Prenatal Essentials Dr. Lynch product Q&AUpdated 2 hours ago
| Question | Answer |
| Hi - Looking for a good prenatal before trying to get pregnant. We eat pretty animal based and try to avoid processed anything. First Pregnancy I had preeclampsia and second just gestational hypertension. Just trying to decide between the different prenatal options here for what might be best? If you have any other recs on how to avoid preeclampsia or hypertension in pregnancy or for optimal pregnancy/birth, would love any advice. Most doctors just say to take low dose aspirin (but I'm allergic)! | Hi Caitlin - Thank you for reaching out. Happy to help. Preeclampsia and hypertension are related. Common causes of both are high histamine and high homocysteine. I'd have your doctor measure your homocysteine - and your partner's. You want it around 7 umol/L A few things for you - and your partner - to consider:
This is a solid plan for you both to have a healthy pregnancy.* You would use these all during pregnancy as well as during breastfeeding. In health, |
| Hello, I’m starting Prenatal Essentials to prepare for eventually trying to get pregnant. I had some issues with side effects at first (debilitating headaches and nausea, along with some diarrhea), but then read the Q&A’s here and realized I could make some adjustments. This is my second attempt to start them, and I am planning to take one capsule every other day with a high protein breakfast. If that goes well, I will try to build up to one per day. My question is… if my body cannot handle taking more than one pill every other day, is this going to provide me enough of the nutrients I need to sustain a healthy pregnancy? Or at that point, would I need to switch to something else that my body can handle better? For reference, I do have Crohn’s Disease and have had my gallbladder removed, but neither of these things typically give me any trouble. Thanks so much for any insight! | Hi Jane - A few things to consider here. Consider:
In health, |
| Hey! I’m seeing 3 different options for the prenatals and am wondering which you recommend I buy. I’m currently recovering from some antibiotics and am dealing with a lot of bloating after most things I eat. I read your book and am working on cleaning my DOA. I currently hope to buy the electrolytes, the histamine blocking antibiotics and the enzymes. Do you have any other thoughts? I hope to get pregnant or at least try in a few months :) thank you! | Hi Christy - Congratulations on your decision! :) A few things to consider:
Here's a cool guide on Digestion: In health, This should help you all quite well :) In health, |
| PLEASE Help! My 18 year old daughter starting taking this vitamin. Her doctor told her prenatals are a good multivitamin for those her age. She was extremely moody on these vitamins. I had tried another brand before this, and even worse reaction. Why is she reacting this way? What other multi vitamin should she try. Desperate for some answers for her! | Hi Sarah - Prenatal vitamins are high in folate. High amounts of folate can trigger irritability and insomnia. I suggest she consider:
That is likely all she needs. Many people think a multivitamin needs to be taken every day. A high quality multivitamin like ours at Seeking Health are very effective so will have biochemical effects right away. In health, |
| If taking this along with your fish oil, is there also a need to add Choline? I haven’t seen this mentioned and I wasn’t sure. | Hi Anna - Yes - great question. The fish oil provides EPA and DHA while the choline provides choline. These nutrients work together synergistically beautifully. Optimal Prenatal has a lot of choline in it. Prenatal Essentials doesn't have any. Eggs are a great source of choline as is grass fed liver or meat in general. Consider:
In health, |
| Hi Dr Lynch, thank you for your response. I forgot to mention that I have a low ferritin level of 18. Would I just add the iron supplement to everything you suggested? Thank you! This was the recommendation for Yin deficiency and nausea: Optimal Prenatal MF: 2-4 capsules after a protein based breakfast and 2-4 capsules after lunch. Fish Oil: 1 capsule after dinner ProBiota HistaminX: 1 capsule after dinner to support healthy histamine levels as high histamine is associated with morning sickness.* Optimal Electrolyte: 1 to 3 servings a day to support healthy histamine, magnesium and hydration during pregnancy - very important. Berry and orange are the most popular. stop the other supplements | Hi Tal - Yes - good point. Do add the Iron Chewable and take 1-3 chewables after a meal. You can take 1 after lunch and 1 after dinner. Each chewable provides 10 mg of chelated iron for better absorption. In health, |
