Many parents ask themselves which supplements are suitable for children and when they should be used. The cause of vitamin and mineral deficiencies in the youngest can be insufficient intake of these nutrients in the diet. Another reason is impaired absorption of the nutrient in question in the digestive tract. It also happens that children suffer from food intolerances or have an increased need for a particular substance due to a medical condition.
Supplements for your child should be 100% safe and needs-oriented. Which preparations are actually worth reaching for? Here are some tips.
Which dietary supplements for children deserve attention?
There are four fat-soluble vitamins, i.e. A, D, E and K, and ten water-soluble ones: biotin, choline, B vitamins and vitamin C. They are all essential compounds for the body to function properly.
The body does not produce most of them on its own. We therefore need to supply them externally in the form of food or supplements. Vitamins not only play a regulatory role but are also involved in many processes, such as immune function, digestion, and energy production. What ingredients in children's supplements should we pay particular attention to?
- In the youngest children, B vitamins are particularly important. They are responsible for the proper functioning of the nervous system. They are essential for the learning process, as they support memory and concentration. In addition, vitamin B12 should be an obligatory supplement for a child on a vegetarian diet.
- Equally indispensable are vitamins A, D, E and K, which are responsible, among other things, for the condition of bones, teeth, skin and tissue building. All of them are necessary for the maintenance of health, as well as for the proper maturation and growth of the young organism. Therefore, it is worth teaching your child to eat in a variety of ways from the beginning. Nevertheless, it is sometimes difficult to provide all the nutrients in the diet. Some children eat selectively or have problems with their body's functioning, for example, due to allergies, illnesses, or disorders in the absorption of certain substances from food. In such cases, we should consider supplementation.
- For vitamins D and K, supplementation is recommended for everyone, especially infants. These two components play a key role in bone mineralisation. