Are the B Vitamins In Your Prenatal Dangerous?

Let’s dive into the B vitamins to continue raising your Fertility & Pregnancy Nutrient IQ! 

I was looking for an emoji to represent the B complex nutrients. The honey bee was the best I could do🐝, but it works out okay because honey actually does contain many of the B vitamins. The family of B vitamins are fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and human development powerhouses. But there are also some controversies, fears, and misunderstandings surrounding B nutrient intake during pregnancy. Remember the terms I taught you in my last message, primemester epigenetics and perinatal epigenetics? The B family of nutrients are key epigenetic inputs and modulators of your fertility, pregnancy, and superbaby health, so today’s info is super important.

A few things that I want you to know about the B family of nutrients. 

  • MTHFR is a buzzword in the fertility world. There is misunderstanding and misinterpretation of this aspect of fertility among fertility info-seekers and fertility experts alike. B nutrient status—especially B9—is a critical piece of the MTHFR conversation. By the way, most people don’t know this, but this is 100% an epigenetic conversation.
  • The B family of nutrients are one of the first places you should look for extra egg quality and chromosomal care. What do I mean by extra chromosomal care? If you are someone who has produced embryos or experienced a pregnancy with chromosomal abnormality or neural tube defect, extra chromosomal care is indicated. If you are someone who has experienced difficulty getting or staying pregnant, this is a clue that there may be issues with chromosomal abnormality as well. If you are concerned about chromosomal abnormality due to your age, this piece of the conversation is also for you.
  • Recently, a study linked folic acid and B12 levels to autism spectrum disorders. This has really scared Mamas everywhere. There is so much nuance and cost-benefit analysis to understand here before determining that your prenatal has been poisoning you and your future babies.
  • Inositol (B8) and choline are important for egg quality, especially if you suffer from PCOS.
  • Salicylic acid (B11) is considered unsafe during pregnancy (and, therefore, also in the primemester).
  • Need for many of the B nutrients is highest in Pregnant and Breastfeeding Mamas
  • There are 12 different B vitamins, but only 8 are recognized by most people. The four that most patients and practitioners alike don’t know are B vitamins are highlighted below. 
    • Thiamin (B1)
    • Riboflavin (B2)
    • Niacin (B3)
    • Adenine (B4)
    • Pantothenic acid (B5)
    • Pyridoxine (B6)
    • Biotin (B7)
    • Inositol (B8)
    • Folate (B9)
    • PABA (para amino benzoic acid; B10)
    • Salicylic acid (B11)
    • Cobalamin (B12)
  • At FPI, we include choline among the B family of nutrients, even though it’s not actually a B vitamin. We have a piece in this educational series on choline for you. It is super important for you and your superbaby.
  • The B family of nutrients are water-soluble, which has important implications for toxicity and the RDA (recommended daily allowance).
  • If you are vegan or vegetarian, your B nutrient status requires extra special care and attention.
  • The B family of nutrients are involved in so many critical metabolic, cellular, DNA and mRNA, and epigenetic functions, including:
    • Energy production, including intermediary metabolism (the intracellular process whereby nutritive material is converted into cellular components)
    • Redox status, which can either slow or accelerate reproductive aging
    • Transfer of single-carbon units or one-carbon metabolism (biochemical reactions with enzymes and coenzymes)
    • Nutrient synthesis, including amino acid, fatty acid, cholesterol, steroid, and glucose synthesis 
    • Methyl-group transfer (this is related to the MTHFR issue mentioned above)
    • DNA synthesis
    • Making red and white blood cells, plus impacting iron use in the body
  •  

The last thing I’ll say for now is: Aren’t our bodies freaking amazing?! Our bodies do all of the above and so much more—for us and for our superbabies. You are a miracle. And even though you are nothing short of a miracle, you are pure possibility. We know this because you are here. You are possible. Your superbaby is a miracle, and your superbaby is pure possibility, too. Think of your superbaby as miraculous, as in nothing short of amazing and perfect. But don’t look at your superbaby as the type of miracle that’s hard to come by. Do you see what I mean?

