Is it safe? · by category
Supplements during pregnancy
Vitamins, minerals, and popular supplements: studied doses, upper limits, and how each stacks with a prenatal.
- Evidence summary
Is AG1 (Athletic Greens) safe during pregnancy?
AG1, also called Athletic Greens, is a multi-ingredient greens powder containing vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and adaptogenic botanicals.
- Avoid
Ashwagandha and fertility: what the evidence says
NCCIH advises avoiding ashwagandha during pregnancy, and because conception is usually confirmed weeks after it happens.
- Avoid
Is ashwagandha safe while breastfeeding?
Skip ashwagandha while you are nursing. The lactation reference is unusually direct here: with no published experience during breastfeeding.
- Caution
Are BCAA supplements safe during pregnancy?
BCAA supplements deserve caution during pregnancy: an animal study found that isoleucine supplementation at athlete-level doses disrupted normal fetal.
- Caution
Is beet root powder safe during pregnancy?
Beet root powder is a concentrated source of dietary nitrate and oxalate, and while a small pregnant-CKD feasibility trial using beet juice found no.
- Avoid
Is black seed oil safe during pregnancy?
Black seed oil, made from Nigella sativa, has traditionally been used to bring on menstrual flow.
- Caution
Is bovine colostrum safe during pregnancy?
Bovine colostrum is a cow's-milk-derived immune supplement trending on social media, and while general-population research shows it's well tolerated.
- Evidence summary
Are caffeine pills safe during pregnancy?
Caffeine pills deliver a concentrated, precisely measured dose of caffeine in a single tablet, unlike a cup of coffee.
- Avoid
Is CBD safe during pregnancy?
CBD is best avoided during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. The FDA and ACOG both advise against CBD, THC.
- Caution
Is CBD safe while trying to conceive?
CBD (cannabidiol) has genuinely limited human research on fertility specifically, and many CBD products are inaccurately labeled or contain unlisted THC.
- Avoid
Is CBD safe while breastfeeding?
CBD is not recommended while breastfeeding: professional guidelines advise nursing parents to avoid cannabis-derived products altogether.
- Caution
Is chlorella safe during pregnancy?
Chlorella is a green algae supplement that a few small pregnancy studies suggest may be safe and could reduce constipation.
- Caution
Are chlorophyll drops safe during pregnancy?
Chlorophyll drops, usually a semi-synthetic form called sodium copper chlorophyllin rather than plant chlorophyll itself.
- Caution
Is cod liver oil safe during pregnancy?
Cod liver oil calls for caution in pregnancy, not because of the omega-3s but because it is concentrated in preformed vitamin A.
- Caution
Are collagen supplements safe during pregnancy?
Collagen supplements haven't been studied specifically in pregnancy, and quality varies a lot between brands since the FDA doesn't require proof of safety.
- Caution
Is collagen safe while breastfeeding?
No lactation safety data exist for collagen supplements, so this sits in the unknown column rather than the unsafe one.
- Avoid
Is colloidal silver safe during pregnancy?
Skip colloidal silver during pregnancy. Silver has no known role in the human body, no proven benefit for any illness.
- Evidence summary
CoQ10 and fertility: what the evidence says
CoQ10 is an antioxidant studied mostly in people going through IVF, where small trials suggest better ovarian response, though live birth data remain thin.
- Evidence summary
Are cordyceps safe during pregnancy?
Cordyceps is a medicinal mushroom with real evidence for immune-stimulating and blood-thinning effects.
- Caution
Is creatine safe during pregnancy?
Creatine is a popular fitness and cognitive-health supplement, but during pregnancy the evidence rounds to caution: animal studies.
- Caution
Is diatomaceous earth safe during pregnancy?
Diatomaceous earth is a caution during pregnancy because there's no established human ingestion dose.
- Caution
Are digestive enzyme supplements safe during pregnancy?
Digestive enzyme supplements have almost no pregnancy-specific research behind them, and federal guidance notes that pregnant women may not be able to.
- Caution
Is gummy prenatal vitamins and iron safe during pregnancy?
Gummy prenatal vitamins often provide less iron than pregnancy needs, and some contain none at all: broader research on commercial prenatal supplements.
