I find the family of B-vitamins quite confusing.  I think one of the reasons the B vitamins are puzzling is because half of them go by a number (B12) and the rest are known by names (folate)…odd.  So, I thought I’d try to demystify the B-vitamins by reviewing the most used ones. 

In general, vitamin B deficiencies causes anemias, dermatitis, lack of energy and skin lesions.  If you are taking a multivitamin, you are most likely NOT severely deficient in any of the B vitamins.  However, that doesn’t mean a little extra something, won’t help!  I often recommend B-complex to help with energy levels, biotin (B7) to help nail and hair health and folic acid (B9)during pregnancy.

Let’s start at the very beginning (a very good place to start …

1.  B1 (thiamine): It is necessary for carb metabolism; Used to treat Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and alcohol withdrawal; It causes the gross “vitamin odor”

2. B2 (riboflavin): Deficiency is marked by lesions in the mouth, lips, tongue and eyes; Can make urine a red-green-orange fluorescence color.

3. B3 (niacin): Deficiency symptoms are dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia and pellagra; Too much can cause belly upset and flushing; Used to treat high cholesterol.

4. B6 (pyridoxine):Levels that are too high or too low can cause convulsions and skin lesions; People taking birth control pills, hydralazine and isoniazid (INH) need higher levels.

5. B7 (biotin) -also called vitamin H: Deficiency can cause dermatitis, depression, lack of energy; Used to help hair and nail health.

6. B9 (folic acid/folate): Deficiency can cause mouth sores, CNS damage and megaloblastic anemia; Very important in pregnancy!

7. B12 (cyanocobalamin): Low levels will cause pernicious anemia, lack of energy and glossitis (tongue swelling); Used to treat deficiency and to increase energy.

Helpful Hint:  Most people know about iron deficiency but less known is folate and  B12 deficiency anemia.  If a patient has anemia but iron levels are normal, it is super important to have B12 and folate levels checked.

I hope this helps clears up the complexity of the vitamin Bs some.  Have any questions or stories?  Love to hear them!  Please leave a comment or send an email -nova@getpharmacyadvice.com

So, there is no supporting evidence that cranberries/cranberry juice treats UTIs.  But there are some studies that show cranberries can help prevent UTIs.

Cranberries work by stopping bacteria from sticking to the bladder wall…making it difficult for the bacteria to stick around and start an infection.  Using cranberries to prevent UTIs is still debated, but as they say, “it can’t hurt!”

Studies that showed cranberries can help prevent UTIs used specific products:

1.  300ml (10 oz)/day of Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail

2.  500mg/day of Cran-Max capsules

3.  400mg/day of Cranactin capsules

Azo Cranberry is very popular but hasn’t been proven to work.  However, it will most likely work as well as the Cran-Max or Cranactin caps.

If you want a natural product that can prevent and treat UTIs, see Catie’s article D-Mannose for UTI Prevention and Treatment.

If all else fails, use of Bactrim or nitrofurantoin daily can be an option for prevention. 

Do you swear by the power of cranberries?  I would love to hear about it.  Please leave a comment

The initial post, ”Is Nitrofurantoin Safe to Use During Pregnancy?” was viewed by a blog follower in New Zealand who is currently pregnant and was prescribed nitrofurantoin (Yup, that’s right, GPA.com has traveled across the world…wicked exciting to me!).

The soon-to-be mom was concerned for her baby’s safety, so she e-mailed the following message:

Hi im 34 weeks pregnant and my midwife have me on 4 x 50mg a day for 7 days as i have a uti and im very worried about the effects i will have on my babies development and wellbeing. My midwife said its very safe and that my baby will be fine but as this is my first pregnancy im worried as i dont know anyone close that has had uti  antibiotics during pregnancy and feel scared as i dont want to harm my baby in any way. Am feeling a bit scared as its not 100% sure. What do you think.

My response was:

Hi Jane Doe (or whatever name you’d like to insert!),

I definitely understand your concern about taking medications during your pregnancy, especially since it’s your first time through such an experience! 

You have the right idea…best to to avoid taking any medications, but sometimes the benefits outweigh the risks.   

I’m not sure if you’re familiar with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as I believe you live in another country (New Zealand? based on your e-mail address), but they have setup categories for the use of medications in pregnancy. 

 The categories include A, B, C, D, and X, with A being the safest category on down to X being extremely dangerous.    Nitrofurantoin falls into category B: Animal studies have shown no evidence of risk to the fetus, but there are not enough studies in humans to come to the same conclusion OR animal studies have shown risk BUT there are adequate studies in humans showing no risk to the fetus.  

 The fact that nitrofurantoin is a category B based on the FDA guidelines would make give me great comfort if I were in your situation!   

 If you were at full term (between 38 to 42 weeks) or could go into labor at any moment, there is concern that your newborn could experience what’s called hemolytic anemia (not enough red blood cells in the blood).  

I know that sounds scary, but this hemolytic anemia was reported in mothers with G-6PD deficiency (a rare condition that you’d probably know if you had), which can also occur in the fetus.    

The best news about this chance of hemolytic anemia is that it is extremely rare….the risk is 0.0004%!   A comprehensive review of available studies on treatment of UTIs in pregnancy has shown nitrofurantoin (and other antibiotics) to be very effective and complications to be rare.   

With all of this being said, I agree with your midwife, and if I were in your place, I would take the nitrofurantoin.  To me, the risk of not treating the infection outweighs the risk that nitrofurantoin poses to the fetus, especially because the infection can become worse and lead to undesirable outcomes.    

I hope I have been of at least some help and that you can use this information as a way to help you decide what’s best for your situation.    

Have a great night (or in your case, day!) and thanks for getting in touch,

Cate   

END OF RESPONSE!

Any comments? Questions? Concerns? Leave a comment below or e-mail me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com!

Be sure to check out our guide on how to save money on your medications…it’s totally free and full of helpful tips!

Thanks to all for visiting GetPharmacyAdvice.com…come again!

I’ve got another video here for ya, once again about medication use during pregnancy.  How bout that?  This time I touch on whether it’s safe to use nitrofurantoin (brandname: Macrobid, Macrodantin) in pregnant women.  In case you’re wondering, nitrofurantoin is an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs). 

Check it out!

That’s a wrap.

Did you take nitrofurantoin while pregnant? Are you currently pregnant and concerned about taking this medication?  Share your thoughts and concerns below!  And of course, you can always e-mail me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com.   

While your on a video-watching kick, be sure to view our FREE video course on how you can save money on your prescription drugs.  Feedback is certainly welcome!

Happy Super Bowl!

Did anyone else noticed that we have very little information on the use of medications during pregnancy?  Hmmm, guess I should get the ball rolling in that department. 

Put together a little video on discouraging the use of valproate in women of childbearing age or during pregnancy. 

NOTE: Related drug names are Depakote, Valproic Acid, Sodium Valproate, Depakene, and Divalproex sodium.  The information provided in the video below applies to these drug names as well!

Let me know if you have anything to share regarding this matter by leaving a comment below.  You can also e-mail me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com. 

Lastly, be sure to take a look at our FREE video course, which goes over the many ways you can save money on your prescription medications.  Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!