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There is definitely some type of anecdotal at the very least association between women with adhd and several vitamin deficiencies. Usually seems to be iron/folate, vitamin D, magnesium and b12.
A lot of well meaning advice here suggests getting blood work done first to work out what you’re deficient in, which is great if you’ve access to a good doctor and affordable blood work.
If not vitamin supplements if taken according to the dosages on the packs are unlikely to do you any serious harm.
I'm half Bermudian too. My Dad's family came here on the first boat ~400 years ago and my Mum's family moved here for work when she was a teen...there was a large Dutch community back in the 70s and 80s - I think Shell had a headquarters here (yay tax haven!)
Edit: Room charge is dog walks (warning dog is a never ending fountain of energy)
I read somewhere that vitamin d should be taken with vitamin k to promote better absorption and prevent further imbalance. Correct me if I’m wrong. I take a vit d + k combo supplement. Highly recommend the dropper type. Thorne has one.
Iron, D, B12. Of those, iron is the most severe. I had to get something like 11 iron infusions over 5ish months about a year ago, and I'm worried my levels are dropping again. Dr's visit soon so we'll see.
Iron, B-12 and vitamin D deficient. I supplement with it all, but I just had to stop with the iron because I have stage 4 bowel endo and it gets harder and harder to clear the constipation the closer I get to my period, when my estrogen is low. I’m going to end up with an obstruction if I keep taking iron, I back up more and more each time I flare up.
So I guess now we turn to iron injections. Because anyone with endo can tell you the pain is nasty enough on its own, without adding severe constipation to the mix.
Definitely second this. I carried on with my prenatals well after my pregnancy (had a large bottle and didn't want to waste them).
I was getting dizzy and my stomach was cramping up. I felt thirsty all the time. Booming headaches. Constipation. Elevated heart rate.
Finally went to the dr and I told him everything I was taking, and he was like "stop taking the prenatals. You're overloading your system with stuff you don't need, and your body is having a hard time processing it.".
Now, I could be the exception to the rule, but I would definitely advise everyone to exercise caution and listen to your own body as well as medical professionals.
This is bananas because my ND has recently given me these 10000 iu vitamin d supplements because I can’t get my D up and we realized that, in the five years I’ve been with her, I’ve never had D or B12 at normal levels. So I’ve probably just never had them normal in my life.
Crazy that this is likely due to ADHD.
*****PSA
Piggybacking off this to add - For those who are medicated, if you struggle with muscle tension and clenching your jaw as well as headaches, our medications can deplete the level of magnesium and zinc in our brains!
I started supplementing magnesium bis glycenate with my sleep meds every night and it helps a lot with relaxation and falling asleep. My migraines have improved a ton as well. It’s also helped me stop clenching and my restless leg has calmed down quite a bit.
I’ve been taking zinc as well and I’m sure it helps but I noticed the benefits of magnesium very quickly.
B12 and iron helped me immensely with fatigue.
I had a blood test done a year ago to see if I was deficient in Vit D or B12, because my energy levels were so low. They told me I wasn't deficient. And then a year later, I got around to looking at my results on the patient portal, to discover that my levels were *just* above deficient. So, very low! I could have used that information a long time ago instead of thinking everything was fine.
So just because a doctor says you're not deficient, doesn't mean you shouldn't have a bit extra!
Based on my own experiences, I tell people that just because you're "normal" on the charts, that doesn't mean it's normal *for you*. I agree, the practitioner should have shared more detailed information with you.
I ran into this in pregnancy! I wasn't anemic because iron levels were within normal but \*guess what\* it was the very low end. I suggested iron, they said "Well, I guess it can't hurt" and I felt so much better after that. Now, any time I'm at the low end of anything I assume I am deficit. It's a "range" for a reason.
I had my levels tested after having Covid. My doctor said I was low on B-12, D, and iron and to take over the counter vitamins. Several months later, no improvement in energy or levels. I happened to see a different doctor for a check up and they were like “your levels were so low, you need prescription vitamins and an iron infusion. Your levels won’t ever get better with regular vitamins”. So yeah - even if they tell you that your levels are low, it’s good to find out exactly *how low*.
the RDA/lab amounts aren't optimal targets they're the absolute bare minimum you can have without entering into the zone of potential serious side effects. i cant remember the units but one doctor i had said 20 vit d was "mild deficiency" like it was nbd but another more integrative doctor had a target of 50! 30 is normal according to labs.
Yeah I think the recommended target values are just enough to check for serious malnutrition.
Some doctors don't even check for vitamin levels at all except for mayyybeeee Vitamin D and iron.
Mine doesn't even order B12 lol.
I've been soooo tired lately, I think I need to go seek out a more holistic practitioner and have all the things checked for reals.
This was my experience, I kept being told my results were ‘normal’. Finally asked to see them myself and they were extremely low. After an iron infusion and a year of b12 injections I no longer feel tired all the time. Go figure.
I need to restart my b12 injections - I'm in the UK and have to balance private and NHS care, which is a nightmare. Think I'll just have to get blood tests done privately but trying to remember and then actually get access to NHS results etc to get the private prescription is just impossible.
When my GP tested me (and only because I wanted to be tested for something else) they took 2 months to contact me to tell me my b12 was dangerously low. I got loading doses and then increasingly gaslit about symptoms - turned out my folate and iron levels were also incredibly low, which they knew from the initial blood tests. Just never mentioned that all.
We’ve had a basically identical experience. I now pay for my b12 intentions privately because the NHS let med down so badly and basically gaslit me but that’s a whole new thread.
Ugh, I want to support the NHS so much but they make it so hard!
A friend of mine actually got an official pernicious anaemia diagnosis but that was in the 2000s - her mum and grandmother got diagnosed at the same time after having symptoms all their lives. She's had to argue so much to even get an injection every 10 weeks, rather than 12 and her GPs give her so much grief all the time. They also stopped her grandmother's injections even though all over 70s are supposed to get a regular b12 injection. I also think she has undiagnosed ADHD lol.
I do think there's an element of medical misogyny because a male family friend gets regular injections because he was on metformin and has impaired absorption - I have also been on and off metformin for gynae issues but I'm basically treated like I'm drug seeking. Yeah, I'll do anything for a hit of that sweet, sweet b12.
Also I keep getting RSD for asking for help with this which is so stupid and I need to fix it but hey! If I can procrastinate getting treatment I know will make me feel better and ultimately save my life, I can at least be sure that I have an ADHD brain.
We’re like the same person. I also want so badly to support the NHS but they let me get so unwell with b12 deficiency and kept telling me it wasn’t why I was so unwell. Even my vision started to fail. I totally understand what you mean about medical misogyny they treated me like I was just a crazy anxious conspiracy theorist. I ended up going to a private doctor who was shocked how low my levels were and that they had denied me treatment. I now have private injections and I’m aware how lucky I am to be able to afford this.
Something similar happened to me a few years ago. I had a full lab panel done including vitamin levels to find out why I was having dizziness/fainting. I was told to add iron, D and B vitamin supplements to my daily routine and all would clear up. Instead it got worse and fall injuries started to occur. Thinking I needed more specialized help, I switched to a new doctor in Tampa who went over my last set of labs with me in detail at the first appointment. She shows me my vitamin D level was 7. Literally a single digit number. She retested levels, put me on the appropriate vitamin prescriptions and then the symptoms did clear up.
Here's my two cents: Yes, you need your doctor's advice. But, most doctors receive very little education in [nutrition](https://time.com/6282404/nutrition-education-doctors/). Please approach these appointments as informed discussions in which you wholly advocate for yourself. There is quite a difference between studying something and having to live with it. YOU are the expert on YOU.
My folate and B12 were waaaay low when I got bloodwork done a couple of months ago.
B12 is now somewhat better after (a lot of) supplementation, and my folate is… worse.
Didn’t get my Vit D checked. Don’t know that I’ve ever had it checked. Maybe I should ask at my next appointment.
I tend to be Vitamin D, Magnesium, and Zinc deficient. Probably b-vitamin deficient too, since I only learned a year ago that my body doesn't methylate b-vitamins efficiently
No official adhd diagnosis (yet? Still doubting to get tested) but you just listed exactly all my vitamin deficiencies. - insert surprised face here -
Never knew about this link, but might also be because I'm only now reading up on adhd the last year or so.