- Safe
Is creatine and male fertility safe during pregnancy?
Creatine has not been shown to lower sperm count, reduce sperm quality, or meaningfully raise DHT or testosterone.
- Caution
Is Emergen-C safe during pregnancy?
One Emergen-C packet has about 1,000 mg of vitamin C, roughly half the 2,000 mg daily limit doctors use in pregnancy, so occasional use is generally fine.
- Caution
Is Emergen-C safe while breastfeeding?
Emergen-C is mostly vitamin C, and vitamin C is a normal component of human milk. LactMed found maternal doses of 250, 500.
- Caution
Is evening primrose oil safe during pregnancy?
Evening primrose oil is a supplement with uncertain pregnancy safety: research on using it late in pregnancy to help ripen the cervix or shorten labor is.
- Safe
Is fish oil safe during pregnancy?
Fish oil and other omega-3 (DHA/EPA) supplements are generally safe during pregnancy and support your baby's brain development.
- Safe
Is folic acid before conception safe during pregnancy?
Take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily starting at least one month before you conceive. The neural tube closes 21 to 28 days after conception.
- Avoid
Are garlic supplements safe during pregnancy?
Garlic in your cooking is fine during pregnancy, but concentrated garlic supplements are a different product and are best avoided.
- Caution
Is heavy metals in protein powder safe during pregnancy?
Protein powder can contain trace heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic, and independent testing shows plant-based.
- Evidence summary
Is how long vitamin B6 takes to work for nausea safe during pregnancy?
Vitamin B6 is not instant. In the randomized trial of the doxylamine and pyridoxine combination, symptoms were reassessed on day 2 to 3.
- Safe
Are pregnancy calorie needs safe during pregnancy?
You need no extra calories in the first trimester, about 340 more a day in the second, and about 452 more a day in the third.
- Evidence summary
Is vitamin B6 safe during pregnancy?
1.9 mg of vitamin B6 a day is the pregnancy target, and the ceiling is 100 mg for adults or 80 mg for teens.
- Safe
Is biotin safe during pregnancy?
Biotin is a B vitamin your body needs slightly more of during pregnancy (adequate intake is 30 micrograms a day).
- Evidence summary
Is calcium safe during pregnancy?
1,000 mg of calcium a day is the pregnancy target if you are 19 or older, and 1,300 mg if you are 18 or younger.
- Evidence summary
Is choline safe during pregnancy?
450 mg of choline a day is the pregnancy target, set as an adequate intake rather than a full RDA. The ceiling is 3,500 mg for adults and 3,000 mg for teens.
- Evidence summary
Is chromium safe during pregnancy?
Chromium needs rise slightly during pregnancy, to about 30 micrograms a day for adults and 29 micrograms for teens.
- Safe
How much copper do you need during pregnancy?
Copper needs rise slightly during pregnancy to about 1,000 micrograms a day, a level most people reach through a normal diet plus a standard prenatal.
- Safe
Is DHA safe during pregnancy?
Aim for about 200 to 300 mg of DHA a day during pregnancy, realistic through roughly two servings of low-mercury fish a week or a fish oil or algae.
- Safe
Is fiber safe during pregnancy?
28 grams of fiber a day is the pregnancy target, based on 14 grams per 1,000 calories eaten. No upper limit has been set for fiber.
- Evidence summary
Is folic acid safe during pregnancy?
600 mcg DFE a day is the folate target in pregnancy, and 400 mcg of folic acid daily starting at least a month before conception is what lowers the.
- Evidence summary
Is iodine safe during pregnancy?
220 mcg of iodine a day is the pregnancy target, and a prenatal vitamin containing at least 150 mcg is the standard advice.
- Evidence summary
Is iron safe during pregnancy?
27 mg of iron a day is the pregnancy target, and the ceiling is 45 mg from food and supplements combined.
- Evidence summary
Is magnesium safe during pregnancy?
350 mg of magnesium a day is the pregnancy target for ages 19 to 30, 360 mg for ages 31 to 50, and 400 mg for teens.
- Safe
Is niacin safe during pregnancy?
Niacin (vitamin B3) needs rise slightly during pregnancy to 18 mg a day, up from 14 mg for non-pregnant adults.
