Hey, I’m a bit concerned as my doctor said vitamin A has to be beta carotene and seems like this tablets I’m taking contains vitamin A but I cannot find any information regarding if it’s beta carotene or not. Can someone help if you happen to know this?
by coffeesleepi
2 comments
I am no doctor, but i have alot of ed in chemistry and did my own research when my wife was pregnant. First off, the vitamin A in those pills are retinylacetat, which is basicly vitamin A, aka not beta caroten. However as a preggo theres a recommended daily dose of 800ug, these contain only 31% of that. Meaning they are fairly low in Vitamin A, and you get the rest from a normal diet.
However overdosing on vitamin A can cause damage to the fetus, which is why certain foods are to be avoided.
The reason your doctor recommends beta caroten is that its transformed into Retinyl, by the body, but ONLY as much as the body needs, meaning you cant «overdose».
However taking those pills, that low in vitamin A (but enough for a bare minimum) bares no health risk at all. If you have a normal diet then theres no need to take anything more then those pills already give you. Unless theres a reason your doc has suggested vitamin A.
I have never heard anyone having to take beta caroten supplements, pretty much every pregnant woman use multivitamins with folsyre, they are all with Vitamin A.
You can eat a carrot every now and then to be sure, but tou dont have to worry the pills are harmfull.
Not really an answer to your question, but I find it weird that your doctor wants to to take betacarotene just turns into vitamin a and too much vitamin a [may damage the foetus](https://www.apotek1.no/livsstil/kost-og-ernaering/betakaroten) (link in norwegian).
I cant seem to find any info on why getting vitamin a that way is better than just regual suppliments.