| Hi, I'm 42, and I'm looking for a prenatal. I'm not sure which one to buy. I get nauseous during pregnancy and even when menstruating, have a walking disability, and yin deficiency (in TCM terms). Currently taking a Zell Oxygen plus supplement that provides many vitamins and minerals, plus B12 and methyl folate supplement. Which prenatal is most suitable, and should I stop taking the other things? Thanks! | Hi Tal - TCM is pretty cool. Loved studying that in school. You will not need additional minerals and vitamins if using our prenatal vitamins as they are very comprehensive. Due to your yin deficiency, I'd consider the methyl-free versions - MF. Being nauseated during pregnancy is no fun and the best formulation to support this is Optimal Prenatal MF. Consider:
I do not recommend using the methylfolate and methylcobalamin for a Yin deficiency. This is why I suggested the MF as we use less stimulating forms of folate - folinic acid (not folic acid) and hydroxocobalamin form of B12. Have a great pregnancy! :) In health, |
| Hello, What is the amount of beta-carotene and retinyl palmitate in the Prenatal Essentials product? The label only specifies 1500 mcg for Vitamin A without breaking down how much is beta-carotene and how much is retinyl palmitate. Beta-carotene is fat soluble and I need to know the amount contained so I can be sure to avoid vitamin A toxicity (when considering this as part of my wife's nutrition and other supplements). | Hi Michael - Good on you for helping your wife with this. There is 750 mcg of each vitamin A type in Prenatal Essentials. The RDA of preformed vitamin A during pregnancy is 2,565 IU or 770 mcg. source: Have a great pregnancy! In health, |
| My husband & I are planning to start trying for kids in 3 months. I am looking into a prenatal to prepare my body. He has been taking optimal man & fish oil for the past couple months. I currently take Skin Nutrients, CoQ10, Iron (low ferritin on labs), Bile Nutrients, 1/2 glutathione lozenge, fish oil, & electrolytes daily. Probiotic and Liposomal Vit C as needed. I eat all organic foods & exercise at least 3x/week. I am unsure whether to get Optimal Prenatal or Prenatal Essentials. I am kinda leaning towards Optimal Prenatal because I just want optimal nutrients & coverage for myself and future baby, but I don't want to overdo it if its not needed.. Which do you recommend? Would I just swap out my Skin Nutrients for this prenatal? Do I still continue taking my other supplements? | Hi Makayla - Congratulations on this exciting journey! ;) I like your plan overall. Consider:
Keep me posted as needed. Excited for you both - being a parent is amazing (most the time :) ) In health, |
| I have recently received my order and have started taking as directed, 2 capsules in the morning with breakfast. I have noticed bright yellow urine by midmorning and lasting until early afternoon. After reading other reviews and questions it sounds like this can be normal. I have also noted sinus pressure and upper teeth pain and just feeling very tired during the same time window. Could this be related to the prenatal? If so how would you recommend proceeding? Thanks | Hi Allison - That's the riboflavin you're seeing :) Regarding the sinus pressure and teeth pain:
Consider:
In health, |
| Hello, I am 36 years old. I am not pregnant or breastfeeding. I am not trying to conceive but if it happens it happens:) So would this be okay to take? I plan to use half the dose which would be 1 capsule and if I do get pregnant down the road my body will be prepared:) | Hi A.T. Yep! Smart to do. Your partner can consider Optimal Man and just take 2 capsules after breakfast. He will enjoy how he feels. And if pregnancy happens, he will be providing healthy chromosomes via his healthy sperm. Very important for the entire baby’s life. ❤️ In health, |
| Hello! I eat a balanced, nutritious, omnivorous diet, preferring to get what I can from food, and am looking at the Essentials as an extra layer of goodness. I was just wondering about the high levels of B12; other prenatals I am researching have around 10 mcg or less, and this seems so high at 100 mcg. I understand the benefits of B12, but I eat a decent amount of meat and dairy and am wary of over supplementation. Would love any advice or thoughts on this. Thank you! | Hi Desiree - Well done for eating a nutritious diet :). We should get all our nutrients from food. 10mcg of vitamin B12 is very low for a supplement. I see many people who eat an omnivorous diet but are deficient in vitamin B12. There are many reasons for this, such as:
Even 100 mcg is not that much. Many B vitamin supplements contain 500 mcg or more. The good news is that you can't really overdose on vitamin B12 as it is a water-soluble vitamin and not a fat-soluble vitamin. It does not tend to store in the body. Vitamin B12 requirements do increase during pregnancy as there are more demands on methylation during this time. To determine whether you may need more B12 you can get a blood test done that measures:
All the best :) |
| I was comparing the ingredients between this and the chewable one and noticed the chewable one has a higher concentration of some ingredients. Why is that? | Hi Jayne - We are correcting the chewable. The chewable used to be called Optimal Prenatal Chewable but it was not as potent as the Optimal Prenatal so I had it renamed to Prenatal Essentials Chewable as it was closer in line with that one. I'm currently working on matching it and the next lot or two, it will match Prenatal Essentials. In health, |
| I'm currently 5 weeks pregnant and experiencing pain on the right side of my pelvic area. I suspect a cyst, since I've had this same pain during ovulation during the last two cycles prior to getting pregnant. I am worried that it's going to cause complications during pregnancy if it is already hurting this early on. (Side note, midwife does not currently suspect ectopic pregnancy, but pain levels are being monitored.) I try to keep ultrasounds to a minimum (usually just the 20 week scan) but she's recommending a 6-8 week scan if the discomfort doesn't stop. If it is a cyst, is there anything I can do nutritionally or with supplements to help shrink it? I'm currently taking Prenatal Essentials, NAC, Optimal Electrolyte, a heme iron supplement, magnesium citrate, and Optimal PC is on its way. My current diet is pretty solid - organic whole foods, herbal tea infusions (nettle/oat straw/alfalfa), also working with a holistic nutritionist. | Hi S.S - Congratulations on your pregnancy ;) Talk with your doctor about PCOS - and check insulin levels and testosterone levels and fasting glucose. You may need to look into Myo-Inositol and take 2 grams a day to support healthy blood sugar levels and ovarian health while pregnant.* This is safe during pregnancy. We don't have it. I'd definitely add Fish Oil and ProBiota HistaminX - take 1 each after dinner. The other supplements you are taking are all good to do. The Myo-Inositol should help quite a bit if it's what I think it is. In health, |
| Hello, I just started taking these vitamins and I am about 5 months along. I still have nausea almost all day everyday. I noticed some of the answers to previous questions stating not to take both pills at once. Is this for everyone or case by case ? | Hi Angela - It's up to you on what you would like to do. You may take 1 capsule with breakfast and 1 with lunch some days and other days you may find you need both at breakfast and other days you may just need only 1 with breakfast. To support your nausea, consider:
That should help immensely. In health, |
| Hello, I am still breastfeeding my 7 month old and I am very fatigued. I have no libido and can have a short fuse. I’m looking for some support via supplement. I noticed my prenatal doesn’t do my for me except upset me stomach. I’ve not been taking one for a few months now. My milk supply is good as baby is growing like crazy. Any recommendations? | Hi Kyleigh - It's a tough period you are going through with a newborn and breastfeeding. Here's some things to consider:
In health, |
| Shortly after taking one pill in the morning, I get extremely fatigued. I stopped taking for a while and took another brand that wasn’t methylated but with folate. I felt much better. I decided to give it another shot this morning, and 30 mins after taking I began to feel very fatigued. Several hours later I feel much better, but I have drank a lot of water to flush it out of my system. Back when I was taking it regularly and dealing with fatigue I think related to this, I decided to switch and take it before bed. I would sleep for a couple of hours and then would be awake for several before falling asleep. I have always loved seeking health vitamins and brand, so I am hoping I can continue with the brand. I am unsure what route to take and if others have experienced this as well. I do have a double copy of MTHFR. | Hi Shelby - I'm glad you are aware of how you are feeling. You are the reason why we designed the 'MF' version of our prenatals and our multivitamins. I recommend switching to the Prenatal Essentials MF. For some reasons, the methylated folate really affects people differently - some do very well with it and others do not. I recommend taking 1 capsule of Prenatal Essentials MF with breakfast and 1 capsule with lunch. Have my team swap it out for you. In health, |
