A healthy diet is a necessary foundation for any program of optimal
nutrition, & there is no substitute for eating well. In this
context, nutritional supplements are designed to compliment a
healthy diet & not replace it.
Supplements can provide a greater balance to your diet as well as
address your body's nutritional deficiencies. Even the most varied,
healthy diet cannot guarantee that you receive optimum levels of
every essential nutrient (not just the RDA)* We recommend USANA nutritional
supplements. There are many vitamins
on the market, & you may already be taking a multivitamin or other
supplement available from the supermarket, chemist or health food
shop. But inferior manufacturing can destroy even the greatest product
formulations. USANA manufactures its own nutritional supplements,
& voluntarily meets pharmaceutical Good Manufacturing Practices
(GMP). Pharmaceutical GMP standards are far more stringent than the
food GMP requirements set by the Government for supplements.
Remember that vitamins & minerals do not work in isolation, but
require carefully balanced formulations & bioavailability for your
body to benefit from them. We do not recommend nutritional self-diagnosis,
or mega-doses of single vitamins or supplements, unless you have
been specifically prescribed them by a doctor or qualified nutritionist.
The USANA ‘Essentials’, taken as directed, are an excellent
antenatal vitamin, containing adequate amounts of folic acid, zinc,
& other important vitamins & minerals which are needed in higher
levels during pregnancy. It is important for women who are planning
to become pregnant & those who are pregnant to get at least 400
mcg (100% of Daily Value) of Folic Acid per day. With the full dosage
of the ‘Essentials’, 1,000 mcg of folic acid are included.
If the mother does not have adequate intake of folic acid within
the first few months of pregnancy, the foetus may develop neural
tube defects such as spina bifida. Studies show that taking at least
400 mcg of folic acid can reduce the risk of these birth defects
by as much as 70%.
Pregnant women may want to discuss taking an iron supplement with
their doctor, as iron is not included in the ‘Essentials’ (**Why?).
During pregnancy women may generally need to supplement with between
28 - 90 mg of elemental iron per day, but individual requirements
should be discussed with your doctor or nutritionist.
You may have read that excess Vitamin A during pregnancy can be toxic;
however this depends on the form of Vitamin A. The ‘Essentials’ use
Beta-Carotene instead of pre-formed vitamin A, & consequently,
toxicities are not an issue.***
Research has shown that essential fatty acids (EFA’s) are also
important for the developing baby. It may be a good idea to supplement
with omega oil supplements during pregnancy & during breastfeeding.
Before taking any additional or different supplements, discuss them
fully with your doctor, as it is important to protect the growing
baby & mother. It is a good idea to show your doctor the label
on the product you are using, or intending to use, so that he/she
can see the exact ingredients & their proportions.
The following USANA products, taken as directed, are highly recommended
for women who are pregnant or lactating:
Essentials
Active Calcium
Optomega or BiOmega-3
Fibergy
Other products or single formulations, taken as directed, MAY be
recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, based on
individual needs, but ONLY on the specific advice of your doctor.
* For over 50 years we've been led to believe that RDA levels are
adequate. But adequate for what? Basically, the RDA is the lowest
level of nutrient intakes that will prevent deficiencies in apparently
healthy individuals. & while RDA levels may have helped us to avoid
acute deficiency diseases such as scurvy, rickets or beriberi, they
do not address the issues of optimal nutrition. Products based solely
on RDA amounts are fine for their intended purpose (i.e. providing
minimal amounts of important vitamins & minerals), but the RDA
of vitamins & minerals may not be enough to help prevent certain
degenerative disease, or to provide protection from oxidative damage.
Health concerns & other degenerative diseases such as heart disease
or osteoporosis develop over a lifetime. Minimal nutrient intakes
& the RDAs are simply not always adequate or even designed to address
many of these common health challenges. According to the US Centre
for Disease Control (CDC), much of the illness, disability, & death
associated with chronic disease are avoidable through known prevention
measures.
**Because of the large number of iron-fortified foods (such as many
cereals), most people receive sufficient iron from their diets. In
addition, some people are unable to take iron supplements because
of a particular medical condition. It is simply not possible to provide
a supplement with adequate iron for those who need substantial amounts,
without providing too much for all those who do not need the extra.
Iron supplementation is best handled separately for those who specifically
need it. For best absorption however, avoid taking an iron supplement
concurrently with a calcium supplement. Calcium & iron supplements
should be taken at different times during the day.
*** Toxicities of vitamin A relate only to pre-formed vitamin A,
usually labeled as retinol, retinyl acetate or retinyl palmitate.
Beta-carotene is referred to as ‘pro-vitamin A’ because
it is converted to vitamin A in the body as needed. USANA Essentials
contain only beta-carotene for vitamin A activity. Beta-carotene
is not known to cause vitamin A toxicity at any level. The level
of beta-carotene contained in an average medium carrot is around
20,000 IU.
For further information, studies & resources on vitamin & mineral
supplementation or any related questions, please contact us
