Just Ask Terry

Terry is happy to provide his opinion on diet and nutrition, supplements and lifestyle choices. This information is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to replace the advice of your physician and is not to be considered medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Should you have any concerns please contact your physician directly.

Q. Dear Terry, “I am pregnant with my first child and have mixed feelings about dietary supplements. I want to make sure that I don’t do anything to hurt my baby, but at the same time, I think there are probably supplements that could be really healthy to take right now, too. What are some good, safe supplements to use during pregnancy?” — Suzette S., Hilo, HI

A. Dear Suzette, I understand and applaud your caution. Tiny, developing babies are extremely sensitive to many chemical substances and you don’t want to take any chances. However, it is also true that the developing child needs certain nutrients to grow healthy and strong, and Mom needs nutrients as well to support her health and strength as she carries the child through to a healthy delivery. I’d also suggest you discuss your supplement needs with your health care practitioner for additional guidance. First, the omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA are very important for a healthy pregnancy, and for healthy neurological development in the child. However, fish can contain PCBs, metals like mercury and cadmium, and other toxins that make it unsafe for pregnant women to eat a great deal of fatty seafood. My favorite form of omega 3 fatty acid supplementation is created using a new, revolutionary, patented process called “vectorization” that extracts omega 3 fatty acids bound to phospholipids from salmon. This form of omega 3 fatty acid complex is far superior to fish OILS, as they are all commonly attached to triglycerides. The omega 3 fatty acids naturally bound to phospholipids from salmon create a superior delivery system with no regurgitation or burping. It is absorbed up to 50 times better than fish oils, and it is also superior in terms of purity and quality. One dose of the phospholipid-bound omega 3 fatty acid complex is equivalent to 4-6 grams of fish oils, or eating 6-8 ounces of fresh salmon. Vectorization also yields an incredibly pure form of omega 3s, without the contaminant levels often found in fish oils. For example, European studies have indicated that in order to exceed the safe level of PCB’s, one would have to consume 150,000 tablets of a vectorized omega 3 product at one time. Because of the superior complexing of omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA with phospholipids, this form of omega 3 fatty acid penetrates far more effectively into heart and brain tissue. You may want to share this with your physician and seek his or her approval to upgrade using this form of omega 3 fatty acids rather than triglyceride-based fish oil. Clinical studies on omega 3 status suggest that women with healthy levels of omega 3s are much less likely to have a premature birth. Also, omega 3 fatty acids are very supportive of healthy and successful breast feeding after the child is born. A healthy multivitamin and mineral formula is very important. Make sure the formula contains the active forms of vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid. Standard B vitamins have to be converted by the body to their active form to be useful. Some people are genetically blessed and do this quite easily. Some people are not the most efficient converters of these vitamins. Also, anyone with liver disease or past liver damage may have trouble as well. When you take the bio-active form of these vitamins, you don’t have to worry about whether or not you are a good converter, because they don’t have to be converted! B vitamins are very important in pregnancy, especially folic acid, because they help assure proper development and help prevent many spinal birth defects. The bio-active forms are: B6 (pyridoxal-5-phosphate or P-5-P) B12 (methylcobalamin) and folic acid (methylfolate) I also prefer formulas designed to be taken at least 3 times a day. You cannot create a nutrient rich, once-per-day multi and include everything needed for a healthy pregnancy. Also, your body cannot absorb many of these nutrients in one huge dose—the body does much better when you break nutrients (especially minerals) down to 3 or 4 smaller doses, spread throughout the day. Additionally, minerals should be chelated for the best absorption and utilization. Good luck, Suzette, and best wishes for many happy tomorrows with your new child.

Healthy regards!

Terry . . . Naturally