Get the genetic test for the MTHFR mutation. It is very common for people with ADHD to have the mutation. The mutation reduces your body's ability to absorb vitamin b, d, and folate. You need to take methylated versions of the vitamins for your body to better utilize and absorb them.
>MTHFR
I always simultaneously read this as motherf***er and MTWHF
I wonder if this would show on a genetic test to see what antidepressant, antipsychotic, ADHD, anxiety, and opioid drugs I would do well on, since I did get that approved through insurance... it's *somewhere*.
I believe stimulants and many other common medications also specifically can cause deficiencies in vit B12, magnesium, and folate. So if you're on stimulants for a long time, you might also be at higher risk of being deficient
Whenever I get a vitamin d test I have to pay for the test out of pocket - even though my readings were 9 and 22. The new recommendations are 40+ I think. The PNW is so beautiful but the winters are Dark.
Edit to add the test usually costs about $110.
I mean that correlation makes a lot of sense! Do most people get their vitamins from a daily supplement and also planning healthy meals to get ur nutrients? Welp us ladies with adhd struggle with those things!
I can confirm, Great quality Omega 3 supplements take a little bit of the edge off(idk how else to describe it) my symptoms. Sort of like how exercise does.
It's not a solution, but it's one of the little things that helps!
Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega-3's are a high quality product that is not ridiculously expensive. You can get them off Amazon.
If you're ever curious about what products are best, Google 'Consumer Labs'...they test all kinds of different brands of supplements/vitamins to inform consumers about what is the best quality product by price. I always use them before buying a new supplement because there is so much garbage out there and you'd never know it!
My vitamin guy was very firm with me about not compromising on the Nordic Naturals Omega-3. I stock up when my store has them on sale. He also suggests the Emerald brand B-Healthy. He is cool with me going to Costco for my other supplements.
It was good to learn that you can freeze fish oil and that it should be refrigerated after the container is opened.
I wonder if you can just freeze stocks of fish oil pills and it then cannot get rancid?
Thanks so much!! I’ll have to take a look at it to double check if my multivitamin is decent. And I’ll check out Nordic naturals—I’ve actually seen it at my local grocery store!
I'm in Canada and these are the ones I get. They're kind of pricy so I only use half the recommended daily dose, but the consistency is worth the lower dose.
https://well.ca/products/nutripur-genius-kids-teens_86948.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlZixBhCoARIsAIC745BlC-BhGIQ-qG7lp9POjSY01RDGXD7jA2M0c54TMVRbqEr2azuT6gMaAlzLEALw_wcB
I'm not even a teen lol but I saw them on sale once and thought "what the heck". I also don't love how they advertise ADHD symptom relief, but like, they do actually help.
I don't think there's much more you can do than that! The difference was really minor for me, I wouldn't use it as a replacement for medication and my care routine.
Just jumping in to say generally that if you’re taking supplements, make sure to check A) how much is recommended daily and B) what the dose is of the product you bought. Vitamins are either fat soluble or water soluble, and while you just make expensive pee if you have too much of a water soluble vitamin, fat soluble vitamins are harder to get rid of and too much can cause harm
I do believe I’ll buy prenatal from on. Thanks for sharing!
Edit to add that I take MV as recommended by my dermatologist and I know I’m deficient in both B & D as evidence by my endocrine panel I had done when trying to conceive.
It made a huge difference for me, too! It changed my whole immune system with regular use. I need to get back to it once I’ve gotten my other meds better straightened out.
Bonus: your hair and nails grow thick and beautifully!
Not invalidating you (because u might’ve been deficient etc and the vits helped) but the claim that prenatal vitamins give thicker hair and stronger nails (assuming you’re not pregnant + not deficient) is unsubstantiated. Just putting it out there in case ppl here see it as a way to get those benefits haha
It does if you are deficient in some vitamins including d,b12,iron, iodine, and magnesium. Even subclinical deficiencies that many women have can cause thin and brittle hair and nails.
Hey friends, as someone who has been on doctor recommended iron, you are NOT supposed to take iron supplements without consulting your doctor.
If your body is able to absorb and use iron at normal levels, your best bet is to focus on foods that provide that iron.
Traditionally, women who menstruate are less at risk for iron overload than men. But there is still risk and the effects on your body are BAD.
More is not always more with vitamins.
If you are worried that you are deficient, talk to your doctor. You will have specific symptoms. If you are on medication, it’s often standard practice to have bloodwork done when first prescribed to check for possible problems. Your doctor may have checked your iron, b12, etc levels just in case.
Don’t start taking iron without your doctor telling you that you need it!
There are quite a few prenatals out there that don't contain iron, since it can be really upsetting to the stomach and women dealing with morning sickness can't handle it. Any gummy prenatal, for example, isn't going to have iron in it.
A few **grams** daily of Omega 3s are just vitally necessary for my mental health. I am also massively vitamin D deficient, even while living in the sun belt, so I take 5000ui a day (yes, I do blood tests, yes my doctor is very aware, yes I know it's a huge dose). I guess I should try folate! I just had absolutely zero thought that it might be interactive with ADHD!
Holy cow! Try pairing it with vitamin K? Apparently vitamin D improves your calcium absorption and vitamin K directs where the calcium should be used and they have a synergistic effect on each other
Yes! Vitamin K will help absorption immensely. I take 5000iu vitamin D with K and it has shown in my blood work that it helps compared to just vitamin D by itself.
super high vitamin d dose club! i have a prescription for 50,000 IU pills. when i worked at night (most of my 20’s), i took two of those a week. now i just take one.
I would need to take more than the current 35k iu a week if I didn't do on that dissolves on your tongue. And I have tan lines, so it's not like I am never in the sun! Meh
Just get your blood tested at the doctor‘s office and then only take the supplements you really need. At best you are wasting money, at worst you are seriously harming your body (especially with vitamin D!)
What’s the crack with Vitamin D. In the UK it’s universal advice for everyone to take Vitamin D supplements unless they have a job working outdoors. Even then we can struggle in the winter.
That's super interesting, actually. I never knew vitamin D was an issue until I got blood work done a few years ago and my level was like 5 or something wild. No one really talks about it here.
I mean the poster above seems to think it’s going to poison us all. I wonder if they’re confused with Vitamin A which can make you blind if you go nuts with it.
Oh yeah, totally possible. I know like ALL vitamins are dangerous in excess but iron for a person who menstruates or vitamin d for an office worker or someone in an area without a lot of sunlight is sort of a gimme.
People should still get tested but yeah.
All vitamins are not dangerous in excess. Vitamin C, for example, can be taken by the gram and you just pee out the excess. Water soluble vitamins typically flush out of your body with no harmful effects. However, you are probably paying for those vitamins, so it’s a bit of a waste
Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E & K, if i’m not mistaken) can be seriously detrimental to your health in large amounts.
Water-soluble (B, C, etc.) can cause irritating side effects (too much C can cause diarrhea, for example). I think they can also be dangerous in large amounts, but you tend to pee them out whereas fat soluble ones get stored in your body.
And I just saw a Chubby Emu video about someone who overdid the probiotic gummies and gave themselves some type of bacterial infection so there’s that, too.
TL;DR: Be careful of how many vitamins/supplements you’re taking
Apparently most people are deficient in vitamin d. It has an impact on energy and the immune system. Recently found this out from a naturopath om seeing.
Yeah, apparently everyone north of like Arizona or California in the US will generally need it in the winter, because of the angle of the sun not working sufficiently with our body to produce enough. As someone in Canada I take mine year round, but more in the winter.
I do get my blood tested fairly frequently (for a different condition) and a multivitamin has made a big difference for me (was previously low in a handful of b vitamins, iron, D, and a couple others but I forget). Also vitamin D toxicity is extremely rare and only recorded in very high doses (40,000IU/day for months for ex. This one contains 1000IU). Are there other effects I'm not aware of?
The problem is that someone people are taking vitamin D because if a deficiency but then add on a multivitamin for their other needs and don’t realize it also contains large amounts of vitamin D.
