Guest Post: Why It Matters What Time You Take Your Prenatal Vitamins

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I can’t believe our little girl will be turning a year soon! It’s getting to the point where we’re potentially going to have that “next baby” talk, and in thinking about getting pregnant again, I’ve been doing some research here and there to remind myself of what might be coming (again). I recently found this Healthy Pregnancy website, which has some amazing information. Healthy Pregnancy is a really awesome source of knowledge for anyone who is trying to conceive or is currently expecting. I’ve been learning things I didn’t know the first time around, so I’m so glad I found this site! I wanted to share this guest post, as it was something I had NO CLUE about when I was pregnant the first time! Enjoy!

The Timing of Prenatal Vitamins:

Essential Nutrients of Prenatal Vitamins and When They Should Be Taken

This is a guest post originally published on HealthyPregnancy.com

In addition to the increase in your required daily caloric intake, your requirements for all of the vitamins and minerals crucial to life have also changed. At this time, it’s imperative that you meet your needs by eating a balanced diet, or through sophisticated nutrient supplementation.

Certain nutrients vital to your baby’s growth are essential during your pregnancy and will nurture a radiantly-healthy baby. It is not always easy to get all the nutrition you and your baby need from your diet alone. There is no doubt among medical experts in regard to the necessity of supplementing with additional vitamins and minerals during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Ensuring that you’re getting the proper amounts of select proteins, vitamins and minerals is particularly important. The key is getting a balanced supply of the most important vitamins, minerals and nutrients—right from the very first day of your pregnancy!

To ensure the optimal intake of these nutrients can be found in many different prenatal formulas on the market today, however, the latest research has shown that not only is it necessary to get the right amount of each substance, but the particular time of day each is made available to your system is also extremely important for optimal health for you and your baby in a natural way.

Chronobiology is an emerging medical field that examines the effects of time and natural biological cycles on all of the body’s functions. It tells us which nutrients, vitamins and minerals you and your baby need at precisely the right time of day for optimal nutritional health. By using a chronobiologically designed prenatal supplement, you can be assured you are receiving the proper amounts of individual nutrients throughout the course of the day that are needed for your pregnancy.

Overall, this type of chronobiological formula delivers substances to the body at the time of day that will provide optimal absorption and use for a natural and healthy pregnancy. For optimal nutritional value for mom’s health and baby’s development, here are when key nutrients should be consumed.

A.M. Essential Nutrients

Chromium

Chromium is an important mineral needed by the body for the processing and utilization of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Chromium also works with insulin to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and is also important for healthy tissue formation in your unborn baby.

Molybdenum

Molybdenum is an essential trace mineral that plays a number of roles, all important for a healthy pregnancy. Molybdenum is needed for normal cell function, and must also be present in sufficient quantities for the body to be able to utilize nitrogen and iron. Molybdenum, along with riboflavin, is necessary for the production of red blood cells, and also works with certain enzymes to metabolize carbohydrates and detoxify the body of sulfites.

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) – B Complex

This member of the B-vitamin group is necessary for the formation of neurotransmitters (chemical ‘messengers’ between nerve cells) and other proteins. In addition, it can also help alleviate morning sickness and nausea.

Vitamin E (Tocopherol)

This vitamin helps protect your body from oxidative stress and helps repair existing damage. It also helps defend the body against free radicals which can weaken the immune system, but its primary action is to support the actions of the multi-potent vitamin C. The required daily dose can be obtained by taking a chronobiologically-adjusted prenatal supplement in the form of a specially-formulated multivitamin/multimineral formula. This way, you can be sure you’re not only receiving all the nutrients needed but also getting the required amount of vitamin E, which is necessary for vitamin C to have its full effect.

Vitamin C

Also known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron and helps fight injury and infection and supports the immune system. Vitamin C is also essential for the body to make collagen, a protein which is a component of healthy cartilage, tendons, bones, and skin.

Vitamin K
This vitamin is used by the liver to form several ‘coagulation factors’ which are necessary for blood clotting to occur. Maintaining proper Vitamin K levels may help prevent dangerous hemorrhages during delivery.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D maintains optimal calcium levels in your blood by increasing the absorption of calcium from food and preventing its loss through the kidneys. The rapidly-growing bones of your child depend on a constant supply of calcium to avoid rachitic malformations of the skeleton, for example rickets, which occur when bones soften due to lack of calcification.