- Safe
Is pantothenic acid safe during pregnancy?
Pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5, is generally safe during pregnancy, with an adequate intake of 6 mg a day.
- Evidence summary
Is potassium safe during pregnancy?
Potassium's adequate intake during pregnancy is 2,900 mg a day, up from 2,600 mg for non-pregnant women, and most people fall short of it from food alone.
- Safe
Is protein safe during pregnancy?
71 grams of protein a day, or 1.1 grams per kilogram of body weight, is the recommended amount from the second trimester onward.
- Safe
Is riboflavin safe during pregnancy?
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) needs increase during pregnancy to 1.4 milligrams a day, up from 1.1 milligrams before pregnancy.
- Caution
How much selenium do you need during pregnancy?
Selenium in pregnancy has a clear target and a real ceiling: the RDA is 60 mcg a day, rising to 70 mcg while breastfeeding.
- Evidence summary
Is added sugar safe during pregnancy?
No pregnancy-specific sugar limit exists. The general guidance is under 50 grams of added sugar a day, which is the Daily Value on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Safe
Is thiamine safe during pregnancy?
Thiamine (vitamin B1) needs rise to about 1.5 mg a day during pregnancy, and most prenatal vitamins cover it.
- Caution
Is vitamin A safe during pregnancy?
The safe ceiling for preformed vitamin A in pregnancy is about 3,000 mcg RAE a day, close to 10,000 IU, and most people stay well under that through food.
- Safe
Is vitamin B12 safe during pregnancy?
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient during pregnancy, with a recommended intake of 2.6 micrograms a day.
- Safe
Is vitamin C safe during pregnancy?
You need 85 mg of vitamin C a day during pregnancy, or 80 mg if you are 18 or younger, and most people reach that through food alone.
- Safe
How much vitamin C do you need while breastfeeding?
Vitamin C needs are higher while breastfeeding than during pregnancy: 120 mg a day at 19 and over, against 85 mg in pregnancy.
- Safe
Is vitamin D safe during pregnancy?
The recommended amount of vitamin D in pregnancy is 600 IU a day, with a ceiling of 4,000 IU.
- Caution
How much vitamin D should you take while breastfeeding?
Vitamin D while breastfeeding sits at 600 IU a day as the recommended intake, with 4,000 IU as the adult upper limit.
- Caution
Is vitamin E safe during pregnancy?
Vitamin E during pregnancy has an RDA of 15 mg a day, easily covered by a normal diet or prenatal vitamin.
- Safe
Is vitamin K safe during pregnancy?
Vitamin K is generally safe during pregnancy, with an adequate intake of 90 mcg a day for most pregnant adults (75 mcg for teens).
- Evidence summary
Is zinc safe during pregnancy?
11 mg of zinc a day is the pregnancy target if you are 19 or older, and 12 mg if you are 18 or younger. The ceiling is 40 mg for adults and 34 mg for teens.
- Safe
Is iron before pregnancy safe during pregnancy?
Building iron stores before you conceive is sensible, since needs jump from 18 to 27 milligrams a day in pregnancy.
- Safe
Is beta-carotene safe during pregnancy?
Beta-carotene, the plant-based form of vitamin A found in carrots and sweet potatoes and used in many prenatal vitamins.
- Evidence summary
Is magnesium L-threonate safe during pregnancy?
Magnesium L-threonate hasn't been studied in pregnant people at all: the only safety review of this specific form explicitly excludes pregnant.
- Evidence summary
Is ubiquinol safe during pregnancy?
Ubiquinol, the active form of coenzyme Q10, has a reassuring general safety record and showed a lower preeclampsia rate in one clinical trial at 200.
- Caution
Is krill oil safe during pregnancy?
Krill oil is a marine omega-3 supplement similar to fish oil, but pregnancy-specific safety research on it is limited.
- Evidence summary
Is L-carnitine safe during pregnancy?
L-carnitine is a compound your body makes from amino acids and gets from meat, fish, and dairy, and pregnancy naturally lowers your levels.
- Caution
Are lead in prenatal vitamins safe during pregnancy?
Lead in prenatal vitamins is a real, documented risk: a study testing 26 brands found lead in all 51 samples.
- Caution
Is lion's mane mushroom safe during pregnancy?
