Comments on: 5 Reasons To Consider A Multivitamin Supplement

By: Ashley Rodriguez

Ashley Rodriguez — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 07:23:04 +0000

It is important for children to have good nutrition in their growing years. This is especially true in today’s world, when our kids are more likely to prefer junk foods and candy to wholesome, nutritious food. I would recommend a chewable multi-vitamin since it is difficult to expect small children to swallow tablets. Liquid vitamins are good too, but children usually love the different-shaped and colored chewable vitamins and eagerly chew them. Choose a multi-vitamin from a good manufacturer as this ensures that your child is getting a quality product that meets label specifications.

By: Rob A

Rob A — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:19:33 +0000

Coming from the UK, where I am not aware of such a perceived ‘need’ for multivitamins, I am suspicious of the origins of this.

If children growing up in developed nations ‘need’ multivitamins how on earth do kids in developing countries get by where there are no multivitamin manufacturers around?

By: Natalie

Natalie — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:46:20 +0000

I have been giving my son a “gummy” vitamin for the past year and a half. He LOVES them. But he also loves fruit and vegetables. I have noticed a marked improvement in his health since starting the vitamins however. Other than well child check ups he has not had to visit a Dr in about a years time. We used to be there at least every other month or so for a cold or infection of some kind. He uses a chewable gummy vitamin, I am really not sure what brand, but it is Transformers shapes. the shape is VERY important to him.

By: Jodie

Jodie — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 19:02:08 +0000

There is still much we don’t know about the ways nutrients work together. A healthy body is an extremely complex system, and each functional area requires a diverse mix of nutrients. For many reasons, nutritional supplementation should provide nutrients that are both balanced and in adequate doses. For example, certain vitamins supplied in isolation can result in other nutritional deficiencies, and many micronutrients can be toxic at excessive or imbalanced levels. USANA painstakingly designed the Essentials to allow components to work together both safely and effectively.

To be useful, all nutrients must be of high quality and be bioavailable; in other words, in a form the body can absorb and use. USANA makes every effort to obtain the highest quality ingredients; and it tests those ingredients for quality and potency. In addition, USANA imposes rigorous quality control standards at every step of the manufacturing process. USANA Essentials are advanced daily nutritional supplements that supply optimal nutrition for every age group. To help meet the “essential” nutrient needs of children and teens during the years of development, when good nutrition is most important, USANA offers:

* Usanimals, a great-tasting formulation of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, in an easy-to-take chewable tablet. For children 13 months to 12 years old.
* BodyRox, a nutritional supplement containing 31 essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and cofactors for adolescents 12 to 18 years old, who need optimal nutrition to support the demands of growth and active teenage lifestyles.

By: Jamaise

Jamaise — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:09:19 +0000

I glad you mentioned that Debra.
Breast milk is designed as the perfect food for baby. It contains small amounts of vitamin D because nature intended for babies to be exposed to sunshine. Vitamin D in breast milk is intended to supplement the vitamin D that infants make themselves from sunshine; it is not to provide 100% of their daily requirement.
My feeling is that Breast milk is one of those absolutes that we don’t mess with. Really.
Read this info page. Number 6 relates to Vit. D in breast milk.
http://www.kellymom.com/newman/11some_bf_myths.html#6

By: jenna

jenna — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:31:55 +0000

the folks from juice plus say that “you crave what you eat” ie, if kids take their vitamins kids will want to eat more fruits and veggies. i don’t know if this is true from vitamins, but from a whole food diet i do believe it to be true. ie, our family eats lots of fruits and veggies and we like, crave, enjoy eating fruits and veggies.

i’m with ayala, don’t use vitamins as an excuse not to eat health promoting foods. there are other things that plant based foods do outside of vitamins for the body (promote proper gut function, provide good energy for body to support an active child’s lifestyle, and a host of other things) that you miss when you rely on a vitamin for health. use vitamins as a short term solution while you work on getting more plant based foods into your or your kids diet.

By: CanCan (Mom Most Traveled)

CanCan (Mom Most Traveled) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:50:08 +0000

My son takes a “My First Flintstone” or something like that for ages 2 and 3, and he also takes DHA/fish oil capsules for kids (strawberry flavored fish oil…ew…but he likes it) because it is good for eye health and also has been shown to help hyperactivity. And he doesn’t eat a lot of salmon, you know?

By: Ayala Laufer-Cahana MD

Ayala Laufer-Cahana MD — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 14:17:45 +0000

Sound advice.
As long as parents don’t get any false assurance from the multivitamin pill.

Many American kids eat a very poor diet that isn’t optimal for their health or weight, yet get plenty of vitamins.

Poor diets are common. Vitamin deficiency (besides Vit. D deficiency) is very rare in the US.

By: Debra

Debra — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:55:40 +0000

Hi there,
Important topic but a few corrections:

1. The AAP now recommends 400 IU of vitamin D as of November 2008. Should be started in the second month of life.

2. Breast milk is now low in vitamin D, it was never supposed to have it in the first place (its not really a vitamin, its a prohormone made from sun exposure). You can compensate for it in your diet, but only if you mega-dose, which should be done only under qualified care with regular blood work. Only high doses will be excreted into breat milk.

3. Children should not be fed low-fat diets, they need fat for their growing little brains. Children and breastfeeding moms should get at least 30% of calories from healthy fats. And meat can be a part of a healthy diet, it eaten with plenty of produce.

4. Breast milk contains enough iron and it is unlikely for a breastfed baby to become anemic because the iron in breast milk is highly absorbable.