In a recent clinical trial published in the renowned 'International Journal of Obesity, investigators found that the intake of antioxidant vitamin supplements improved micronutrient levels during pregnancy but did not have any significant impact on biomarkers of inflammation or oxidative stress.

Sarbattama Sen et al. aimed to address the impact of obesity-related inflammation and oxidative stress during pregnancy by supplementing a higher dose of antioxidant micronutrients in their latest randomized controlled trial.

One-hundred and twenty-eight obese pregnant women (less than 13 weeks of gestation) with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2 were enrolled in this study. Blood and urine samples were collected at various stages of pregnancy to measure concentrations of key antioxidant vitamins (Vitamin C, E B6 and Folate), inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, Interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8 and IL-1β) and oxidative stress (8-Epi-Prostaglandin-F2α and Malondialdehyde).

The women in the main treatment group (supplement containing higher doses of vitamin C, E, B6 and Folic acid [Vitamin B9]) showed increased levels of vitamin B6 compared to the control group. However, the concentrations of vitamins C and E, as well as erythrocyte RBC Folate did not vary considerably between the treatment and control groups. The use of prenatal vitamins did not have a noteworthy impact on biomarkers of inflammation or oxidative stress in pregnant women with obesity. Also, there were no extraordinary discrepancies were noted in the mother or neonatal clinical outcomes. Furthermore, no notable differences in maternal or neonatal clinical outcomes were observed.