the daily recommended is 800mcg a day but I think they need to raise it higher.
I take more because of my age and PCOS and also the fact I have had 1 molar pregnancy and a few chemicals.
so please do more research before telling women they are taking too much folic acid.

Hi Lisa well firstly I am not telling anyone they are taking too much. Only a doctor can tell someone how much they need to take and I am not a doctor. I am just saying what I have learnt, you and anyone else can take it or leave it

But when someone tells people that it is OK to take 4000mcg and I know that the recommended upper limit of most governments is 1000mcg then I am going to respond to that.

For one thing folic acid is actually a synthetic alternative to folate which is the naturally occurring form that is found in foods. I think that whenever something is in it's synthetic form we should be wary of taking more than we need of it (my opinion).

Here is a quote from the Office of Dietary Supplements:

The Institute of Medicine has established a tolerable upper intake level (UL) for folate from fortified foods or supplements (i.e. folic acid) for ages one and above. Intakes above this level increase the risk of adverse health effects. In adults, supplemental folic acid should not exceed the UL to prevent folic acid from triggering symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency [10]. It is important to recognize that the UL refers to the amount of synthetic folate (i.e. folic acid) being consumed per day from fortified foods and/or supplements. There is no health risk, and no UL, for natural sources of folate found in food. Table 4 lists the Upper Intake Levels (UL) for folate, in micrograms (μg), for children and adults.

Table 4: Tolerable Upper Intake Levels for Folate for Children and Adults
Age Males and Females Pregnancy Lactation
1-3 300 N/A N/A
4-8 400 N/A N/A
9-13 600 N/A N/A
14-18 800 800 800
19 + 1000 1000 1000

If you look on the Health Canada website there are quite a few references to the usual recommended dose of 400mcg. Here is one quote from them:

1. When should women be advised to take more than 400 mcg (0.4 mg) folic acid per day from a supplement to reduce their risk of a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect (NTD)?

In determining whether a higher dose of folic acid supplementation is warranted, a woman's health care provider should first ascertain whether the woman has personal characteristics or health conditions associated with an elevated risk of having a baby with a NTD.

After this is established, the health care provider should assess whether the elevated risk is related to a woman's:

Low dietary intake of folate or
Elevated folate requirement or
Uncertain disease etiology where the role of altered folate metabolism is unclear.

and here is another quote from that website (https://www.hc-sc.gc.ca):

1. Can I continue taking my supplement if it provides 1000 mcg (1 mg) or more of folic acid?

Yes, you can continue taking the supplement. Most women do not need more than the recommended 400 mcg (0.4 mg) of folic acid. However, your health care provider may recommend or prescribe a supplement with a higher amount of folic acid if you are at increased risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. These supplements are usually recommended to be taken for a short period of time (usually from 3 months before conception through the first trimester of pregnancy). Ensure that your folic acid supplement also contains vitamin B12. Follow the advice of your health care provider.

Of course if you are recommended to take a dose of 5000mcg a day by your doctor then fine but in my opinion I would only take that much if a doctor had recommended it whereas you are purporting that to be a normal dose - see this from an Australian website:

Most women will only need up to 400 to 500 ug (or 0.4 to 0.5mg) of folic acid supplements a day. However, a few women may be advised to take a higher daily dose of 5,000 ug (or 5mg). This is generally the case for women who have had a previous child with a neural tube defect, or who have a close relative that has had a baby with a neural tube defect.

Doses of folic acid this high should only be taken under medical supervision. A blood test to rule out vitamin B12 deficiency should ideally be performed before you start to take higher, daily doses of folic acid. The reasons for this are discussed below in 'Too much folic acid.'

 

[Indigo77]

so please do more research before telling women they are taking too much folic acid.

Lisa...I think your hostility is unwarranted. I noticed that you snapped at a woman in another thread, as well. Perhaps your perspective is a bit off at the moment? I hope you feel better soon...