Our amazing bodies are proof of just how commonplace miracles really are.

Let’s dive into the B vitamins to continue raising your Fertility & Pregnancy Nutrient IQ!

I was looking for an emoji to represent the B complex nutrients. The honey bee was the best I could do🐝, but it works out okay because honey actually does contain many of the B vitamins. The family of B vitamins are fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and human development powerhouses. But there are also some controversies, fears, and misunderstandings surrounding B nutrient intake during pregnancy. Remember the terms I taught you in my last message, primemester epigenetics and perinatal epigenetics? The B family of nutrients are key epigenetic inputs and modulators of your fertility, pregnancy, and superbaby health, so today’s info is super important.

A few things that I want you to know about the B family of nutrients. 

  • MTHFR is a buzzword in the fertility world. There is misunderstanding and misinterpretation of this aspect of fertility among fertility info-seekers and fertility experts alike. B nutrient status—especially B9—is a critical piece of the MTHFR conversation. By the way, most people don’t know this, but this is 100% an epigenetic conversation.
  • The B family of nutrients are one of the first places you should look for extra egg quality and chromosomal care. What do I mean by extra chromosomal care? If you are someone who has produced embryos or experienced a pregnancy with chromosomal abnormality or neural tube defect, extra chromosomal care is indicated. If you are someone who has experienced difficulty getting or staying pregnant, this is a clue that there may be issues with chromosomal abnormality as well. If you are concerned about chromosomal abnormality due to your age, this piece of the conversation is also for you.
  • Recently, a study linked folic acid and B12 levels to autism spectrum disorders. This has really scared Mamas everywhere. There is so much nuance and cost-benefit analysis to understand here before determining that your prenatal has been poisoning you and your future babies.
  • Inositol (B8) and choline are important for egg quality, especially if you suffer from PCOS.
  • Salicylic acid (B11) is considered unsafe during pregnancy (and, therefore, also in the primemester).
  • Need for many of the B nutrients is highest in Pregnant and Breastfeeding Mamas
  • There are 12 different B vitamins, but only 8 are recognized by most people. The four that most patients and practitioners alike don’t know are B vitamins are highlighted below. 
    • Thiamin (B1)
    • Riboflavin (B2)
    • Niacin (B3)
    • Adenine (B4)
    • Pantothenic acid (B5)
    • Pyridoxine (B6)
    • Biotin (B7)
    • Inositol (B8)
    • Folate (B9)
    • PABA (para amino benzoic acid; B10)
    • Salicylic acid (B11)
    • Cobalamin (B12)
  • At FPI, we include choline among the B family of nutrients, even though it’s not actually a B vitamin. We have a piece in this educational series on choline for you. It is super important for you and your superbaby.
  • The B family of nutrients are water-soluble, which has important implications for toxicity and the RDA (recommended daily allowance).
  • If you are vegan or vegetarian, your B nutrient status requires extra special care and attention.
  • The B family of nutrients are involved in so many critical metabolic, cellular, DNA and mRNA, and epigenetic functions, including:
    • Energy production, including intermediary metabolism (the intracellular process whereby nutritive material is converted into cellular components)
    • Redox status, which can either slow or accelerate reproductive aging
    • Transfer of single-carbon units or one-carbon metabolism (biochemical reactions with enzymes and coenzymes)
    • Nutrient synthesis, including amino acid, fatty acid, cholesterol, steroid, and glucose synthesis 
    • Methyl-group transfer (this is related to the MTHFR issue mentioned above)
    • DNA synthesis
    • Making red and white blood cells, plus impacting iron use in the body
  •  

The last thing I’ll say for now is: Aren’t our bodies freaking amazing?! Our bodies do all of the above and so much more—for us and for our superbabies. You are a miracle. And even though you are nothing short of a miracle, you are pure possibility. We know this because you are here. You are possible. Your superbaby is a miracle, and your superbaby is pure possibility, too. Think of your superbaby as miraculous, as in nothing short of amazing and perfect. But don’t look at your superbaby as the type of miracle that’s hard to come by. Do you see what I mean?

Our amazing bodies are proof of just how commonplace miracles really are.

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