| I am reading that Vitamin A/retinols should be avoided during pregnancy due to risk’s primarily to baby. I see it in this prenatal. Please advise as I know there is a reason you have it in there. Is it only the synthetic forms that cause harm etc? | Hi HartFM - Fat soluble vitamin A is critically important during pregnancy for healthy fetal development of:
Excessive very high dose of fat soluble vitamin A yes is a problem. Prenatal Essentials is providing you a blend of beta carotene (water soluble and turns into vitamin A) and actual fat soluble vitamin A. We include the blend because not all women are able to convert beta carotene into fat soluble vitamin A due to a dysfunctional BCMO1 enzymatic defect which is incredibly common in the population. In health, |
Hello, I’m trying to stock up on this product for the remainder of pregnancy as it’s not available where I live. If I buy the 6-pack would the expiration date far exceed 6 months? On my current bottle I only see a manufactured date, not an expiration. Thank you! | Hi Devan - Yes. If we have less then 6 months of shelf life on a product, we put a notice on the product page saying 'Short dated' If this notice is not present on the website, you're good to go. :) Congratulations on your pregnancy! I highly recommend considering adding Optimal PC to your program. Take 1 capsule of Optimal PC after dinner three to five nights a week to support healthy phosphatidylcholine levels.* These levels are incredibly important for healthy neurological development of your baby, lifelong memory and healthy gallbladder and liver - and breastmilk flow.* In health, |
| I just ordered the prenatal and I'm excited to try them! I have to take levothyroxine in the morning and can't take a multivitamin or calcium within 4 hours - would I be okay to take both pills at lunch time, instead of one in the morning + one at lunch time? | Hi Jami - Start with 1 capsule at lunch. See how you feel with this. Make sure you take it as early as you can so you are able to fall asleep. You may find that you do best taking 1 capsule at lunch time and another 1 hour or 2 later. I find that 2 capsules at a time may be too stimulating but spaced out they seem to work well. In health, |
| Hi, I noticed yellow urine when taking this vit. Is that notmal?? Also when I take the dosis of 2, make me more sensitive to light an foggy head. | Hi Yai - The yellow urine is due to the potent amount of B vitamins especially the riboflavin. That is a normal response. Take 1 capsule with a protein based breakfast - do not take 2 capsules at once. If you feel tired and low mood around lunch time, you can take the other capsule with a protein-based lunch. If you feel great in the afternoon, do not take the other capsule. In addition to the Prenatal Essentials:
Have a great pregnancy! :) In health, |
| I am in my mid 30's and my 3-year-old is still nursing like a new born :/ and trying to get pregnant. Which prenatal or multivitamin would be ideal for someone like me? | Hi Ana - I highly recommend the Optimal Prenatal with Collagen in your situation. It's also buy 1 get 1 free right now which is a great opportunity! I recommend mixing 1 sachet in a blender along with 1 cup of your favorite milk (I prefer and recommend goat milk) and add in 1/2 cup of frozen organic blueberries. You'll really feel a difference after drinking this. You'll support your health and your breastfeeding little one. In health, |
| I am 4 months pregnant and have been taking the prenatal essentials (1/4 capsule a day) for about 6 months now. I have noticed that I have constant red flushing and significantly worse rosacea flare up’s every day. I read online that folate, B vitamins and Biotin can trigger rosacea. Are there other prenatal supplements that are more suited for rosacea suffers? My skin was much clearer before taking this supplement | Hi Rachel - You're correct that these nutrients can do this. Pregnancy can increase histamine as well especially if already high histamine. Rosacea is a high histamine state. Consider:
These recommendations should help considerably. In health, |
| I am taking Prenatal Essentials and it has 2 mg of manganese, which most prenatals do not, as well as other metallic minerals. I’m trying to eat a balanced diet with nuts, whole grains, protein, etc and I’m finding, for example, my manganese intake is getting high (6-8 mg) due to diet, then the prenatals on top of that. However, I have to keep increasing my calories through healthy carb choices (due to needing to limit protein to 80-100 g), most of which have manganese. Can you explain why manganese and other metal-related minerals are included in the prenatal, and help me understand how to balance that with the diet but avoid toxicity? Is it related to absorption rates? | Hi Shelly - I would focus more on how your lab work is doing with manganese vs your food intake. Food intake is not equal to how much your are actually ingesting. Be careful with too many nuts especially during pregnancy. Fats are very hard on your liver and gallbladder and we don't want you experiencing a gallbladder issue while pregnant - and this is actually quite common. Consider Optimal PC to support a healthy gallbladder along with healthy bile production and bile flow while pregnant and breastfeeding.* In health, |
| Is the iodine content considered to be ok for someone with hashimotos? I am currently trying to conceive and only taking one pill per day (1/2 dose) in addition to a meticulously healthy diet. I have been hesitant to take more considering my condition, but I also don’t want to under dose if it puts me at risk. Hoping my healthy diet makes up for the difference! Thanks | Hi Melissa - If you ask 10 different health professionals, you will likely get 10 different answers unfortunately. My belief is that iodine is incredibly important for pregnancy and healthy thyroid function. An extensive meta analysis of this topic supports my view: After screening and full-text assessment, 7 controlled trials comprising 342 patients were included in the systematic review. The results showed that there was no significant change in TPOAb levels (WMD = −124.28 [95% CI: −631.08 to 382.52], P = .631, I2 = 94.5%) after 3 months of treatment. But there was a significant decrease in TPOAb levels (WMD = −284.00 [95% CI: −553.41 to −14.60], P < .05, I2 = 93.9%) and TgAb levels (WMD = −159.86 [95% CI: −293.48 to −26.24], P < .05, I2 = 85.3%) after 6 months of treatment. Conclusions: source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10194801/ In health, |
| Would this be harmful or non beneficial to consume if I am neither pregnant or breastfeeding? I got a recommendation to seek prenatal vitamins when coming off birth control. Any recommendations would be helpful. Thanks. | Hi Julia - It's about how much nutrition do you need. A prenatal has more folate and other nutrients in it than a standard multivitamin. Coming off of birth control, it makes sense to move to a prenatal like this. I recommend taking 1 capsule with breakfast and 1 with lunch. This gives you a more sustained healthy energy and mood throughout the day.* If you find yourself not sleeping well at night, or experiencing anxiousness or headaches, reduce to 1 capsule a day with breakfast in the morning. If you are still finding yourself anxious, headaches or difficulty falling asleep, switch to Prenatal Essentials MF. The MF uses different forms of folate and B12 - these are less stimulating. Some people do better with more stimulating forms and other do better with less stimulating forms. If you already have sufficient energy and a healthy mood, then I suggest using Prenatal Essentials MF. In health, |
| I am curious why there is no DHA, Choline, or Iron in the vitamin. I’ve always been told they are crucial to a prenatal vitamin. Is it because they don’t mix well with the others? Wondering if I can take those supplements separately or if there are side effects from doing so? Also, in terms of not taking with blood thinners, why is that? I am not currently on one, but I have recurrent miscarriages and feel I may have a clotting disorder so if they put me on blood thinners, am wondering if I have to discontinue this product. Thanks! | Hi Megan - Great question. Iron - not every woman needs plus it can be inflammatory. I find it best for women to take the amount of iron they need separately - and it can be taken at night after dinner. Choline - we have that in our Optimal Prenatal. Prenatal Essentials is for women who eat healthfully, have no real symptoms or past history of pregnancy complications.