Medical professionals warn that you should be cautious (and consult your doctor) before starting a new supplement or vitamin. That’s because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) categorizes supplements as “food”—not drugs—and does not evaluate them before they are sold to consumers. Now, we’re seeing a scary consequence of that miscategorization: A new observational study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that many prenatal vitamins contain harmful chemicals that put both mother and baby at risk.
“Toxic metals like lead, cadmium, and arsenic in prenatal vitamins can pose risks during pregnancy,” says Thaïs Aliabadi, MD, ob-gyn to celebrities like Olivia Munn and Rihanna and co-host of the SHE MD podcast.
The focus of the study was twofold: 47 different brands of prenatal vitamins—available over the counter or by prescription—were studied to see if they contained the advertised amounts of essential nutrients choline and iodine (both help with brain development), as well tested for the presence of toxic chemicals iodine, arsenic, lead, and cadmium. Everything was compared to the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) standards.
The results found that 5 had less than advertised amounts of choline and 20 had less than the advertised levels of iodine. Additionally, the study revealed that “amounts of arsenic, lead, and cadmium above USP purity limits were found in 7, 2, and 13 [prenatal vitamins tested], respectively.”
Dr. Aliabadi advises “pregnant individuals concerned about their supplements should not stop them abruptly, but consult their doctor for guidance.”
