Can Pregnant Women Drink Shakeology?

When I found out I was pregnant, one of the first things I did was start researching if I could keep drinking my daily Shakeology! It is a part of my life and had been at the time for over 6 months. If I had to give it up I would've but I was sure not looking forward to the possibility.

I did my research and took all the information to my obstetrician, which brings me to my next point. Before I start, I am going to type this loud and clear: CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN before starting or continuing anything! Individual physicians have individual opinions and I am not a doctor. My doctor and I agreed that Shakeology is perfectly safe is the healthiest choice for both me and the baby!

Ok, now that no one's lawyers are going to come eat me, let's continue!

For those of you that don't know, Shakeology is a daily dose of dense nutrition in the form of a meal replacement shake. It is not one of those crazy shakes with no calories and tons of artificial sweeteners. It's a whole food meal replacement that has around 150 calories per serving (prior to adding any liquid or fruit!), 16 grams of protein, natural carbohydrates, and fat all balanced to make a meal. The 70 whole food ingredients are ground down into a powder to and then drank by Shakeology lovers around the country... like me!

I'm going to do a little analysis of a few of the most important vitamins for healthy development and what their content is in Shakeology. Each flavor varies slightly but for this post I am going to use the Strawberry flavor as the example!

Vitamin A

• Important for: development of baby's heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes, bones, respiratory system, circulatory system, central nervous system, and fat metabolism
• Too little - linked to premature delivery, skin disorders, eye development problems
• Too much - Not possible with dietary Vitamin A (a.k.a. beta-carotene); Possible with retinol/synthetic vitamin A, increased risk for birth defects
• Found in: dairy, orange and yellow veggies, leafy greens
• Max of 3,000 IU of the synthetic/retinol form
• No max from food sources
• Pregnancy Requirements: Minimum of 2,500 IU
• Strawberry Shakeology = 5,000 IU beta-carotene 

Vitamin D

• Important for: bone and teeth development. Vitamin D helps Calcium become absorbed in the body of you and your baby! 
• Too little: poor bone and teeth structure! 
• Too high: very hard to achieve! 
• Found in: fortified milk, juice, and best of all, from sitting in the sun! 
• Pregnancy Requirements: 200-400 IU, but the more the better.
• Strawberry Shakeology: 200 IU

Calcium: 

• Important for: strong bones & teeth, nerve development, normal heart rhythm
• Too little: bone issues, especially for mom! 
• Right on: decreased risk for preeclampsia and low BP in baby
• Found in: dairy produts, green leafy veggies, broccoli, almonds, fortified juices
• Pregnancy Requirements: 1,000 mg
• Strawberry Shakeology: 300 mg

*I supplement my calcium via my diet!* 

Folic Acid: 

• Important for: prevention of neural tube defects, formation of red blood cells, cell division
• Too little: neural tube defects, intrauterine growth restriction, risk for premature birth, risk for preeclampsia
• Found in: most fruit, green, leafy vegetables, peas, spinach, bananas, orange juice
• Pregnancy Requirements: 600 mcg (before and during pregnancy!)
• Strawberry Shakeology: 200 mcg

*I supplement my folic acid with an additional 800mcg per day via pill supplement*

Vitamin B12

• Important for: red blood cell and nervous system development
• Works hand in hand with Folic Acid
• Too little: neural tube defects, neurological disorders, defects in digestive tract development 
• Pregnancy Requirements: 2.6 mcg
• Strawberry Shakeology: 6 mcg

Vitamin C:

• Important for: collagen production, tissue repair, helps absorb iron, lowers risk for infection
• Too little: scurvy (you are more susceptible to all illness while pregnant), premature delivery, preeclampsia
• Found in: oranges, broccoli, apples, citrus fruits, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, asparagus, and more!
• Pregnancy Requirements: 85 mg
• Strawberry Shakeology: 180 mg

Iron: 

• Important for: the synthesis of red blood cells and hemoglobin which carries all of the oxygen in your body! (*MUY IMPORTANTE*) 
• Too little: low-birthweight, premature delivery, fatigue
• Too much: constipation 
• Found in: spinach, beef, potatoes, oatmeal, supplements 
• Pregnancy Requirements: 27 mg
• Strawberry Shakeology: 1.2 mg

*I focus on getting iron in the diet and take a supplement a few times a week*'

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

• Important for: appetite stabilization, healthy skin and eyes, brain growth, release of energy from the food we eat.
• Too little: poor appetite for mom, poor digestion, bone formation, and anemia for baby
• Found in: yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken, eggs, mushrooms, liver
• Pregnancy Requirements: 1.4 mg
• Strawberry Shakeology: 1.3 mg

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

• Important for: blood flow, nervous system development, healthy skin, digestive tract development
• Too much: itchy skin for mom & stomach issues
• Found in: meat, fish, chicken, salmon, peanuts
• Pregnancy Requirements: 18 mg
• Strawberry Shakeology: 5 mg

*I get the rest from my diet!*

Vitamin B6

• Important for: tissue development (humans have a lot of tissues, people), blood cell development
• Too little: skin problems for baby
• Found in: bananas, brown rice, oatmeal, spinach, watermelon, potatoes
• Pregnancy Requirements: 1.9mg
• Strawberry Shakeology: 2 mg

P.S. B6 has been shown to reduce morning sickness <--- OMG!!!
*I kept B6 pills in my purse for my whole first trimester*

Biotin

• Important for: digestion of food, production of amino acids, needed for cell division
• Too little: fatigue, nausea, skin problems, muscle pain and hair loss for mom
• Found in: nuts, eggs, bananas, milk, whole grains, tomatoes, peas 
• Pregnancy Requirements: 30 mcg
• Strawberry Shakeology: 90 mcg

There you have it, folks. A quick overview of the major vitamins that are in Shakeology, why they are needed during pregnancy, and how much you are getting from Shakeology! Again, I will reiterate that I am not a physician. You should talk about all of this with your doctor and decide if Shakeology and pregnancy can work for you. For me, it most definitely works! 

I will note that the one vitamin people see and fear is the high Vitamin A content. Vitamin A in it's natural, beta-carotene form can be eaten in unlimited quantities and that is why the 5,000 IU in Shakeology is safe -- it is all beta-carotene! 

For me, Shakeology has been one of my life savers this pregnancy. For starters, prenatal vitamins and I don't get along all that well. Some of the same reasons I fell in love with Shakeology in the first place have been some of the biggest reasons I am drinking it daily now. My energy level is sustainable. I got through the entire Coach Summit in Vegas with 16 hour, non-stop days with no naps. I have been able to keep up with my workouts. My weight has been controlled overall. My cravings, especially the weird ones, have been mostly kept at bay (...I said mostly! Ice cream and dessert is allowed more often when you are growing a human).

I'm so happy that I was introduced to this way of life and this company before I got pregnant. We are so blessed to have a baby on the way and I am so lucky to have the tools I need to make this pregnancy as healthy as can be right in front of me!!! Healthy mommy, healthy baby, right here!!!