Essential Prenatal

Are you a recent or soon-to-be mom and interested in supplementing with collagen? Your body goes through many changes as you enter motherhood. Learn about how your body can benefit from collagen while breastfeeding and over the course of pregnancy, and make an informed choice! First of all, what's collagen? Collagen is a protein made up primarily of the amino acids glycine, proline and hydroxyproline (1). It is the most abundant protein in the human body, as it is a major building block of all connective and fibrous tissue, eg: hair, skin, bone, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and the fibrous structure of organs (2). Research shows collagen supplementation is beneficial for a variety of conditions. This includes: Joint pain Osteoarthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Brittle nails Cellulite Skin health It is possibly also useful in preventing or treating conditions such as sun-damaged skin, exercise-induced injury, hypertension, type II diabetes, and osteoporosis. New research is also exploring collagen’s possible utility in repairing the stomach and intestinal walls in cases of digestive inflammation or “leaky gut”. How does the body use collagen while breastfeeding or pregnant? Nutrition requirements change during pregnancy and breastfeeding due to the needs of the fetus and newborn infants. In particular, the demand for amino acids and protein significantly increases (3). Inadequate protein intake during this period can have negative impacts on the short and long-term health of mother and child. Because studies on pregnant or breastfeeding individuals are generally not permitted, there has been no direct investigation into the use of collagen while breastfeeding and during pregnancy. However, collagen is a naturally occurring substance found in animal products, made up of amino acids, which our bodies are very familiar with utilizing. Generally, collagen supplements at reasonable doses are considered to be safe and without side effects (4,5). If you have an allergy to fish or seafood, avoid marine-sourced collagen. Instead, choose products sourced from bovine, poultry or eggshell sources (6). Here's the bottom line: While we can’t say for certain how the body utilizes collagen while breastfeeding and during pregnancy, collagen is a great source of amino acids and protein. It is also very easily absorbed, even in those with challenged digestive systems. Combined with its utility in improving and maintaining health in a number of areas, this makes regular collagen supplementation a great source for additional amino acids and protein during pregnancy and breastfeeding. References Silvipriya, K., Kumar, K., Bhat, A., Kumar, B., John, A., & Lakshmanan, P. (2015). Collagen: Animal sources and biomedical application. Journal of Applied Pharmaceutical Science,5(3), 123-127. Sibilla, S., Godfrey, M., Brewer, S., Budh-Raja, A., & Genovese, L. (2015). An overview of the beneficial effects of hydrolyzed collagen as a nutraceutical on skin properties: Scientific background and clinical studies. The Open Nutraceuticals Journal,8(1), 29-42. Elango, R., and Ball, R.O. (2016). Protein and amino acid requirements during pregnancy. Advances in Nutrition, 7(4), 839S-844S. Choi, F. D., Sung, C. T., Juhasz, M. L., & Mesinkovsk, N. A. (2019). Oral collagen supplementation: A systematic review of dermatological applications. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology,18(1), 9-16. Liu, X., Machado, G., Eyles, J., Ravi, V., & Hunter, D. (2018). Dietary supplements for treating osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine,52, 1-10. Ruff, K. J., Winkler, A., Jackson, R. W., Devore, D. P., & Ritz, B. W. (2009). Eggshell membrane in the treatment of pain and stiffness from osteoarthritis of the knee: A randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. Clinical Rheumatology,28(8), 907-914.

