Blue # 1, Red #40 and Yellow # 6 in My Prenatal?!!

Updated on May 21, 2010
S.J. asks from Cherryville, MO
15 answers

I am looking at the list of ingredients in my prenatal, and FD&C blue #1, red #40 and yellow # 6 are among those listed. I am bothered by these ingredients being in a prenatal vitamin (for many reasons, one being cancer in rats). I was really excited about this prenatal at first as my doc described the DHA and other key vitamins and minerals in it. But I can't get past the other bad things.....

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K.P.

answers from Wichita on

I buy all my supplements at a health food store, where they aren't full of unnecessary ingredients to make them look pretty. High quality supplements cost a bit more but are better for you and better absorbed by the body. AND some of the brands carried at health food stores are also carried at discount stores.

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J.C.

answers from Florence on

I think people worry too much about everything. They didn't even have prenatal vitamins back in the day. My friend is always analyzing every little ingredient that something contains. Worrying so much cannot be good for you. I am glad to have been pregnant in this day and age with all the technology that we have. Mothers didn't have prenatal vitamins, ultrasounds with 4d or 3d or many more of the amenities that we enjoy today. I feel blessed with all the things that we have been granted. Just relax and enjoy your pregnancy.

7 moms found this helpful

T.L.

answers from St. Louis on

Your doctor wouldn't have prescribed this medicine if it was harmful to a fetus. Would he?

5 moms found this helpful

C.C.

answers from Fresno on

I'm with Jennifer C. Just relax and enjoy your pregnancy. I mean, it wasn't long ago when doctors told pregnant women to have a cocktail every night to soothe their nerves! I'm thinking that if 9 months of martinis managed to produce one of the finest generations in American history, then a little red #40 shouldn't upset your apple cart. Don't get too worked up. Being a mommy is hard enough work without sweating the small stuff! =) Congrats on your baby-to-be!

5 moms found this helpful
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A.L.

answers from Lansing on

Good for you for being informed. I came across this site recently which blurbs about the results of a number studies on mice/rat responses to various dyes (mainly red and yellow). They made my skin crawl.

http://www.feingold.org/Research/dye-studies.html

Do your research and go with organic/natural options especially during pregnancy and throughout their young lives (really through high-school) as much as you can, as these developmental stages are by far the most important.

An incredible amount and variety of chemicals additives have pervaded our modern lives, and we just now becoming aware (the public) of the potential costs. The amount that they are found in food is especially disturbing.

But there is hope! Don't stop reading and researching! You still get to decide what you put into body and mind as well as your child's. You'll have to do lots of the legwork yourself at first, but eventually you will start finding good sources/good people to get sound information from, etc.

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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K.W.

answers from Los Angeles on

Trader Joe's sells a prenatal without artificial colors. Check out some health food stores and see what they have to offer.

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J.B.

answers from Dallas on

That is scarey. I am not pregnant but have a friend who recently found out she was. She uses a natural vitamin that she orders and says that the difference in this vitamin and the vitamin she used for her first pregnancy is huge. She works full time and has a 16 mo old and due to the absorption rate and content of vitamins she said feels so much better.
In addition to the vitamins, the cleaning products that are used in homes purchased at grocery stores can be very dangerous too.

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C.D.

answers from St. Louis on

As a mother of a kid with allergies to everything, I think you are right to be concerned and find another option, even if only for your peace of mind. I don't have a recommendation for you because I'm always trying to research this stuff too. I'd like to know what you end up with. I do use Kirkman labs probiotics for my daughter because they had an allergen free variety and the quality is good. They have other vitamins as well. Good luck.

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L.C.

answers from Raleigh on

Oh my gosh, that''s what I am taking and I just trusted the "natural" on the label. Wow, I will be getting something different....

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M.K.

answers from Houston on

i agree try a health food store - or look online for natural prenatals

its ridiculous - why do you care if your pills look colorfull?! i had the hardest time this week finding dog food that had had no colors in it, i mean why should my dog care!!

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W.T.

answers from San Diego on

There is a brand called Rainbow Light, now available at Target, as well as health food stores that is wonderful. My midwife recommended it. It is vegan and has no junky stuff like that! There are plenty of good healthy prenatals out there, so you don't and shouldn't have to take one you don't like!

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H.J.

answers from Minneapolis on

I have never taken the prenatals I have always taken Shaklee multi vitamins plus a few additional. Synthetic prenatals aren't the best are more meant for the ones who don't usually take vitamins.

K.N.

answers from Austin on

I buy my vitamins at the health food store. They are pretty common however I've also found them online. You might want to order some through the web if you don't have a quality health food store nearby.

I take Nature's Plus Source of Life prenatal vitamins. All natural, whole food concentrates... kinda expensive, but they are really high quality. As for DHA, I'm taking flax seed supplements (although I've also taken Spectrum Essentials Fish Oil--But if you buy Fish Oil make sure you buy a brand that certifies that the mercury, lead and PCBs pollutants have been filtered out).

On a certain level, it may not matter which brand you specifically buy as long as it is high quality and, especially in the case of Fish Oil, certified as containing no pollutants.

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M.H.

answers from Atlanta on

Hi S.,

The coloring is bad but that also tells you that the manufacturer is probably not being real healthy in other areas either. The wrong kind of vitamin can be more dangerous than not taking one. Lesser quality vitamins cause the development of free radicals and that's what causes major diseases. I agree you need to go more natural. I take an vitamin and mineral complex that is guaranteed to absorb. The company I use also has a prenatal vitamin as well as a prenatal pack that includes minerals and Omegas.

Let me know if you're interested and I can send you some information on them.

Congratulations on your little one!

M.

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