Vital Essence 1

Zita West Vital Essence 1 is a premium pregnancy vitamin supplement specifically formulated to support both you and your baby during the 1st trimester of pregnancy, addressing concerns such as reducing tiredness and fatigue while promoting healthy bone growth. 

The first three months of pregnancy are in many ways the most crucial stage of a baby's development - the time when all of his or her organs and systems are forming, as well as hands, feet, and limbs. It is now recognised that a mother's diet immediately before conception and in the first weeks of pregnancy can influence the way that the embryo develops. Investing at this stage in the best nutrition may not only help support your baby's start to life, but also give you a better chance of a healthy pregnancy.

The new formulation of Vital Essence 1 supplies all the micro-nutrients that are most important to meet the demands of early pregnancy, including 400ug of Folic Acid (useful for a whole range of cellular activities, not just for helping to minimise the risk of spina bifida) plus lots of protective ingredients such as Beta Carotene (a safe way to help support your intake of Vitamin A), Vitamin D, Copper, Magnesium, Manganese and Zinc, all of which support normal cell division and help to protect DNA.

Directions: Suitable for daily use by women during the 1st trimester of pregnancy. As a food supplement, take two capsules per day with a cold drink, or as directed by your healthcare practitioner. Capsules can be taken together, or dose split during the day. It is recommended that Vital Essence 1 be taken alongside Vital DHA for maximum benefit to overall nutrition. Support your second trimester with Vital Essence 2 and third one with Vital Essence 3.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Keep out of reach of young children. Food supplements are not to be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the daily dose.

Other Ingredients: Vegetarian Capsule Shells (Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose), Silicon Dioxide, Sucrose, Acacia Gum, Corn Starch, Medium Chain Triglycerides, Tricalcium Phosphate, Nu-Flow Rice Silica, Sodium Alginate, Pea Starch, Modified Food Starch, Glucose Syrup, Sodium Ascorbate, DL-Alpha Tocopherol, Corn Syrup Solids, Fractionated Coconut Oil, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Dicalcium Phosphate, Microcrystalline Cellulose. Contains: Coconut.

Who is Vital Essence 1 for?
The first three months of pregnancy are in many ways the most crucial stage of a baby’s development – the time when all of his or her organs and systems are forming, as well as hands, feet, and limbs. It is now recognised that a mother’s diet immediately before conception and in the first weeks of pregnancy can influence the way that the embryo develops. Investing at this stage in the best nutrition may not only help support your baby’s start to life, but also give you a better chance of a healthy pregnancy.  The new formulation of Vital Essence 1 supplies all the micro-nutrients that are most important to meet the demands of early pregnancy, including 400ug of Folate (now in the superior L-Methylfolate form and useful for a whole range of cellular activities, not just for helping to minimise the risk of spina bifida) plus lots of protective ingredients such as Beta Carotene (a safe way to help support your intake of Vitamin A), Copper, Magnesium, Manganese and Zinc, all of which support normal cell division and help to protect DNA. Take one capsule, three times a day (with food), alongside a good quality diet, to help support the changing demands of your body during the first three months of your pregnancy.  We recommend that it should be taken in conjunction with Vital DHA for maximum benefit to your overall nutrition.  We also have supplements for the second (Vital Essence 2) and third (Vital Essence 3) trimesters  All Zita West products are developed in response to the very latest research and are regularly reviewed and reformulated to remain at the cutting-edge of clinical and nutritional thinking for optimum reproductive health.

My GP says if I am eating a good diet, I do not need to take vitamins?
In our experience, even if you have a healthy diet – which many people don’t these days, given missed, hurried or convenience meals – growing numbers of mothers-to-be want the added reassurance of knowing they are getting all the most important vitamins and minerals they need. Not least because intensive food production and processing has stripped many foods of a lot of their nourishment. In our opinion, a good multi vitamin and mineral supplement is essential during pregnancy, if only as an insurance policy.

