.png)
2 weeks ago
1
TikTok has a habit of turning wellness shortcuts into overnight obsessions — and the latest trend has users reaching for prenatal vitamins, even when pregnancy isn’t on the horizon.
Across the app, women are encouraging one another to take prenatals for supposed beauty benefits, claiming the supplements can deliver thicker hair, stronger nails and a so-called “pregnancy glow” without, well, the pregnancy. But experts say the viral advice isn’t quite as harmless as it sounds.
Prenatal vitamins are specifically formulated to support pregnancy, which is why they contain higher levels of certain nutrients like folic acid, iron and calcium. These nutrients play a crucial role for expectant mothers — iron helps deliver oxygen to a developing fetus, while folic acid can reduce the risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, by up to 70 percent.
That doesn’t mean those same benefits automatically translate to people who aren’t pregnant.
“There are no supported benefits” to taking prenatal vitamins if you’re not expecting, Jamie Pronschinske, a registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin, previously told Business Insider in 2023. In fact, she warned that taking prenatals unnecessarily could potentially do more harm than good.
English (US) ·