Studies examine dosage and labeling of common supplements

Many prenatal supplements contain too much folic acid
Consuming folic acid prior to pregnancy helps prevent birth defects. But a new study found most prenatal supplements were labeled as containing more folic acid than the current recommended daily intake. The study also revealed different agencies and scientific bodies provide conflicting messaging around the optimal intake of folic acid (from supplements) and folate (from food) during pregnancy.

Prenatal vitamins often have nutrient content higher than labeled
Chemical analysis of the contents of 24 prenatal multivitamins representing about 60 percent of the prenatal multivitamin products sold through U.S. pharmacies in 2015-2016 revealed that most contained greater quantities of vitamins and minerals than was declared on the label, perhaps to account for possible losses during storage. The greatest difference was seen for vitamin D, with supplements containing an average of 29 percent more vitamin D than was indicated on product labels. By offering a more accurate picture of supplements' contents, the findings can help scientists who study the impacts of nutrients on health outcomes, researchers say.  

Vitamin D supplementation improves babies' growth
Babies born with low stores of vitamin D can have problems with bone growth, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children get at least 400 International Units of the vitamin each day. In a recent clinical trial, newborns with low vitamin D stores who were given a higher dosage (1,000 IU/day) of vitamin D supplementation more rapidly built up their stores and gained more lean body mass by six months of age compared to those given the standard of care (400 IU/day). Compared to a group of infants born with very good vitamin D stores, the babies receiving the 1,000 IU/day intervention appeared to have normal lean mass. Maryam Razaghi, McGill University, will present this research on Monday, June 10, from 12:45 - 1:45 p.m. in the Baltimore Convention Center, Halls A-B (poster #301) (abstract).