* I recommend Optimal Prenatal for woman who have had difficulties with pregnancy or conceiving as it supports healthy pregnancy in a comprehensive manner.* DHA - that should be taken in quite potent amounts and with dinner is great. We have Optimal Fish Oil but we are sold out at the moment. Vitamin K2 is ok for those who use Lovenox. Talk with your doctor about using MK7 form of vitamin K2 while on blood thinners. We have many pregnant women using our prenatals while on blood thinners but they are monitored by their doctor. The MK7 form is the long acting more stable form of K2. This is the form you want to take while on blood thinners. MK4 has too short a shelf life and is harder to dial in the right amount of blood thinning medication. Please read this: If you are not yet pregnant, consider Optimal Man to support your partner's healthy fertility.* Healthy sperm is critical to healthy chromosomes passed on to your little one. Have a great pregnancy :) In health, |
| Hello! I’m currently breastfeeding and wondering if there is any reason why Prenatal Essentials and Gut Nutrients couldn’t be taken together? I believe some ingredients overlap- would that be too much of certain things? Thank you! | Hi Halley - You may use both. Here's how I would use them: Take Gut Nutrients upon waking in the morning - on an empty stomach is best. Then, an hour or so later, take a capsule or two of Prenatal Nutrients with breakfast - with protein. Then, I'd have lunch, and if you took 1 capsule of Prenatal Essentials with breakfast, and you feel you need more energy support, take the other capsule with lunch. You could take another serving or 1/2 serving or Gut Nutrients between lunch and dinner - again on a nearly empty stomach. Sip it - don't chug. Then, after dinner, I'd take ProBiota HistaminX. If you're experiencing gallbladder or bile issues, consider 2 capsules of Gallbladder Nutrients before dinner or, better yet, use Optimal PC instead (as this helps baby's brain a ton and the nutrients pass through your breastmilk) I'd also add 1/2 lozenge of Glutathione Plus Lozenge in the morning upon waking. Then sip a serving of Optimal Electrolyte Unflavored at some point during the day. In health, |
| Yes I understand Vitmain E is vital for pregnancy just was wondering why the dose was so hight compared to the daily recommendations? | Hi Chrissy - The daily recommendations are too low. As you can see, Prenatal Essentials is also higher on multiple ingredients not just vitamin E. This is because, based on my clinical experience and knowledge of nutrition and biochemistry, women need more support than the standard nutritional guidelines. In health, |
| Why is the vitamin E so high ? | Hi Chrissy Vitamin E is essential for healthy cell membranes, and acts as an antioxidant. These both are incredibly important during trying to conceive (healthy egg), pregnancy and breastfeeding. In health, |
| Is it common for this to cause severe reflux? I have been getting terrible reflux pain an hour after taking this. | Hi Jacqueline - That is not typically seen by ladies, no. There are a number of things that can be done to support a great experience with Prenatal Essentials. I highly recommend taking Prenatal Essentials with a meal. Never take it on an empty stomach or with just a snack. I recommend taking 1 capsule with a protein-based breakfast and 1 capsule with a protein-based lunch. That way you spread out the amount of nutrients you are getting. This helps you sustain healthy energy and mood throughout the day. I would also recommend:
I'd also look into making sure you are not consuming too much, some is ok, histamine containing foods or drinks. Kombucha, saurkraut, lime, fish, tomatoes, chocolate, older leftover foods, aged meats, aged cheeses all are high histamine. In health, |
| Can I open the capsule and add it to food instead of swallowing the pill? I struggle with swallowing pills and two sounds a little stressful. | Generally speaking, you will still get some benefit when taking an encapsulated supplement without the capsule. Dr. Lynch recommends the following practices when taking capsule contents without their capsule. Take after a meal as this raises stomach acid pH and may prevent die off. |
| Can I take it if I am not pregnant but I have MTFHR ? | Thank you for your question! Please check out our blog article on this subject here: https://www.seekinghealth.com/blogs/education/can-you-take-prenatal-vitamins-if-you-are-not-pregnant?_pos=1&_sid=2d558eec3&_ss=r |