- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
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Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.
A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants.
Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
Nutrition basics (20)
- Water softeners: How much sodium do they add?
- Caffeine: Is it dehydrating or not?
- Coffee and health: What does the research say?
- see all in Nutrition basics
Healthy diets (8)
- Diverticulitis diet: Can certain foods trigger an attack?
- Butter vs. margarine: Which is better for my heart?
- Canola oil: Does it contain toxins?
- see all in Healthy diets
Healthy cooking (10)
- Lentils: How do I cook with them?
- Food poisoning: How long can you safely keep leftovers?
- Canned pumpkin: Better than fresh?
- see all in Healthy cooking
Healthy menus and shopping strategies (6)
- Calories in sushi: What are the low-cal options?
- Vegetable juice: As good as whole vegetables?
- Buying beef? A guide to choosing the leanest cuts
- see all in Healthy menus and shopping strategies
Nutritional supplements (15)
- Vitamin water: Better than plain water?
- Ground flaxseed: Better than whole?
- Vitamin C: Can too much be harmful?
- see all in Nutritional supplements
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Question
Prenatal vitamins: OK for women who aren't pregnant?
Is it OK to take prenatal vitamins if I'm not pregnant and don't plan to become pregnant?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
You may be tempted to take prenatal vitamins because of unproven claims that they promote thicker hair and stronger nails. While prenatal vitamins are generally safe for healthy adults, they may not be suitable if you're not pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Prenatal vitamins are formulated specifically for a mother-to-be, her developing fetus and women who are breast-feeding, with particular emphasis on:
- Folic acid. The Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement recommends that women get 800 micrograms (mcg) of folate or folic acid a day before conception through diet or supplements and then increase that to 1,000 mcg a day during pregnancy. Other healthy adults — both men and women — need only 400 mcg a day. While uncommon, getting too much folic acid by taking supplements can mask the symptoms of vitamin B-12 deficiency and delay diagnosis and treatment.
- Iron. During pregnancy, the recommended intake of iron is 27 milligrams (mg) a day. Women between the ages of 19 and 50 who aren't pregnant need only 18 mg a day, and women age 51 or older and all adult men need only 8 mg a day. Getting too much iron can be toxic because it can build up in your body, causing constipation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and in severe cases, possibly death.
- Calcium. Pregnant adult women and healthy men and women ages 19 to 50 all need 1,000 mg a day. Men and women age 51 and older need 1,200 mg a day. Because prenatal vitamins are intended to supplement calcium you get in your diet, they generally contain only 200 to 300 mg of calcium. If you rely on prenatal vitamins to meet your calcium needs, you likely won't get enough, raising your risk of osteoporosis and other health problems.
It's best to take a multivitamin tailored to your sex, age and specific medical needs.
Next questionCan vitamins help prevent a heart attack?
- Fletcher RH, et al. Vitamin supplementation in disease prevention. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 4, 2009.
- Dietary supplement fact sheet: Iron. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp. Accessed June 4, 2009.
- Dietary supplement fact sheet: Folate. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/folate.asp. Accessed June 4, 2009.
- Dietary supplement fact sheet: Calcium. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium.asp. Accessed June 4, 2009.
- Gillen-Goldstein J, et al. Nutrition in pregnancy. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 4, 2009.
- Preventive services for adults. Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. Accessed May 18, 2009.
- Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Rochester, Minn. June 15, 2009.
