One of the most common questions I get is “What is the best prenatal to take” or “Is there a multivitamin that you think everyone should be on?”
If you’ve been around a while, you know that I despise a one-size-fits-all supplement routine for all people. After running hundreds of functional labs of clients, it’s clear that everyone has different deficiencies, root causes & different needs. I’ve stayed away from giving blanket advice because frankly, it just hasn’t met the needs of all people.
Now I know that running labwork can be expensive & might not be for everyone in their current season, so I’ve been searching for a product that I could recommend to the masses to support micronutrient balance & overall health.
Many multivitamins or prenatals contain copper & iron, which I am not a fan of as those 2 micronutrients are technically also metals & are frequently high in most labwork I see. Going overboard on these 2 minerals/metals can wreak havoc on your liver, brain & other internal organs. We do need them, just not in high amounts….and many multi-vitamins have them at too high of amounts for my liking. You can read more about copper overload & testing your levels here.
Especially when it comes to pregnancy, these two micronutrients need to be supplemented with separately IF (big if there!) they actually need to be. That should be checked via bloodwork before supplementing. During pregnancy, copper actually doubles naturally so I find that most pregnant women do not need extra. You can get plenty from foods like avocado, mushrooms, cacao, nuts & seeds!
All that to say, I have finally found a multi-vitamin that checks off all my necessary boxes & would be great for the majority of people to keep up with any inadequacies in their diet.
The Female Formulations Prenatal is not only a top-notch prenatal vitamin for women in the pre-conception, pregnancy & breastfeeding phases, it would also make a great multi-vitamin for women not in that season of life and men as well! I actually also give a lower dose to my 6 year old daughter too! If you child can handle swallowing vitamins, a half dose might be great for them as well.
Dr. Natalie (founder of the Female Formulations brand) specializes in fertility health & preconception, as well as hormone imbalances like PCOS. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her in person & she is a very wise & down to earth doctor. I’m happy to support her & share this amazing brand she created with you!
Since she specialized in hormone health, she also has a plethora of other amazing products geared toward other imbalances in the body. I’ve personally used her Omegas & NAC - both of which are actually pair well with the Prenatal & complete what she calls the “Prenatal Bundle”. This is the bundle I orignally purchase & still use as daily support!
If you are one of those pregnant women who acutally do need iron support, the Iron Chelate might be a good one fro you.
If you are someone who experiences blood sugar imbalances or high glucose/insulin, the Glucose Support might be something that could benefit you.
Another one I’ve recommended frequenly in my practice is the Androgen Balance. This is designed for those with PCOS or hormone imbalances including high androgens like testosterone or problems eliminating excess estrogen. This is something you absolutely want to test for prior to taking (because who wants to take something they have no idea if they actually need or not!)
As always, please consult with your health care provider before starting a new supplement routine. I still stand by the idea that there is no one-size-fits-all routine for everyone - and frequently supplements should be rotated & changed up depending on the season of life, dietary changes, infections occurring & so many more things. Click the button above if you want to learn more about getting proper testing done to know precisely what you need at this stage of life. I’m happy to help!
Cheers to your health,
Leah B