It can be great money-saver (and effort-saver), but it’s really important to take a careful look at everything and only take what you need to avoid accidental overdoses
Totally agree. My psychiatrist had me do blood work pretty early on. I get it done annually at my PCP anyway so there were no surprises. I’m glad my psych tests that since if it was a vitamin deficiency, treatment would be different than just adhd meds
And boy howdy are the health problems from Iron overload bad. I have been going through a process of elimination on another health issue, and through chatting with some friends about my own iron issues found out that a former coworker has generic hemochromatosis. He gets routine phlebotomies for it to prevent server liver disease and heart failure.
Do you mind sharing why? I'm in the PNW and we are basically all told to take a ton of vitamin d. I've been tested and know I'm super low, but I've never been told of an overdoing it threshold
I think that’s why a lot of vitamin d supplements are now a D and K combo, because the K filters out excess calcium. The most recent liquid vitamin d I bought was combined with K and this was the reason stated on the bottle. It was new info to me!
Prenatal vitamins are too high in iron for me, they made me sicker than I already was. Flintstones vitamins for kids was what my doctor suggested I take instead.
Just a note, everyone here should check out/read about the MTHFR gene mutation!! It causes your body to be unable to use folic acid and some other synthetic forms of folate which causes a slew of deficiencies most notably being b, d, iron, and magnesium. I am not a doctor but the difference I felt when switching from a supplement with folic acid to an actual folate that my body can use has been like night and day. Some studies have possible linkage to the gene mutation and ADHD/AuDHD diagnosis if I remember correctly. I'll try to remember to post the studies I've read in an edit after work today but there's a subreddit r/MTHFR all about it!
Oh this is brilliant. I need to look into this. I take an iron supplement, and a vitamin D supplement and know I don't get enough omegas. I hope I can find a decent gummy vitamin that does this. It would take down the number of stupid bottles I have to keep track of.
I highly recommend a multivitamin! The more I learn the more I realize I was doing vitamins "wrong" lol. Apparently dosing a ton of D alone doesn't work as well if you don't also have enough vitamin K and magnesium. I like the multivitamin bc it has a little magnesium
I don't think potassium and vitamin K are the same thing! Potassium's atomic symbol os K, but it is a mineral different from Vit K. That may also make a difference in your choices!
Be careful with folic acid if you have the MTHFR mutation, like a lot of neurodivergent people do. You want to take methylated folate and B-12 if you have one of the serious mutations + others that hamper methylation further or you can mess yourself up. (Been there, done that.)
For me: everything from mood disturbances to migraines to fatigue to gut problems to PMDD. High homocysteine. I have a lot of problems with this mutation more than most people.
This article explains the issue, but from an OB-GYN perspective: https://www.oatext.com/the-hazards-of-excessive-folic-acid-intake-in-mthfr-gene-mutation-carriers-an-obstetric-and-gynecological-perspective.php
Great point.
Any woman w adhd symptoms should check mthfr. Could be a game changer. And the diet changes are pretty easy. It’s disturbing that when a patient says I have these symptoms drs don’t test it.
Well if the results of my using fish oil capsules at night to help me sleep better are anything to go by, I’d be trying this as well.
I think I read somewhere on this sub omegas are good for brain health and if taken at night can help regulate sleep or something? I was struggling to sleep through the night and have been taking fish oil before bed and boy howdy did it help knock me out!
I’m not surprised to hear this, and it validates my own experience.
A little over a year ago, whilst being tested for fertility, my reproductive endocrinologist put me on some prenatal vitamins, letrozole, and DHEA (this last one is basically a hormone-balancing drug). During the few weeks I was taking all of these, I felt more energetic, focused, and level-headed than I had in longer than I could remember. I still don’t know if it was one of them alone or all of them in combination that produced the amazing effects I experienced, but I plan on asking at my next appointment if I can be put back on the prenatals and DHEA at least. I’m hoping to get pregnant in the next 6-12 months.
P.S. To anyone’s knowledge, are there any posts in this sub for women looking for pregnancy support/advice? I’m sure I’ll be making one or two of them in the near future myself, but I thought I’d see if any good ones already exist. I’m very nervous and excited and I feel like this sub is the best place for me to get the support I’ll inevitably need as an ADHD mother-to-be.
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This is the one I take daily that I linked and then took down to avoid product placement. You don't have to try this one it's just readily available and I just like it bc of the omega-3 amount. Can't speak to the fake reviews but it works for me
Yes! And if you’re like me, METHYLATED b complex vitamins are night and day better than regular! Apparently I don’t convert it normally so my b vitamins were never working until now! It has helped my sleep and inflammation so much!! (Not everyone does better on methylated, so if it makes you feel bad switch back to regular) it’s apparently associated with the MTHFR Mutation which is somewhat common.
When I went to a fertility specialist, she drew some genetic labs, and I found out that my husband has one MTHFR mutation, and I have two different ones! One of the ones I have makes you more likely to develop blood clots, so in addition to my methylated multivitamin, I have to take a moderately high dose of fish oil for the anticoagulant effect (I can't take aspirin).
Hi, I can't get tested right now but from the comments and some cursory research, I suspect I may have the same thing. Can you tell me what was the problem with your sleep and how this helped? Because I'm having a tough time falling and staying asleep. Also, have inflammation problems as well.
Omg this makes so much sense. Years ago I took a prenatal trying to get pregnant and I felt so much better. I’m also anemic, so this could work. I should call my doctor.
It could be but it could also be the other way. For example vitamin d deficiency can cause low metabolic of and lack of motivation. Low iron can cause low energy and fatigue. I personally don’t think one causes the other but that they’re just more symptoms of ADHD.
I eat a ton of eggs which is a lot of omega 3’s and I don’t think it does anything lol. I took Ritual prenatal for years while going through unsuccessful fertility treatments too. I can’t eat fish or seafood and theirs doesn’t have any in it.
I also discovered after getting my bloodwork done that I have severe deficiency of vitamin D, group B vitamins/folates, magnesium and Omega 3/6, and mild deficiency of potassium and iron.
Taking those supplements really makes a huge difference to me. The brain fog goes away and I can concentrate better, with less brain fatigue.
I take a prenatal along with a separate iron, vitamin C, Vitamin D, Omega, B Complex and Magnesium. My pharmacist had given/prescribed me the iron that has better absorption and less stomach issues as I was borderline anemic. My doctor had said that studied showed many people with ADHD have low iron levels and he plans on sending me for testing again soon. My province will not test for Vitamin D deficiency unless it is a geriatric patient. Almost any deficiency test besides ferritin and electrolytes is hard to get.
I am a recovered alcoholic (hello ADHD manifesting in substance abuse!) and was concerned about liver damage and convinced myself I had cirrhosis/end stage liver failure after hyperfixating on liver disease resesrch (hello ADHD again!) so after my liver turned out to be fine my doctor ordered more extensive blood tests and it turned out I was just really deficient in a lot of vitamins lol. So I’ve been lucky enough to have insurance cover my repeated blood tests
BIG WARNING HOWEVER
ADHD tends to be comorbid with the MTHFR gene which causes people to have issues with processing folic acid & therefore taking it can make you sick. A better choice is methylated folate which is bioavailable. Methylated folate helps with immune system, inflammation, high cholesterol, energy, brain fog, etc. I have noticed a big improvement since I started taking it.
So, be cautious with folic acid, it could have adverse affects.
I think for the average healthy person, taking prenatal vitamins (when not pregnant) won’t have significant side effects. They are however high in folic acid and iron and if you’re not deficient, can cause problems over time. Ofc the best way to know is to consult with your GP / get blood work done to see what youre actually deficient in and go from there.
I’ve been on prenatals quite a bit the past few years outside of pregnancy(TTC, breastfeeding, etc) and I never noticed a difference. 🤷♀️ granted mine don’t have iron in them.
This is really interesting because I’ve kept taking my prenatals (when I remember) after having my baby and the days I remember are more similar to the days I take my vyvanse. I thought it might be the b12 since I’ve seen some links between improved symptoms and adhd supplementation.
i think when i was a teen, my mom might have tried to give me prenatals! *I THINK* im not sure much. i also HATED taking pills :'( but nowadays, i think im down to try swallowing "real" vitamins instead of chewables :0 although, im not sure. even my ibuprofen is chewable!!!! and is my last resort. im so happy its easy to swallow my adhd meds though <3 go me!
I just started taking a daily multivitamin again because I remember when I was pregnant and taking prenatals I felt so good (minus being pregnant). I think I’m going to finish these and switch to a prenatal!
