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Do I need a vitamin and mineral supplement?

You can meet most of your vitamin and mineral needs by following Canada’s food guide. See the information on recommended vitamin and mineral supplements below.

A person who could become pregnant should take a multivitamin that contains 0.4mg (400 mcg) of folic acid and 400 IU of vitamin D every day.

Learn more about folic acid before pregnancy.

If you are taking a daily multivitamin with vitamin A in it, do not take any additional vitamin A supplements. Too much vitamin A from supplements can cause birth defects.

For information about multivitamins and pregnancy, visit Healthy Parents Healthy Children.

It’s recommended that all adults take a supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D every day.

Read and follow the instructions on the label. Take the dose recommended on the label.

Check the expiry date. Don’t use the product if it’s past the expiry date.

Talk with your health care provider (including your pharmacist) about any supplements that you are taking or call Health Link at 811 and ask to speak with a dietitian.

 

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We acknowledge that Alberta is the land of Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8, and the home of eight Metis Settlements and the Métis Nation within Alberta. We recognize the many diverse First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people whose ancestors walked this land before us, and whose land we share today. We make this acknowledgment as an act of reconciliation and gratitude, and strive to work in partnership to build strong, positive, and healthy relationships.

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