Iodine

Iodine is a key mineral that is essential for the proper functioning of your thyroid gland. When an expectant mother is iodine-deficient, it can lead to disruptions in the growth and brain development of the baby.

Selenium

Selenium is a mineral with antioxidant properties known to aid in the regulation of healthy immune and thyroid function. A selenium deficiency may have a correlation to increased miscarriages.

P.M. Essential Nutrients

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is a complex vitamin that plays an important role in cell metabolism and energy production. Not only is vitamin B12 crucial for the healthy development of the brain and nervous system, it is also necessary for the synthesis of red blood cells and DNA.

Vitamin B7 – Biotin

Like all B vitamins, biotin is necessary for a healthy metabolism and aids in the conversion and utilization of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It is also crucial for brain health and healthy cognitive function, and helps to maintain healthy blood sugar levels within normal ranges. Biotin also helps maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, especially when taken in conjunction with chromium. Biotin is perhaps best-known for its role in maintaining healthy hair, skin and nails.

Vitamin B5 – Pantothenic Acid

Pantothenic acid is vital for the creation of both red blood cells and the hormones produced in the adrenal glands, including sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen and the stress hormone cortisol. Good digestive health depends on sufficient levels of pantothenic acid, as does the body’s healthy production of cholesterol. Often called the “anti-stress” vitamin, pantothenic acid is thought to help the body deal with stress, and also aids in the utilization of other vitamins (particularly riboflavin) in the digestive tract.

Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide)

Like all B vitamins, niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3) aids in the conversion of food into energy, helps the body utilize fats and proteins, promotes tissue oxidation and supports proper regulation of the nervous and digestive systems. For supplementation purposes, the use of niacinamide is often preferred over that of niacin, because it does not possess the blood vessel-dilating properties that produces the so-called “niacin flush” commonly seen with niacin supplementation.

Vitamin B9 (Folate – Folic Acid) – B Complex

Folic acid is the synthetic form of vitamin B9. Its counterpart, folate, can be obtained from the diet and occurs naturally in certain fruits such as lemons, oranges, melons, and additional food options such as orange juice, tomato juice, green leafy vegetables, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, fortified cereals, peas, pasta, beans and nuts.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) – B Complex

Vitamin B1 is classified as a B-complex vitamin and helps convert carbohydrates into energy. This vitamin also helps the muscles, nervous system, and heart and is essential for your baby’s brain development.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) – B Complex

This vitamin is essential when it comes to helping the body produce energy. Riboflavin is important for promoting your baby’s growth, good vision, and healthy skin and is also essential for your baby’s bone, muscle, and nerve development.

Iron

A primary constituent of red blood cells, iron helps prevent many forms of anemia and is crucial for your baby to gain weight and have a healthy development. Ensuring that more women are getting adequate levels of iron during pregnancy could help to bring down the premature birth rate.

Magnesium

Magnesium is necessary for maintaining energy levels, blood sugar regulation, and proper muscle and nerve function, as well as for the relaxation of the uterus during pregnancy.

Copper

Copper is indispensable for proper energy balance and is needed to maintain the structure of the connective tissue and the red blood cells.

Zinc

Zinc has been found to lower the risk of spontaneous miscarriages and premature births. It also helps prevent birth defects and supports normal growth.

A.M. / P.M. Essential Nutrients

Coral Calcium

Coral calcium is an organic, easy-to-absorb form of calcium carbonate derived from fossilized corals. Coral calcium provides calcium, along with over 70 other trace minerals, to aid the body in the absorption of nutrients and help maintain a balanced pH.

MCHC

MCHC (microcrystalline hydroxyapatite) is a highly-bioavailable bone-derived source of calcium that provides calcium, phosphate, plus all of the other minerals present in healthy bone tissue in a microcrystalline form for optimal absorption.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3s are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids which are essential nutrients for your baby’s health and development, especially when it comes to eye and brain development. Omega-3 fats are essential to maintaining balanced production of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances, which help regulate many physiological functions including blood pressure, nerve transmission, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract functions and the production of other hormones.

Calcium

It’s known that Calcium creates strong bones and teeth, however it also helps prevent blood clots and helps support proper heart, muscle and nerve function.

MCHC, a highly absorbable and natural source of calcium, is particularly beneficial during pregnancy and breastfeeding. In addition to pure calcium, this compound contains the perfect proportion of organic phosphorus to ensure optimum absorption of the calcium and its subsequent storage in the bones.