Lion's mane mushroom is generally recognized as safe when eaten as a food, but the concentrated supplement form has not been studied in pregnant people.
- Caution
Is liquid I.V. safe during pregnancy?
Liquid I.V. is fine for most pregnant women to help with fluids when nausea makes it hard to keep water down.
- Caution
Is LMNT safe during pregnancy?
LMNT is a sugar-free electrolyte powder built around sodium, potassium, and magnesium, and typical pregnancy physiology already shifts fluid.
- Safe
Is magnesium safe during pregnancy?
Oral magnesium is generally considered safe during pregnancy at doses within the recommended 350 to 360 mg a day, and many providers use it for leg cramps.
- Caution
Is melatonin safe during pregnancy?
There isn't much research yet on taking melatonin supplements during pregnancy, and most providers suggest avoiding regular use.
- Caution
Is melatonin safe while breastfeeding?
Short-term evening use of ordinary melatonin doses is unlikely to affect a nursing baby, but the supplement itself has barely been studied in lactation.
- Caution
Is melatonin safe while trying to conceive?
Melatonin is an over-the-counter sleep supplement with mixed evidence for trying to conceive: it may improve egg quality markers in assisted-reproduction.
- Evidence summary
Myo-inositol and fertility: what the evidence says
Myo-inositol is studied mainly in polycystic ovary syndrome, where pooled trials show more regular cycles.
- Caution
Is NMN safe during pregnancy?
NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide) has no published human pregnancy safety studies, and the animal research that exists tested it only before conception.
- Caution
Are papaya enzyme supplements safe during pregnancy?
Papaya enzyme tablets are not the same thing as papaya. Papain is a purified protein extracted from the latex of the unripe fruit.
- Avoid
Is placenta encapsulation safe during pregnancy?
Placenta encapsulation has no established postpartum clinical benefit, and processing is not standardized to eliminate bacteria or other pathogens.
- Caution
Are pre-workout supplements safe during pregnancy?
Pre-workout supplements are a caution during pregnancy because they combine several ingredients, like concentrated caffeine, creatine, beta-alanine.
- Safe
Is prenatal vitamins before pregnancy safe during pregnancy?
Starting a prenatal vitamin before you conceive is a well established step, and ACOG advises beginning at least one month before pregnancy with at least.
- Safe
Are probiotics safe during pregnancy?
Probiotics, the strains used in most commercial products, have a reassuring safety record in pregnancy.
- Evidence summary
Is protein powder safe during pregnancy?
Protein powder itself is fine during pregnancy, but product quality varies a lot from brand to brand.
- Caution
Is reishi mushroom safe during pregnancy?
Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) is generally well tolerated in short-term studies of adults.
- Avoid
Is sea moss safe during pregnancy?
Sea moss gels and capsules are best avoided during pregnancy. The iodine content of seaweed swings wildly between batches.
- Caution
Is Shilajit Safe During Pregnancy?
Shilajit has not been established as safe during pregnancy. Human pregnancy outcome studies are lacking.
- Caution
Is spirulina safe during pregnancy?
Spirulina is a blue-green algae supplement with real nutritional upside, but quality varies by brand: products grown in uncontrolled conditions can carry.
- Caution
Is taurine safe during pregnancy?
Taurine is an amino acid naturally found in the body and in foods like meat and seafood, and it's also added to many energy drinks and supplements.
- Safe
Is vitamin B6 safe during pregnancy?
Vitamin B6 is one of the best-studied, go-to options many providers suggest for pregnancy nausea.
- Safe
Vitamin D and fertility: what the evidence says
Vitamin D at standard doses is generally considered safe before and during pregnancy, with an RDA of 600 IU and an upper limit of 4,000 IU.
- Caution
Is Zarbee's cough syrup safe during pregnancy?
Zarbee's answers differently depending on which formula you have, so read the ingredient panel first.
- Evidence summary
Zinc for Male Fertility
Zinc for male fertility has biological plausibility, since the mineral concentrates in semen.
- Caution
Are zinc lozenges safe during pregnancy?
Zinc lozenges call for caution in pregnancy. The doses that shortened colds in trials, roughly 80 to 90 mg of zinc a day.
