If I take VitaDHA Materna and 5 mg of Folina at the same time, can I suffer from a folic acid overdose?

Dear Doctor, I am in the fourth week of pregnancy. I have purchased VitaDHA Materna as a supplement, and I would like to know if taking it together with 5 mg of Folina poses a risk of folic acid "overdose".

Dear Caterina,

Taking folic acid is extremely important during the first three months of pregnancy.

A dosage of 5 milligrams already represents a significant amount, so I do not recommend taking them simultaneously. Each capsule of VitaDHA Materna contains 250 milligrams of DHA, 50 milligrams of EPA, and 400 micrograms of L-Methylfolate, the most easily absorbed form of folic acid.

The amount of folic acid present is the minimum recommended during pregnancy, so always following your gynecologist’s advice, I would recommend continuing Folina for the first three months and then switching to VitaDHA Materna. This supplement is particularly recommended from the third month of pregnancy until the sixth month of breastfeeding.

The last trimester of pregnancy is when the need for DHA increases significantly. DHA supplementation in the mother during breastfeeding provides the baby, through breast milk, with a sufficient quantity of this fatty acid. DHA is essential for proper neuronal and visual development, still undergoing rapid growth. Additionally, DHA supplementation is important after pregnancy, when maternal reserves of this acid drastically decrease, increasing the risk of postpartum depression (which can take 2 to 3 years to restore).

The recommended dosage of VitaDHA Materna is 1 capsule per day, to be taken shortly before a main meal. Please be sure to inform your gynecologist of all dietary measures (diets, supplements, etc.) you intend to undertake.

I remain available for any further questions.

Best regards.

Dr. Rosaria Ramondino Pharmacist and Pharmaceutical Chemist