Supplements are just that, a supplement to one’s diet and wellness routine. Adults and children alike should aim to meet their daily nutritional needs from food before relying on supplements. However, supplements can help fill nutritional gaps, provide added support during times of illness or stress, and support unique dietary or health needs.
Which Kids Are Good Candidates for Taking Vitamins?
While meeting nutritional needs through food first is ideal, there are times when children especially benefit from supplementation. Children who are picky eaters, have dietary aversions, fall short of consuming their daily value of vitamins and minerals through foods, or have health conditions or food allergies are at risk for not meeting their recommended daily intake of essential nutrients. Achildren’s multivitamincan help ensure they’re getting enough of a variety of vitamins and minerals foroptimal growth and development.
Common Nutritional Deficiencies
The most common nutritional deficiencies seen in children are iron and vitamin D deficiencies.1
Pale skinIrritabilityFatigue and lack of energyFast heartbeatSore or swollen tongueEnlarged spleenLoss of appetiteDizzinessPica (desire to eat non-food substances such as dirt or ice)
Pale skin
Irritability
Fatigue and lack of energy
Fast heartbeat
Sore or swollen tongue
Enlarged spleen
Loss of appetite
Dizziness
Pica (desire to eat non-food substances such as dirt or ice)
Rickets (muscle weakness, bone pain, joint deformities, abnormal growth, and development)FatigueMuscle cramps, pain, or achesMood changesDepression
Rickets (muscle weakness, bone pain, joint deformities, abnormal growth, and development)
Fatigue
Muscle cramps, pain, or aches
Mood changes
Depression
Food Sources of Iron
Food sources of iron include beans, beef, pork, poultry,seafood, peas, dried fruits, dark leafy green vegetables, and iron-fortifiedcerealsand bread. For children low in iron, add the following foods to your meals and snacks:
RaisinsDried ApricotsTofuLentilsDried BeansSpinachChickpeasPeanut ButterEggs
Raisins
Dried Apricots
Tofu
Lentils
Dried Beans
Spinach
Chickpeas
Peanut Butter
Eggs
Consuming vitamin C-rich foods at the same time as iron-rich foods can help improve iron absorption. Vitamin C-rich foods include citrus fruits, bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and kiwi. Foods rich in calcium, like milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream, can interfere with iron absorption. So, for children with low iron levels, it’s important to be mindful of the total daily intake of dairy-based foods.
Your child’s pediatrician may recommend achild’s iron supplementwhen iron levels are below optimal and diet alone hasn’t improved them. Because iron poisoning is a leading cause of death among young children, always consult a healthcare provider for a proper assessment, blood work, and supplementation dosage guidance before giving your child iron supplements to ensure their safety.2
Food Sources of Vitamin D
Consuming an optimal amount of vitamin D through diet alone is difficult, as many foods are low in or void of vitamin D.
Foods containing vitamin D include:
Wild mushroomsSalmonSardinesCod liver oilEgg yolksCanned tunaVitamin D-fortified foods
Wild mushrooms
Salmon
Sardines
Cod liver oil
Egg yolks
Canned tuna
Vitamin D-fortified foods
You may support optimal vitamin D levels by spending five to 30 minutes a day in the sun without sunscreen. Avitamin D supplementmay also be necessary for those experiencing low vitamin D levels, those living in climates with minimal sunshine, and during the winter and spring months.
Micronutrient Requirements for Children Ages 4 to 13 Years Old
In addition to vitamin D and iron, common nutrient deficiencies in children may includevitamin C,calcium,magnesium,potassium,zinc, andfiber.
The recommended daily intake of vitamins and minerals for children are as follows:3
Micronutrient
Age 4–8
Age 9–13
Biotin
12 mcg
20 mcg
Folate
200 mcg
300 mcg
Niacin
8 mg
12 mg
Pantothenic Acid
3 mg
4 mg
Riboflavin
600 mcg
900 mcg
Thiamin
600 mcg
900 mcg
Vitamin A
1333 IU
2000 IU
Vitamin B6
600 mcg
1 mg
Vitamin B12
1.2 mcg
1.8 mcg
Vitamin C
25 mg
45 mg
Vitamin D
600 IU
600 IU
Vitamin E
10.5 IU
16.5 IU
Vitamin K
55 mcg
60 mcg
Calcium
1000 mg
1300 mg
Copper
440 mcg
700 mcg
Iron
10 mg
8 mg
Magnesium
130 mg
240 mg
Zinc
5 mg
8 mg
Choline
250 mg
375 mg
Best Supplements for Kids to Take
In addition to amultivitamin, aprobiotic supplementcan support optimal gut health. Probiotics are the “friendly” bacteria that support a healthy gut microbiome, the community of bacteria living within the gut. The body needs more beneficial bacteria than harmful bacteria to stay healthy. An overgrowth of bad bacteria is known as gut dysbiosis and can lead to symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, and stomach cramps.