Is it OK to keep on taking Vital Essence 1 when I am into the 2nd Trimester?
It’s perfectly fine to keep on using Vital Essence 1 for a few weeks after the end of the 1st trimester, for example to finish off a bottle that you have only just started. The differences in the formulation of Vital Essence 2 are not huge, and have just been made in order to fine-tune the formulation to make it as specific as possible to the particular needs of your body as you move into this middle stage of pregnancy.

What is “RDA” and why are so many of the ingredients in Vital Essence 1 higher than 100%?
“RDA” is an abbreviation of “Recommended Daily Allowance.” The RDA was devised by the Dept of Health in the UK in 1979 to provide guidance on the intake of a limited number of specific vitamins and minerals that an average adult should have daily in order to avoid a deficiency that may lead to disease or general ill-health. Whereas this was, and remains, a useful benchmark for judging the contribution that any supplement may make to reaching those minimum requirements, it wasn’t intended to represent an indication of optimum intake. You will probably have noticed that many supplements, particularly premium priced ones such as our own, contain daily levels that are frequently many times higher than the RDA, sometimes substantially so. This is because the vitamins and minerals concerned have been set at therapeutic levels in an attempt to boost the body’s store of the nutrients concerned, often for a particular and limited period of time, the need for which can of course vary depending on factors such as general health, age etc. It is universally recognised that pregnancy, and preparing for pregnancy, for example, benefit from special attention to nutrition on the part of both partners. All of the formulations within the Zita West range are well within the Government’s guidelines for what represents the upper safe limit (USL) for long term daily supplementation of any given nutrient.

What supplements should I take in first trimester?
The first three months of pregnancy are in many ways the most crucial stage of a baby’s development – the time when all of his or her organs and systems are forming, as well as hands, feet, and limbs. It is now recognised that a mother’s diet immediately before conception and in the first weeks of pregnancy can influence the way that the embryo develops. 

Should I be taking vitamins during early pregnancy?
Yes, it is recommended that women take prenatal vitamins during early pregnancy to ensure that both the mother and the developing foetus receive adequate nutrition. Prenatal vitamins are specially formulated with higher amounts of certain vitamins and minerals that are important for foetal development, such as folic acid, iron, and calcium.

What supplements should I take at 5 weeks pregnant?
It is recommended to take a prenatal multivitamin and a folic acid supplement in the first trimester, as well as vitamin D.  Zita West Vital Essence 1 contains all of the vitamins and minerals recommended for the first trimester, as well as folic acid, in the more absorbable form of folate.  We also recommend taking Zita West Vital DHA, to support foetal development too.

Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied diet. Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Keep out of reach of young children. Do not exceed the daily dose.  If pregnant, or breastfeeding, or if you are taking medication, or on medical care, consult your physician prior to use.  While we work to ensure that product information on our website is correct, on occasion manufacturers may alter their ingredient lists.  Actual product packaging and materials may contain more and/or different information than that shown on our website.  All information about the products on our website is provided for information purposes only. We recommend that you do not solely rely on the information presented on our website.  Please always read the labels, warnings, and directions provided with the product before using or consuming a product.  In the event of any safety concerns or for any other information about a product please carefully read any instructions provided on the label or packaging and contact the manufacturer.  Content on this site is not intended to substitute for advice given by medical practitioner, pharmacist, or other licensed health-care professional. Contact your health-care provider immediately if you suspect that you have a medical problem.  Information and statements about products are not intended to be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.  The customer reviews are only moderated for offensive content – they should not be regarded as medical or health advice; no reliance should therefore be placed on them; and they are not endorsed by Victoria Health. If you have any health problems or questions regarding the suitability of any product please contact a health professional. Products are not medicinal unless otherwise stated. Victoria Health accepts no liability for inaccuracies or misstatements about products by manufacturers or other third parties. This does not affect your statutory rights.