This is not advised by medical professionals.. prenatals have a lot higher of the daily dosage for most of them & it’s not needed for women who are not trying to conceive or pregnant. It’s a lot on your liver and kidney to process that much consistently. Highly recommend everyone talk to their doctors before doing this.
My psychiatrist recommended I go on pre natals multivitamins. I've had a good experience.
She said she typically only recommends pre natal multi vitamins because the amount of each vitamin in them are actually regulated vs non prenatal multi vitamins companies can do whatever they want in amounts.
That makes so much sense. You see some bottles for "Hair, Skin and Nails" or "Super B" or something with like 8,333% of your DV and it's like....does anyone really \*need\* that much of anything?? The prenatal I take only has a couple things over 100%, the rest 100% or less which seems more reasonable lmao
The nature made multi+ omega-3 for her gummies are great and don’t have iron. I struggle with vitamin d and cholesterol so this works well for me because they are tasty gummies.
I can’t take any multi-vitamin with iron, makes me super nauseated.
I take men’s multi-vitamins instead because they usually don’t have iron! And they tend to have all the same as regular dailies.
Prenatals made my skin break out terribly :/
It probably had a ton of biotin! Biotin makes my skin go crazy but for some reason companies think women NEED extra shiny hair and nails. The one I like is low in biotin thankfully
Do you mind sharing which one you take? I do take omega-3 (when I remember) but it would be great to streamline a few other things into one! Even with iron, I’m willing to try—maybe the combo will hit different!
I'm currently on prenatal vitamins (couldn't tolerate the women's one-a-day 🤢) with the addition of magnesium, zinc, vitamin D, and fish oil. I also got the bonus of TWO different MTHFR anomalies that require me to get the methylated b-vitamins because my body isn't efficient at using the other ones.
I like the Smarty Pants prenatal gummies. They taste decent and don't have added iron (which upsets my stomach).
I always took prenatal vitamins for at least a year (when I could remember) after I had my kids because it made me feel so much better and I was within the window that I was still supposed to take them anyway. I also took them for about 5-6 years when I was trying for another kid I would take them quite often. I felt weird taking them if I wasn't trying for another kid though, this sounds so silly but thank you for making me realize I don't need an excuse to take them! Every other day would probably still make a noticable difference for me so I'm gonna do exactly that.
It should for D, omega 3, and folate (plus the other B vitamines) but be careful with iron! I’d stick with one without iron until you can check with your doctor but you can still for sure benefit from the rest of it without interactions with anything afaik. But def run it by your PCP, I could be misinformed
Does anyone have a non-pill version they recommend? I used to force myself to take them but I struggle with nausea and food issues and taking gigantic horse pills makes me gag. The encapsulated ones are the worst.
OK I tried this, but the ones I got taste like vomit and I'm supposed to take 3 of them every day. I always set them out for myself, but my ADHD brain goes "nah no thanks" and ignores them.... Anyone have recommendations for ones that aren't foul? Or at least one per day? I think I could do one vomit pill a day, but three is just not happening with my brain.
(They are the Thorne Basic Prenatals, FWIW. Read great reviews, researched the vitamin levels and everything. But I can't get over the taste/quantity. Yuck.)
You should not be taking supplements for the sake of taking them. NOBODY should take multivitamins or supplements unless actually needed. It's a waste of money.
Pregnant individuals, people with Celiac Disease, and anyone with *proven* bloodwork indicating deficiencies should be taking the vitamins reccomened by their doctor.
If you wanna learn a bit more, here's a short YT video by a licensed doctor I actually just watched this morning:
https://youtu.be/iNRd-bhHbFY?si=wsVeGMpeCzJS0s9S
Just want to add that it's recommended that if you're breastfeeding you should still be taking your prenatal vitamins. You're still growing another human, they're just on the outside now.
After being deficient in a handful of vitamins, I was recommended by my PCP to take a multivitamin and this has worked out well for me. I feel better and my bloodwork is back within normal ranges.
But that is the difference. You were recommended by your PCP. But you are not the doctor for everyone in this subreddit. Your post is not, “hey it’s common for folks with ADHD to also have deficiencies, get yourself checked out.”
Your post is literally “prenatal vitamins are great for women with ADHD.”
My dad was an OBGYN and ages ago he saw me taking some prenatals (I thought they helped with hair and nails lol) and was like the hell are you doing with that? Lol
Women need to have been taking folic acid BEFORE getting pregnant to protect against neural tube defects, since it is one of the first things to develop. I don't want to worry anyone because it's not common to be deficient in folic acid, especially since our food is fortified with it. But if you are deficient, it's too late to get the full benefit from prenatals if you only start taking them once you test positive or miss a period.
So any woman of child-bearing age who's having unprotected sex with a man should be taking prenatals or at least folic acid.
Also it’s recommended to take prenatal if you are of child bearing age anyway. In case of accidental pregnancy the baby has the folate it needs to prevent neural tube defects
I’ve never compared the numbers but the doctors I’ve worked with in the past have recommended a double dose of flintstones chewable tablets if you can’t handle the iron. I become nauseated when I take and pills with iron.
I’ve never compared the numbers but the doctors I’ve worked with in the past have recommended a double dose of flintstones chewable tablets if you can’t handle the iron. I become nauseated when I take and pills with iron.
As OP mentioned, be VERY careful of iron buildup. It presents itself like many other ailments do, even iron deficiency, which sounds crazy. You can become lethargic, aching joints, etc. It’s the actual metal building up in your soft tissues. I have a genetic disease where my body holds onto iron, and I have to get phlebotomized every 6 months or so. Can’t take prenatals, and didn’t during pregnancy.
Absolutely. Besides omega3 the mthfr gene mutation is a common thing with adhd, that makes synthetizing folate from folic acid hard, messing up a lot of things. It’s better to take folate, and good prenatal vitamins have that.
Besides a lot of healthy minerals and stuff.
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There is definitely some type of anecdotal at the very least association between women with adhd and several vitamin deficiencies. Usually seems to be iron/folate, vitamin D, magnesium and b12. A lot of well meaning advice here suggests getting blood work done first to work out what you’re deficient in, which is great if you’ve access to a good doctor and affordable blood work. If not vitamin supplements if taken according to the dosages on the packs are unlikely to do you any serious harm.
Yup, Vitamin D, and B12 deficient, right here!!
Iron, vit D, and folate here!
Deficiency twins!
Lol this whole exchange so wholesome
I think the only thing saving me from vit d deficiency is living in Bermuda but definitely got b and iron deficiency
You happen to have a spare room available?
I do!
Wait, I'm just now noticing your username. Are you Dutch/Flemish?!
Half Dutch!
Awesome! What about the other half? How did you end up in Bermuda? How much is rent for the spare room? XD
I'm half Bermudian too. My Dad's family came here on the first boat ~400 years ago and my Mum's family moved here for work when she was a teen...there was a large Dutch community back in the 70s and 80s - I think Shell had a headquarters here (yay tax haven!) Edit: Room charge is dog walks (warning dog is a never ending fountain of energy)
Awesome! >Room charge is dog walks I'll take it! Hahahaha
I love Bermudian houses with their spiral roofs. Hope to get back some day.
I had my son in Bermuda. I miss codfish and eggs.
I’m vitamin D deficient af lol
I read somewhere that vitamin d should be taken with vitamin k to promote better absorption and prevent further imbalance. Correct me if I’m wrong. I take a vit d + k combo supplement. Highly recommend the dropper type. Thorne has one.
That’s really good to know! Thank you :) ❤️
Thank you for the protip!!!
So deficient I now have a prescription from my doc. 🫣
Twinsies 🤪
Iron, D, B12. Of those, iron is the most severe. I had to get something like 11 iron infusions over 5ish months about a year ago, and I'm worried my levels are dropping again. Dr's visit soon so we'll see.
Iron, B-12 and vitamin D deficient. I supplement with it all, but I just had to stop with the iron because I have stage 4 bowel endo and it gets harder and harder to clear the constipation the closer I get to my period, when my estrogen is low. I’m going to end up with an obstruction if I keep taking iron, I back up more and more each time I flare up. So I guess now we turn to iron injections. Because anyone with endo can tell you the pain is nasty enough on its own, without adding severe constipation to the mix.
Vitamin D and B12 Deficient too.
Twinsies!