If you are interested in supplementing your diet during pregnancy, it can be daunting to figure out which supplements can be taken safely. In this article, we will answer some of the most common questions regarding taking supplements during pregnancy.  Important note: Make sure to always consult a health care professional before adding new supplements to your wellness routine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.  Is vitamin C safe during pregnancy?  Yes, not only is vitamin C safe during pregnancy – in fact, Health Canada recommends it! The Recommended Dietary Allowance for pregnant women is 85 mg of vitamin C daily. While this can be easily achieved by including plenty of vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables in your diet (like citrus, bell peppers, and tomatoes), taking a vitamin C supplement can help ensure you are meeting your daily needs, as well as aid in the absorption of other important nutrients.  Shop Vitamin C Is vitamin D safe for pregnancy?  Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is an important micronutrient with several important roles in the human body. Most notably, it is vital to the healthy function of the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in Canada – an estimated 75 to 96% of Canadians are considered to have an inadequate intake from food sources!  During pregnancy, the recommended vitamin D daily intake is 5 mcg, which is equivalent to 200 IU. There are a few different ways you can obtain the vitamin D you need: from exposure to sunlight, dietary sources (including fatty fish like salmon and sardines, red meat, and egg yolks), and vitamin D supplements.   Organika’s Serenity™ magnesium bisglycinate is a great source of vitamin D, with 1000 IU per serving, plus the added bonus of also providing pregnancy-safe magnesium, another prevalent nutrient deficiency in a large portion of the Canadian population.  Shop Serenity™ magnesium Is it safe to take collagen supplements during pregnancy?  Collagen is a great source of amino acids, including glycine. During pregnancy, the amino acid glycine becomes conditionally essential (our body can't produce it on its own). This means we need to find external sources. This makes collagen a beneficial supplement to take while going through pregnancy and breastfeeding, with no known risks at reasonable doses.  Read more about taking collagen while pregnant or breastfeeding here.  Shop Collagen Are iron supplements safe during pregnancy?  Another common nutrient deficiency during pregnancy, iron is a supplement many parents-to-be may want to consider. According to Health Canada, iron deficiency anemia occurs most often during the third trimester and may lead to pregnancy complications.  There are many dietary sources of iron, including meat, poultry, fish, legumes and nuts. However, even if those foods are a regular part of your diet, your doctor may still recommend supplementation. Consulting a healthcare professional and getting blood testing before adding an iron supplement to your routine is important.  Organika’s Absolute Iron™ provides a potent and highly bioavailable source of iron bisglycinate, a form of iron that is more easily absorbed by the body and causes less digestive upset than typical iron supplements.   Shop Absolute Iron™

Your baby needs bacteria. I know, that sounds icky and goes against our instinct that bacteria = bad. But those little guys may be just what your little guy (or girl) needs to get set up for a healthy, happy digestive system and a strong immune system years down the road. And they might just save you hours of frustration and missed sleep. Let’s talk baby probiotics, baby! What do baby probiotics do? As adults, we have trillions of friendly bacteria living in our gut that help us keep a healthy digestive system. That’s called your gut microbiome! Just like fingerprints, this collection of bacteria is unique to each and every person. Some of the body functions they help out with include: Digesting certain foods your stomach and small intestine aren’t able to; Producing vitamins (such as B and K); Helping keep bad bacteria under control. (More on that later!) It doesn’t start out that way, though. When babies are in the womb, their tummies are a blank slate. Once they are out and about, they begin to gather a little army of gut helpers, the bacteria they come across as they interact with the world around them. Probiotics help introduce “good” bacteria during the first 3 years of life, paving the way to a healthy, balanced gut microbiome later in life!  Do baby probiotics support immunity? The immune system is our first line of defence against outside bugs, and though we don’t often think of it that way, the gut is part of this defence squad. A healthy gut is especially important in babies and small children, whose immunity is still in development! Supplementing with baby probiotics might even help dial down on the use of antibiotics: research has shown that probiotics can help reduce the incidence and duration of respiratory, digestive and ear infections in children.  Can I use baby probiotics for colic? The exact cause of baby colic is a matter of debate within the medical community, but probiotics could be a light at the end of the tunnel for frustrated parents! Studies have linked certain probiotic strains to shorter crying times in breastfed babies with colicky symptoms, as well as fewer colic-related phone calls and visits to the doctor.  How do baby probiotics work? The gut is like a tiny ecosystem. As bacteria start to settle in, they compete with each other for food and space. Basically, adding good bacteria to your baby’s gut with probiotics ensures that the resources available in the gut are being used by the good guys before the bad guys can even get there!  Organika's new Baby Probiotic Drops with Vitamin D feature a clinically-proven blend of probiotic strains and the sunshine vitamin for a balanced gut microbiome, healthy bones and teeth, and less tears! Wanting to keep your own gut in check as well? Try Probiotic + Prebiotic powder. References: Gut microbiota info (Gut Microbiota for Health) https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/about-gut-microbiota-info/ Probiotics and immune health (Yan, F. & Polk, D.B. in Current opinion in gastroenterology ) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4006993/ Probiotics could reduce the need for antibiotics during childhood (Cristina Saez in Gut Microbiota for Health) https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/probiotics-could-reduce-the-need-for-antibiotics-during-childhood/ Lactobacillus reuteri (American Type Culture Collection Strain 55730) versus simethicone in the treatment of infantile colic: a prospective randomized study (Savino et al. in Pediatrics, 2007) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17200238 Preventive effects of oral probiotic on infantile colic: a prospective, randomised, blinded, controlled trial using Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (Savino et al. in Beneficial Microbes, 2015) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25488262