Foods naturally rich in probiotics include fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, yogurt, and sourdough bread. A probiotic supplement can offer consistent probiotic support. Because there are a variety of different probiotic strains, probiotic supplements can also provide individualized and targeted probiotic support.
During cold and flu season, children may benefit from supplements that provide additional immune system support, includingvitamin C,zinc, andelderberry. Elderberry has anti-inflammatory properties and may help support immune system function.
How to Choose the Best Vitamins for Your Child
Since not all supplements are created equal, learning what to look for when shopping for supplements is important. Seek supplements from reputable brands that use quality ingredients, are third-party tested, and offer transparent lab reports.
Buying from a reputable brand is essential when choosing the best vitamins for your child. Use a resource like ConsumerLab.com, which provides independent test results and information to consumers and health professionals to ensure the quality of supplements.
Third-party testing is a quality control process that helps ensure the claims on a label are accurate. From the manufacturing process to product safety and supplement claims, third-party testing helps provide unbiased, accurate test results to give consumers and health professionals peace of mind.
While companies can claim to be third-party tested, openly sharing test and lab results with consumers provides an additional layer of confidence. Whether companies post lab testing on their website or provide test results upon request, transparency in supplements is key for ensuring the safety of products given to children.
Ingredients to Avoid in Supplements for Children
While testing and product health claims are essential, reading the ingredients list is also important before giving any supplement to your child. For children, it’s best to avoid supplements containing artificial coloring, artificial sweeteners, or ingredients like high fructose corn syrup.
Avoid supplements containing artificial dyes like Red 40, Red 3, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6. Studies have associated with poorer gastrointestinal health and behavior issues in children.
Avoid supplements with artificial sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin, as well as other calorie-free sugar substitutes. Artificial sweeteners may negatively impact gastrointestinal health, leading to digestive problems like bloating, abdominal discomfort, irregular bowel movements, and gut microbial imbalance.
Titanium dioxide is an ingredient commonly used in supplements to make capsules appear whiter. However, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has labeled it unsafe by due to concerns regarding its genotoxicity, the ability of a chemical to damage or change genetic cells.
Artificial flavoring is an umbrella term for many artificial chemicals that companies are not obligated to disclose. When possible, aim to avoid supplements with artificial flavoring.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends avoiding all added sugar for children under two years old. For children over the age of two, the AAP recommends less than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day. Therefore, be mindful of vitamins, minerals, or other supplements for children high in added sugars.
Sugar can appear on ingredient lists with over 61 different names, including dextrose, fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose, beet sugar, brown sugar, cane juice crystals, cane sugar, castor sugar, coconut sugar, confectioner’s sugar, corn syrup solids, crystalline fructose, date sugar, barley malt, rice syrup, agave nectar, and maltodextrin… to name a few!
How to Store and Use Vitamins Safely for Children
Follow these tips to ensure supplement safety around children:
Store vitamins in a high cupboard out of reach from childrenUse a safety lock on cupboards where supplements are storedEnsure that supplement lids are fully closed after each useDo not allow children to self-serve supplements—supplementation should always be in the presence of and monitored by an adultOpt for chewable, liquid, or gummy supplements for children who are young and at risk of choking or not capable of swallowing pillsRead the age-appropriate recommended dosage and frequency on a supplement’s packaging prior to consumptionFor any questions or concerns regarding supplement safety, consult your doctor, pediatrician, or registered dietitian nutritionist
Store vitamins in a high cupboard out of reach from children
Use a safety lock on cupboards where supplements are stored
Ensure that supplement lids are fully closed after each use
Do not allow children to self-serve supplements—supplementation should always be in the presence of and monitored by an adult
Opt for chewable, liquid, or gummy supplements for children who are young and at risk of choking or not capable of swallowing pills
Read the age-appropriate recommended dosage and frequency on a supplement’s packaging prior to consumption
For any questions or concerns regarding supplement safety, consult your doctor, pediatrician, or registered dietitian nutritionist
Summary
Children who consume a varied, wholesome, whole-food diet are likely to meet their recommended daily intake of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. However, children’s supplements can provide parents and caregivers with peace of mind knowing any nutritional gaps are filled—especially for children who have dietary aversions or allergies, or whose diets lack diversity because they tend to eat the same familiar meals over and over again.
While vitamin D and iron are the most common nutritional deficiencies for children, calcium, zinc, potassium, magnesium, and fiber are additional nutrients children may lack. At a minimum, aquality multivitaminand probiotic are great supplement staples for children needing extra nutrition support.
