Vitamins taken by pregnant women contain toxic ingredients linked to autism and cancer, a new study has found.
Researchers tested 47 different prenatal vitamins—32 nonprescription and 15 prescription products—bought from popular online and brick-and-mortar stores. They measured the amounts of choline and iodine in each product in the lab and compared it to what was on the label.
Shockingly, they found some products contained levels of heavy metals that were higher than expected. Thirteen had too much cadmium, seven products had too much arsenic, and two had too much lead. Many others stated the wrong dosages or didn't contain ingredients they claimed.
"During pregnancy, many women rely on prenatal vitamins and minerals to support their health and their baby's development," said lead researcher Laura Borgelt.
But she added that the 'presence of contaminants', especially the heavy metals was 'concerning.'
'Our findings highlight a significant gap between what's listed on the labels and what's actually in the products, underscoring the urgent need for stronger regulatory oversight in this area,' said Dr Borgelt.
Many of the heavy metals detected in the prenatal vitamins were above limits set by the US Pharmacopeia, a non-profit which provides recommended levels for various topics. The organization recommends arsenic (2.5 mcg per oral daily dose), lead (0.5 mcg per oral daily dose), and cadmium (0.5 mcg per oral daily dose).
- Seven products contained levels of arsenic above that limit
- Two contained lead levels that were unsafe
- Thirteen had too much cadmium
The FDA lists the cadmium tolerability level at 0.21 to 0.36 micrograms of cadmium a day per about 2lbs of body weight—or about 25 micrograms for a 154lb person.
When it comes to lead, high exposure can cause significant damage to the brain, kidneys, reproductive system. Exposure during pregnancy can cause babies to be born prematurely with low birth weight or developmental delays due to damage to developing brain systems.
The FDA's acceptable daily intake of lead in food is about 8.8 micrograms for adults.
Excess levels of arsenic were also found in seven prenatal vitamins.
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