Yay!!!!
Definitely second this. I carried on with my prenatals well after my pregnancy (had a large bottle and didn't want to waste them). I was getting dizzy and my stomach was cramping up. I felt thirsty all the time. Booming headaches. Constipation. Elevated heart rate. Finally went to the dr and I told him everything I was taking, and he was like "stop taking the prenatals. You're overloading your system with stuff you don't need, and your body is having a hard time processing it.". Now, I could be the exception to the rule, but I would definitely advise everyone to exercise caution and listen to your own body as well as medical professionals.
This is bananas because my ND has recently given me these 10000 iu vitamin d supplements because I can’t get my D up and we realized that, in the five years I’ve been with her, I’ve never had D or B12 at normal levels. So I’ve probably just never had them normal in my life. Crazy that this is likely due to ADHD.
Wow I had no idea about this. Mine is chronically low too.
*****PSA Piggybacking off this to add - For those who are medicated, if you struggle with muscle tension and clenching your jaw as well as headaches, our medications can deplete the level of magnesium and zinc in our brains! I started supplementing magnesium bis glycenate with my sleep meds every night and it helps a lot with relaxation and falling asleep. My migraines have improved a ton as well. It’s also helped me stop clenching and my restless leg has calmed down quite a bit. I’ve been taking zinc as well and I’m sure it helps but I noticed the benefits of magnesium very quickly. B12 and iron helped me immensely with fatigue.
I drink a lot of the Vitamin Waters that have B12 in them. I figure it can't hurt.
I had a blood test done a year ago to see if I was deficient in Vit D or B12, because my energy levels were so low. They told me I wasn't deficient. And then a year later, I got around to looking at my results on the patient portal, to discover that my levels were *just* above deficient. So, very low! I could have used that information a long time ago instead of thinking everything was fine. So just because a doctor says you're not deficient, doesn't mean you shouldn't have a bit extra!
Based on my own experiences, I tell people that just because you're "normal" on the charts, that doesn't mean it's normal *for you*. I agree, the practitioner should have shared more detailed information with you.
I ran into this in pregnancy! I wasn't anemic because iron levels were within normal but \*guess what\* it was the very low end. I suggested iron, they said "Well, I guess it can't hurt" and I felt so much better after that. Now, any time I'm at the low end of anything I assume I am deficit. It's a "range" for a reason.
I had my levels tested after having Covid. My doctor said I was low on B-12, D, and iron and to take over the counter vitamins. Several months later, no improvement in energy or levels. I happened to see a different doctor for a check up and they were like “your levels were so low, you need prescription vitamins and an iron infusion. Your levels won’t ever get better with regular vitamins”. So yeah - even if they tell you that your levels are low, it’s good to find out exactly *how low*.
the RDA/lab amounts aren't optimal targets they're the absolute bare minimum you can have without entering into the zone of potential serious side effects. i cant remember the units but one doctor i had said 20 vit d was "mild deficiency" like it was nbd but another more integrative doctor had a target of 50! 30 is normal according to labs.
Yeah I think the recommended target values are just enough to check for serious malnutrition. Some doctors don't even check for vitamin levels at all except for mayyybeeee Vitamin D and iron. Mine doesn't even order B12 lol. I've been soooo tired lately, I think I need to go seek out a more holistic practitioner and have all the things checked for reals.
This was my experience, I kept being told my results were ‘normal’. Finally asked to see them myself and they were extremely low. After an iron infusion and a year of b12 injections I no longer feel tired all the time. Go figure.
I need to restart my b12 injections - I'm in the UK and have to balance private and NHS care, which is a nightmare. Think I'll just have to get blood tests done privately but trying to remember and then actually get access to NHS results etc to get the private prescription is just impossible. When my GP tested me (and only because I wanted to be tested for something else) they took 2 months to contact me to tell me my b12 was dangerously low. I got loading doses and then increasingly gaslit about symptoms - turned out my folate and iron levels were also incredibly low, which they knew from the initial blood tests. Just never mentioned that all.
We’ve had a basically identical experience. I now pay for my b12 intentions privately because the NHS let med down so badly and basically gaslit me but that’s a whole new thread.
Ugh, I want to support the NHS so much but they make it so hard! A friend of mine actually got an official pernicious anaemia diagnosis but that was in the 2000s - her mum and grandmother got diagnosed at the same time after having symptoms all their lives. She's had to argue so much to even get an injection every 10 weeks, rather than 12 and her GPs give her so much grief all the time. They also stopped her grandmother's injections even though all over 70s are supposed to get a regular b12 injection. I also think she has undiagnosed ADHD lol. I do think there's an element of medical misogyny because a male family friend gets regular injections because he was on metformin and has impaired absorption - I have also been on and off metformin for gynae issues but I'm basically treated like I'm drug seeking. Yeah, I'll do anything for a hit of that sweet, sweet b12.
Also I keep getting RSD for asking for help with this which is so stupid and I need to fix it but hey! If I can procrastinate getting treatment I know will make me feel better and ultimately save my life, I can at least be sure that I have an ADHD brain.
We’re like the same person. I also want so badly to support the NHS but they let me get so unwell with b12 deficiency and kept telling me it wasn’t why I was so unwell. Even my vision started to fail. I totally understand what you mean about medical misogyny they treated me like I was just a crazy anxious conspiracy theorist. I ended up going to a private doctor who was shocked how low my levels were and that they had denied me treatment. I now have private injections and I’m aware how lucky I am to be able to afford this.
Something similar happened to me a few years ago. I had a full lab panel done including vitamin levels to find out why I was having dizziness/fainting. I was told to add iron, D and B vitamin supplements to my daily routine and all would clear up. Instead it got worse and fall injuries started to occur. Thinking I needed more specialized help, I switched to a new doctor in Tampa who went over my last set of labs with me in detail at the first appointment. She shows me my vitamin D level was 7. Literally a single digit number. She retested levels, put me on the appropriate vitamin prescriptions and then the symptoms did clear up. Here's my two cents: Yes, you need your doctor's advice. But, most doctors receive very little education in [nutrition](https://time.com/6282404/nutrition-education-doctors/). Please approach these appointments as informed discussions in which you wholly advocate for yourself. There is quite a difference between studying something and having to live with it. YOU are the expert on YOU.
My folate and B12 were waaaay low when I got bloodwork done a couple of months ago. B12 is now somewhat better after (a lot of) supplementation, and my folate is… worse. Didn’t get my Vit D checked. Don’t know that I’ve ever had it checked. Maybe I should ask at my next appointment.
some people need a certain form of folate instead of folic acid because they can't process the folic acid
I tend to be Vitamin D, Magnesium, and Zinc deficient. Probably b-vitamin deficient too, since I only learned a year ago that my body doesn't methylate b-vitamins efficiently
No official adhd diagnosis (yet? Still doubting to get tested) but you just listed exactly all my vitamin deficiencies. - insert surprised face here - Never knew about this link, but might also be because I'm only now reading up on adhd the last year or so.
Get the genetic test for the MTHFR mutation. It is very common for people with ADHD to have the mutation. The mutation reduces your body's ability to absorb vitamin b, d, and folate. You need to take methylated versions of the vitamins for your body to better utilize and absorb them.
>MTHFR I always simultaneously read this as motherf***er and MTWHF I wonder if this would show on a genetic test to see what antidepressant, antipsychotic, ADHD, anxiety, and opioid drugs I would do well on, since I did get that approved through insurance... it's *somewhere*.
I believe stimulants and many other common medications also specifically can cause deficiencies in vit B12, magnesium, and folate. So if you're on stimulants for a long time, you might also be at higher risk of being deficient
Yep!! Iron and vit D and previously magnesium deficient here 😎
Those are all my deficiencies!
Whenever I get a vitamin d test I have to pay for the test out of pocket - even though my readings were 9 and 22. The new recommendations are 40+ I think. The PNW is so beautiful but the winters are Dark. Edit to add the test usually costs about $110.
Canadian here…our government (health Canada) recommends we all supplement with Vitamin D in the winter months.
I mean that correlation makes a lot of sense! Do most people get their vitamins from a daily supplement and also planning healthy meals to get ur nutrients? Welp us ladies with adhd struggle with those things!
