Antioxidant Supplements in Pregnancy, Breastfeeding and Children
What official sources say about antioxidant supplements in pregnancy, breastfeeding and childhood: vitamin A limits, vitamin E and C trial findings, berberine warnings and why untested means ask first.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Urgent first
If a child has swallowed a large number of vitamin or supplement tablets, call US Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 if the child is unwell, collapsed or struggling to breathe. Other countries: see poison help by country. Do not wait for symptoms.The big picture
Most antioxidant supplements have not been tested in pregnant or nursing women or in children. NCCIH says many dietary supplements "have not been tested in pregnant women, nursing mothers, or children" and that it is especially important to consult a health care provider before using one in these groups. [1][2] Foods are a different question; this page covers supplements only. For general pregnancy guidance see Pregnancy & Breastfeeding safety and Children & Teens safety.Breastfeeding
NCCIH says there is little information on turmeric above food amounts while breastfeeding, and warns that caffeine from green tea passes into breast milk. [7][9] Berberine is not recommended while breastfeeding by NCCIH. [8] For most other antioxidant supplements, breastfeeding safety is not described in the sources we read. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before using any supplement while breastfeeding.Infants and children
- The UK government advice cited by the NHS is that all children aged 6 months to 5 years get vitamin drops containing vitamins A, C and D; this is a public-health recommendation for the UK, not a reason to add other antioxidants. [10]
- The NHS warns that too much of some vitamins can be harmful, to follow the label and to avoid giving two supplements at once, giving cod liver oil plus vitamin drops as an example. [10]
- Berberine should not be given to infants. [8] A review of berberine toxicity also advises caution in the neonatal period and in G6PD deficiency. [11]
- We did not find, in the sources read, a pediatric dosing table for antioxidant supplements, so none is given here.
Keep supplements out of reach of children; see also vitamins for children and teenagers.
Questions to bring to a clinician
- Does my prenatal product already contain vitamin A, C or E?
- Is this ingredient (for example berberine) known to be a concern in pregnancy or for a newborn?
- Is there a medicine or condition (such as G6PD deficiency) that changes the answer?
Frequently asked questions
Is vitamin E supplementation recommended to prevent pre-eclampsia?
Not routinely. A 2015 Cochrane review found the data did not support routine use of vitamin E with other supplements for that purpose. [5]
Can I take supplements that contain vitamin A while pregnant?
The NHS says not to take supplements containing vitamin A (retinol) during pregnancy. Check the label and ask a midwife, doctor or pharmacist. [3]
Is berberine safe for babies and breastfeeding?
NCCIH says it should not be given to infants or used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. [8]
Are antioxidant supplements tested in children?
Many dietary supplements have not been tested in children, according to NCCIH. [1]
Where do I find help if a child swallowed supplements?
In the US, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 or 911 if the child is unwell.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Pregnancy: what the sources say, by compound
| Compound | What the source says | Source, year | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A (retinol) | NHS (UK): do not take cod liver oil or supplements containing vitamin A when pregnant, because too much can harm the baby's development | NHS, page reviewed June 2026 [3] | Official advice |
| Vitamin A, large doses | "Large doses of vitamin A in pregnant women can also cause birth defects" | MedlinePlus [4] | Official information |
| Vitamin E with other supplements | Cochrane review of 21 trials (22,129 women): data "do not support routine" use to prevent stillbirth, preterm birth, pre-eclampsia or poor fetal growth; one outcome (placental abruption) was lower, and term prelabour rupture of membranes higher | Cochrane, 2015 [5] | Moderate to high quality for most outcomes |
| Vitamin C, large doses | MedlinePlus says large doses are not recommended in pregnancy; they can lead to a shortage of vitamin C in the baby after delivery | MedlinePlus, updated 2025 [6] | Official information |
| Turmeric supplements | May be unsafe in pregnancy | NCCIH, 2025 [7] | Official advice |
| Berberine | Should not be used during pregnancy or while breastfeeding or given to infants; linked to harmful bilirubin build-up in infants | NCCIH, 2023 [8] | Official advice |
All vitamin E trials in that Cochrane review gave vitamin E together with other agents (mostly vitamin C), so the findings cannot be split by single nutrient. [5] For beta-carotene, CoQ10, alpha-lipoic acid, glutathione, quercetin and resveratrol in pregnancy, safety data are not described in the sources we read here. Proper evidence not found: we looked at NCCIH, NHS, MedlinePlus and Cochrane pages for those compounds on this topic. Dedicated pages: Antioxidants in Pregnancy: Trial Results and Berberine in Pregnancy, Infants and Liver Conditions.
References
- NCCIH, Using Dietary Supplements Wisely (2019). Read 2026-10-23.
- NCCIH, Antioxidant Supplements: What You Need To Know (July 2023). Read 2026-10-23.
- NHS, Pregnancy vitamins and supplements (page last reviewed June 2026). Read 2026-10-23.
- MedlinePlus, Vitamin A. Read 2026-10-23.
- Rumbold et al., Vitamin E supplementation in pregnancy (Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015). Read 2026-10-23.
- MedlinePlus, Vitamin C (editorial update Aug 2025). Read 2026-10-23.
- NCCIH, Turmeric (Apr 2025). Read 2026-10-23.
- NCCIH, Diabetes and Dietary Supplements (Nov 2023). Read 2026-10-23.
- NCCIH, Green Tea (Feb 2025). Read 2026-10-23.
- NHS, Vitamins for children (page last reviewed May 2024). Read 2026-10-23.
- Rad et al., Toxicology effects of Berberis vulgaris (barberry) and its active constituent, berberine: a review (Iran J Basic Med Sci 2017). Read 2026-10-23.