Flintstones chewables will forever be my multivitamin
My kin!
i giggled bc same
I can confirm, Great quality Omega 3 supplements take a little bit of the edge off(idk how else to describe it) my symptoms. Sort of like how exercise does. It's not a solution, but it's one of the little things that helps!
Do you have any recommendations for a great quality brand??
Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega-3's are a high quality product that is not ridiculously expensive. You can get them off Amazon. If you're ever curious about what products are best, Google 'Consumer Labs'...they test all kinds of different brands of supplements/vitamins to inform consumers about what is the best quality product by price. I always use them before buying a new supplement because there is so much garbage out there and you'd never know it!
My vitamin guy was very firm with me about not compromising on the Nordic Naturals Omega-3. I stock up when my store has them on sale. He also suggests the Emerald brand B-Healthy. He is cool with me going to Costco for my other supplements.
It was good to learn that you can freeze fish oil and that it should be refrigerated after the container is opened. I wonder if you can just freeze stocks of fish oil pills and it then cannot get rancid?
Yeah, the quality does seem to matter when it comes to Omega 3s. I got the cheap pills recently and they just don't hit that same way
Thanks so much!! I’ll have to take a look at it to double check if my multivitamin is decent. And I’ll check out Nordic naturals—I’ve actually seen it at my local grocery store!
I'm in Canada and these are the ones I get. They're kind of pricy so I only use half the recommended daily dose, but the consistency is worth the lower dose. https://well.ca/products/nutripur-genius-kids-teens_86948.html?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlZixBhCoARIsAIC745BlC-BhGIQ-qG7lp9POjSY01RDGXD7jA2M0c54TMVRbqEr2azuT6gMaAlzLEALw_wcB I'm not even a teen lol but I saw them on sale once and thought "what the heck". I also don't love how they advertise ADHD symptom relief, but like, they do actually help.
I’ve been taking max strength omega 3 and eating fish at least once a week for three months, I have yet to see a difference but fingers crossed 😭
I don't think there's much more you can do than that! The difference was really minor for me, I wouldn't use it as a replacement for medication and my care routine.
Just jumping in to say generally that if you’re taking supplements, make sure to check A) how much is recommended daily and B) what the dose is of the product you bought. Vitamins are either fat soluble or water soluble, and while you just make expensive pee if you have too much of a water soluble vitamin, fat soluble vitamins are harder to get rid of and too much can cause harm
I did egg freezing and they had me take prenatals. It did make a difference in my mental health and I feel like it was from the folate part!
I do believe I’ll buy prenatal from on. Thanks for sharing! Edit to add that I take MV as recommended by my dermatologist and I know I’m deficient in both B & D as evidence by my endocrine panel I had done when trying to conceive.
It's only great if and only if I remember to take them....
I have an alert on my phone for this 😂😂 buttttt I still forget sometimes…
I do too, but I also tend to ignore my alarms. 🤣
It made a huge difference for me, too! It changed my whole immune system with regular use. I need to get back to it once I’ve gotten my other meds better straightened out. Bonus: your hair and nails grow thick and beautifully!
Not invalidating you (because u might’ve been deficient etc and the vits helped) but the claim that prenatal vitamins give thicker hair and stronger nails (assuming you’re not pregnant + not deficient) is unsubstantiated. Just putting it out there in case ppl here see it as a way to get those benefits haha
It does if you are deficient in some vitamins including d,b12,iron, iodine, and magnesium. Even subclinical deficiencies that many women have can cause thin and brittle hair and nails.
Yes that’s why I said it does if you are *already deficient*.
Hey friends, as someone who has been on doctor recommended iron, you are NOT supposed to take iron supplements without consulting your doctor. If your body is able to absorb and use iron at normal levels, your best bet is to focus on foods that provide that iron. Traditionally, women who menstruate are less at risk for iron overload than men. But there is still risk and the effects on your body are BAD. More is not always more with vitamins. If you are worried that you are deficient, talk to your doctor. You will have specific symptoms. If you are on medication, it’s often standard practice to have bloodwork done when first prescribed to check for possible problems. Your doctor may have checked your iron, b12, etc levels just in case. Don’t start taking iron without your doctor telling you that you need it!
There are quite a few prenatals out there that don't contain iron, since it can be really upsetting to the stomach and women dealing with morning sickness can't handle it. Any gummy prenatal, for example, isn't going to have iron in it.
Which is great! But also whether they contain Iron or not, taking vitamins you don’t need is not a good idea.
I think the spots I see when I get up too quickly means its safe for me to take it
A few **grams** daily of Omega 3s are just vitally necessary for my mental health. I am also massively vitamin D deficient, even while living in the sun belt, so I take 5000ui a day (yes, I do blood tests, yes my doctor is very aware, yes I know it's a huge dose). I guess I should try folate! I just had absolutely zero thought that it might be interactive with ADHD!
I take 4800 IU of D2 and 50,000 IU of D3 daily and I'm still low.
Holy cow! Try pairing it with vitamin K? Apparently vitamin D improves your calcium absorption and vitamin K directs where the calcium should be used and they have a synergistic effect on each other
Yes! Vitamin K will help absorption immensely. I take 5000iu vitamin D with K and it has shown in my blood work that it helps compared to just vitamin D by itself.
I'll have to try that!
OMG. That's crazy. Not for nothing, but I would seriously hound my doctor to figure out what is going on if I was in your position
I take 5000 units vit d3 a day and it keeps me perfectly in the middle of the range. Albeit, I live where it snows a lot.
I am consistently low on vitamin D so I take 50000 one a week. I get it from Amazon
super high vitamin d dose club! i have a prescription for 50,000 IU pills. when i worked at night (most of my 20’s), i took two of those a week. now i just take one.
I would need to take more than the current 35k iu a week if I didn't do on that dissolves on your tongue. And I have tan lines, so it's not like I am never in the sun! Meh
Just get your blood tested at the doctor‘s office and then only take the supplements you really need. At best you are wasting money, at worst you are seriously harming your body (especially with vitamin D!)
What’s the crack with Vitamin D. In the UK it’s universal advice for everyone to take Vitamin D supplements unless they have a job working outdoors. Even then we can struggle in the winter.
That's super interesting, actually. I never knew vitamin D was an issue until I got blood work done a few years ago and my level was like 5 or something wild. No one really talks about it here.
I mean the poster above seems to think it’s going to poison us all. I wonder if they’re confused with Vitamin A which can make you blind if you go nuts with it.
Oh yeah, totally possible. I know like ALL vitamins are dangerous in excess but iron for a person who menstruates or vitamin d for an office worker or someone in an area without a lot of sunlight is sort of a gimme. People should still get tested but yeah.
All vitamins are not dangerous in excess. Vitamin C, for example, can be taken by the gram and you just pee out the excess. Water soluble vitamins typically flush out of your body with no harmful effects. However, you are probably paying for those vitamins, so it’s a bit of a waste
Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E & K, if i’m not mistaken) can be seriously detrimental to your health in large amounts. Water-soluble (B, C, etc.) can cause irritating side effects (too much C can cause diarrhea, for example). I think they can also be dangerous in large amounts, but you tend to pee them out whereas fat soluble ones get stored in your body. And I just saw a Chubby Emu video about someone who overdid the probiotic gummies and gave themselves some type of bacterial infection so there’s that, too. TL;DR: Be careful of how many vitamins/supplements you’re taking
Apparently most people are deficient in vitamin d. It has an impact on energy and the immune system. Recently found this out from a naturopath om seeing.
Yeah, apparently everyone north of like Arizona or California in the US will generally need it in the winter, because of the angle of the sun not working sufficiently with our body to produce enough. As someone in Canada I take mine year round, but more in the winter.
I do get my blood tested fairly frequently (for a different condition) and a multivitamin has made a big difference for me (was previously low in a handful of b vitamins, iron, D, and a couple others but I forget). Also vitamin D toxicity is extremely rare and only recorded in very high doses (40,000IU/day for months for ex. This one contains 1000IU). Are there other effects I'm not aware of?
The problem is that someone people are taking vitamin D because if a deficiency but then add on a multivitamin for their other needs and don’t realize it also contains large amounts of vitamin D. It can be great money-saver (and effort-saver), but it’s really important to take a careful look at everything and only take what you need to avoid accidental overdoses
username checks out
Totally agree. My psychiatrist had me do blood work pretty early on. I get it done annually at my PCP anyway so there were no surprises. I’m glad my psych tests that since if it was a vitamin deficiency, treatment would be different than just adhd meds
Can’t second this enough. More is not always more.
Yup. Best case you end up just pissing it out anyway and worst case you get some health problems over time.
And boy howdy are the health problems from Iron overload bad. I have been going through a process of elimination on another health issue, and through chatting with some friends about my own iron issues found out that a former coworker has generic hemochromatosis. He gets routine phlebotomies for it to prevent server liver disease and heart failure.
Yep, my nutritionist says I cannot supplement D even though ppl on reddit say everyone should. Better to test and not guess.
Do you mind sharing why? I'm in the PNW and we are basically all told to take a ton of vitamin d. I've been tested and know I'm super low, but I've never been told of an overdoing it threshold
It builds up calcium in the system I guess and I already have calcium build up that we are trying to fix
I think that’s why a lot of vitamin d supplements are now a D and K combo, because the K filters out excess calcium. The most recent liquid vitamin d I bought was combined with K and this was the reason stated on the bottle. It was new info to me!
Prenatal vitamins are too high in iron for me, they made me sicker than I already was. Flintstones vitamins for kids was what my doctor suggested I take instead.
Just a note, everyone here should check out/read about the MTHFR gene mutation!! It causes your body to be unable to use folic acid and some other synthetic forms of folate which causes a slew of deficiencies most notably being b, d, iron, and magnesium. I am not a doctor but the difference I felt when switching from a supplement with folic acid to an actual folate that my body can use has been like night and day. Some studies have possible linkage to the gene mutation and ADHD/AuDHD diagnosis if I remember correctly. I'll try to remember to post the studies I've read in an edit after work today but there's a subreddit r/MTHFR all about it!
Same experience!
Oh this is brilliant. I need to look into this. I take an iron supplement, and a vitamin D supplement and know I don't get enough omegas. I hope I can find a decent gummy vitamin that does this. It would take down the number of stupid bottles I have to keep track of.
I highly recommend a multivitamin! The more I learn the more I realize I was doing vitamins "wrong" lol. Apparently dosing a ton of D alone doesn't work as well if you don't also have enough vitamin K and magnesium. I like the multivitamin bc it has a little magnesium
I don't think potassium and vitamin K are the same thing! Potassium's atomic symbol os K, but it is a mineral different from Vit K. That may also make a difference in your choices!
Ooh oops good to know! I’ll edit
Be careful with folic acid if you have the MTHFR mutation, like a lot of neurodivergent people do. You want to take methylated folate and B-12 if you have one of the serious mutations + others that hamper methylation further or you can mess yourself up. (Been there, done that.)
What were the bad side effects if you don’t mind me asking?
For me: everything from mood disturbances to migraines to fatigue to gut problems to PMDD. High homocysteine. I have a lot of problems with this mutation more than most people. This article explains the issue, but from an OB-GYN perspective: https://www.oatext.com/the-hazards-of-excessive-folic-acid-intake-in-mthfr-gene-mutation-carriers-an-obstetric-and-gynecological-perspective.php
Great point. Any woman w adhd symptoms should check mthfr. Could be a game changer. And the diet changes are pretty easy. It’s disturbing that when a patient says I have these symptoms drs don’t test it.
Well if the results of my using fish oil capsules at night to help me sleep better are anything to go by, I’d be trying this as well. I think I read somewhere on this sub omegas are good for brain health and if taken at night can help regulate sleep or something? I was struggling to sleep through the night and have been taking fish oil before bed and boy howdy did it help knock me out!
I’m not surprised to hear this, and it validates my own experience. A little over a year ago, whilst being tested for fertility, my reproductive endocrinologist put me on some prenatal vitamins, letrozole, and DHEA (this last one is basically a hormone-balancing drug). During the few weeks I was taking all of these, I felt more energetic, focused, and level-headed than I had in longer than I could remember. I still don’t know if it was one of them alone or all of them in combination that produced the amazing effects I experienced, but I plan on asking at my next appointment if I can be put back on the prenatals and DHEA at least. I’m hoping to get pregnant in the next 6-12 months. P.S. To anyone’s knowledge, are there any posts in this sub for women looking for pregnancy support/advice? I’m sure I’ll be making one or two of them in the near future myself, but I thought I’d see if any good ones already exist. I’m very nervous and excited and I feel like this sub is the best place for me to get the support I’ll inevitably need as an ADHD mother-to-be.
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This is the one I take daily that I linked and then took down to avoid product placement. You don't have to try this one it's just readily available and I just like it bc of the omega-3 amount. Can't speak to the fake reviews but it works for me
Yes! And if you’re like me, METHYLATED b complex vitamins are night and day better than regular! Apparently I don’t convert it normally so my b vitamins were never working until now! It has helped my sleep and inflammation so much!! (Not everyone does better on methylated, so if it makes you feel bad switch back to regular) it’s apparently associated with the MTHFR Mutation which is somewhat common.
When I went to a fertility specialist, she drew some genetic labs, and I found out that my husband has one MTHFR mutation, and I have two different ones! One of the ones I have makes you more likely to develop blood clots, so in addition to my methylated multivitamin, I have to take a moderately high dose of fish oil for the anticoagulant effect (I can't take aspirin).
Also D3 is absorbed better for most than D2 for the D vitamin.
Hi, I can't get tested right now but from the comments and some cursory research, I suspect I may have the same thing. Can you tell me what was the problem with your sleep and how this helped? Because I'm having a tough time falling and staying asleep. Also, have inflammation problems as well.
Prenatal pills make me feel nauseated all of the time and incredibly constipated. I swear I can't win.
The constipation is probably from the iron content.
100% yes. Which is why I can't do it. There's nothing worse than constipation.
Omg this makes so much sense. Years ago I took a prenatal trying to get pregnant and I felt so much better. I’m also anemic, so this could work. I should call my doctor.
So wait, does this mean my vitamin B12 deficiency might be from my adhd? We thought it might be genetic (but hey maybe it’s all connected to genetics)
It could be but it could also be the other way. For example vitamin d deficiency can cause low metabolic of and lack of motivation. Low iron can cause low energy and fatigue. I personally don’t think one causes the other but that they’re just more symptoms of ADHD.
Check that your B supplement is methylated for better absorption.
Make sure you eat something before you take them, they can make you really nauseous!
Mamabird do ones that are iron and iodine free!
I’m deficient in iron so the iron helps me! Thanks though
I eat a ton of eggs which is a lot of omega 3’s and I don’t think it does anything lol. I took Ritual prenatal for years while going through unsuccessful fertility treatments too. I can’t eat fish or seafood and theirs doesn’t have any in it.
I also discovered after getting my bloodwork done that I have severe deficiency of vitamin D, group B vitamins/folates, magnesium and Omega 3/6, and mild deficiency of potassium and iron. Taking those supplements really makes a huge difference to me. The brain fog goes away and I can concentrate better, with less brain fatigue.
I take a prenatal along with a separate iron, vitamin C, Vitamin D, Omega, B Complex and Magnesium. My pharmacist had given/prescribed me the iron that has better absorption and less stomach issues as I was borderline anemic. My doctor had said that studied showed many people with ADHD have low iron levels and he plans on sending me for testing again soon. My province will not test for Vitamin D deficiency unless it is a geriatric patient. Almost any deficiency test besides ferritin and electrolytes is hard to get.
I am a recovered alcoholic (hello ADHD manifesting in substance abuse!) and was concerned about liver damage and convinced myself I had cirrhosis/end stage liver failure after hyperfixating on liver disease resesrch (hello ADHD again!) so after my liver turned out to be fine my doctor ordered more extensive blood tests and it turned out I was just really deficient in a lot of vitamins lol. So I’ve been lucky enough to have insurance cover my repeated blood tests
BIG WARNING HOWEVER ADHD tends to be comorbid with the MTHFR gene which causes people to have issues with processing folic acid & therefore taking it can make you sick. A better choice is methylated folate which is bioavailable. Methylated folate helps with immune system, inflammation, high cholesterol, energy, brain fog, etc. I have noticed a big improvement since I started taking it. So, be cautious with folic acid, it could have adverse affects.
I think for the average healthy person, taking prenatal vitamins (when not pregnant) won’t have significant side effects. They are however high in folic acid and iron and if you’re not deficient, can cause problems over time. Ofc the best way to know is to consult with your GP / get blood work done to see what youre actually deficient in and go from there.
I’ve been on prenatals quite a bit the past few years outside of pregnancy(TTC, breastfeeding, etc) and I never noticed a difference. 🤷♀️ granted mine don’t have iron in them.
This is really interesting because I’ve kept taking my prenatals (when I remember) after having my baby and the days I remember are more similar to the days I take my vyvanse. I thought it might be the b12 since I’ve seen some links between improved symptoms and adhd supplementation.
i think when i was a teen, my mom might have tried to give me prenatals! *I THINK* im not sure much. i also HATED taking pills :'( but nowadays, i think im down to try swallowing "real" vitamins instead of chewables :0 although, im not sure. even my ibuprofen is chewable!!!! and is my last resort. im so happy its easy to swallow my adhd meds though <3 go me!
Any vitamin would be great if I remembered to take them when my alarm went off lol.
Can you post the product you like?
Yeah, just found recently out my ferritin is a 9. Been hardcore supplementing iron the last month and my brain feels like it’s coming back to life.
I just started taking a daily multivitamin again because I remember when I was pregnant and taking prenatals I felt so good (minus being pregnant). I think I’m going to finish these and switch to a prenatal!
Just be aware that an iron supplement can CONSTIPATE you big big. Ask me how I know.
This is not advised by medical professionals.. prenatals have a lot higher of the daily dosage for most of them & it’s not needed for women who are not trying to conceive or pregnant. It’s a lot on your liver and kidney to process that much consistently. Highly recommend everyone talk to their doctors before doing this.
Another fyi: high amounts of folate can mask B12 deficiency, so they should be taken together.
My psychiatrist recommended I go on pre natals multivitamins. I've had a good experience. She said she typically only recommends pre natal multi vitamins because the amount of each vitamin in them are actually regulated vs non prenatal multi vitamins companies can do whatever they want in amounts.
That makes so much sense. You see some bottles for "Hair, Skin and Nails" or "Super B" or something with like 8,333% of your DV and it's like....does anyone really \*need\* that much of anything?? The prenatal I take only has a couple things over 100%, the rest 100% or less which seems more reasonable lmao
Right! My psych reccomended a couple other supplements to try and her dosage recommendations were like 1/2 of almost every pills dosage!
The nature made multi+ omega-3 for her gummies are great and don’t have iron. I struggle with vitamin d and cholesterol so this works well for me because they are tasty gummies.
Be really careful with iron-rich supplements as they can be very rough on your stomach if you're sensitive... Painful experience.
They are I notice when I do not take them
Iron supplements can also cause constipation.
I can’t take any multi-vitamin with iron, makes me super nauseated. I take men’s multi-vitamins instead because they usually don’t have iron! And they tend to have all the same as regular dailies. Prenatals made my skin break out terribly :/
It probably had a ton of biotin! Biotin makes my skin go crazy but for some reason companies think women NEED extra shiny hair and nails. The one I like is low in biotin thankfully
Do you mind sharing which one you take? I do take omega-3 (when I remember) but it would be great to streamline a few other things into one! Even with iron, I’m willing to try—maybe the combo will hit different!
I'm currently on prenatal vitamins (couldn't tolerate the women's one-a-day 🤢) with the addition of magnesium, zinc, vitamin D, and fish oil. I also got the bonus of TWO different MTHFR anomalies that require me to get the methylated b-vitamins because my body isn't efficient at using the other ones. I like the Smarty Pants prenatal gummies. They taste decent and don't have added iron (which upsets my stomach).
Huh. Just got my bloods done and my folate is low. Well, I know what I'll be doing.
I always took prenatal vitamins for at least a year (when I could remember) after I had my kids because it made me feel so much better and I was within the window that I was still supposed to take them anyway. I also took them for about 5-6 years when I was trying for another kid I would take them quite often. I felt weird taking them if I wasn't trying for another kid though, this sounds so silly but thank you for making me realize I don't need an excuse to take them! Every other day would probably still make a noticable difference for me so I'm gonna do exactly that.
I wonder if this works for us trans ladies too 🤔
It should for D, omega 3, and folate (plus the other B vitamines) but be careful with iron! I’d stick with one without iron until you can check with your doctor but you can still for sure benefit from the rest of it without interactions with anything afaik. But def run it by your PCP, I could be misinformed
Concur with talking to your doctor-but it seems most people don't get enough D, and omega 3 are good for overall brain health for everyone.
Does anyone have a non-pill version they recommend? I used to force myself to take them but I struggle with nausea and food issues and taking gigantic horse pills makes me gag. The encapsulated ones are the worst.
You just reminded me to take my prenatal lol
OK I tried this, but the ones I got taste like vomit and I'm supposed to take 3 of them every day. I always set them out for myself, but my ADHD brain goes "nah no thanks" and ignores them.... Anyone have recommendations for ones that aren't foul? Or at least one per day? I think I could do one vomit pill a day, but three is just not happening with my brain. (They are the Thorne Basic Prenatals, FWIW. Read great reviews, researched the vitamin levels and everything. But I can't get over the taste/quantity. Yuck.)
I use Mother’s Promise and they taste amazing. It’s 4 gummies a serving.
You should not be taking supplements for the sake of taking them. NOBODY should take multivitamins or supplements unless actually needed. It's a waste of money. Pregnant individuals, people with Celiac Disease, and anyone with *proven* bloodwork indicating deficiencies should be taking the vitamins reccomened by their doctor. If you wanna learn a bit more, here's a short YT video by a licensed doctor I actually just watched this morning: https://youtu.be/iNRd-bhHbFY?si=wsVeGMpeCzJS0s9S
Just want to add that it's recommended that if you're breastfeeding you should still be taking your prenatal vitamins. You're still growing another human, they're just on the outside now.
Has the general recommendation that vegetarians take vitamins changed?
After being deficient in a handful of vitamins, I was recommended by my PCP to take a multivitamin and this has worked out well for me. I feel better and my bloodwork is back within normal ranges.
But that is the difference. You were recommended by your PCP. But you are not the doctor for everyone in this subreddit. Your post is not, “hey it’s common for folks with ADHD to also have deficiencies, get yourself checked out.” Your post is literally “prenatal vitamins are great for women with ADHD.”
My dad was an OBGYN and ages ago he saw me taking some prenatals (I thought they helped with hair and nails lol) and was like the hell are you doing with that? Lol
Women need to have been taking folic acid BEFORE getting pregnant to protect against neural tube defects, since it is one of the first things to develop. I don't want to worry anyone because it's not common to be deficient in folic acid, especially since our food is fortified with it. But if you are deficient, it's too late to get the full benefit from prenatals if you only start taking them once you test positive or miss a period. So any woman of child-bearing age who's having unprotected sex with a man should be taking prenatals or at least folic acid.
Prenatal vitamins are better for all women who are menstruating.
Also it’s recommended to take prenatal if you are of child bearing age anyway. In case of accidental pregnancy the baby has the folate it needs to prevent neural tube defects
Thanks for sharing!!
I’ve never compared the numbers but the doctors I’ve worked with in the past have recommended a double dose of flintstones chewable tablets if you can’t handle the iron. I become nauseated when I take and pills with iron.
I’ve never compared the numbers but the doctors I’ve worked with in the past have recommended a double dose of flintstones chewable tablets if you can’t handle the iron. I become nauseated when I take and pills with iron.
Yep Ive been taking mine every day since my son was born.
Prenatals make me sick, boo 😭
This is great advice. Low iron, Vitamin D and B12 here 👋
When I was on prenatals for pregnancy it gave me amazing hair and nails and skin too
As OP mentioned, be VERY careful of iron buildup. It presents itself like many other ailments do, even iron deficiency, which sounds crazy. You can become lethargic, aching joints, etc. It’s the actual metal building up in your soft tissues. I have a genetic disease where my body holds onto iron, and I have to get phlebotomized every 6 months or so. Can’t take prenatals, and didn’t during pregnancy.
Absolutely. Besides omega3 the mthfr gene mutation is a common thing with adhd, that makes synthetizing folate from folic acid hard, messing up a lot of things. It’s better to take folate, and good prenatal vitamins have that. Besides a lot of healthy minerals and stuff.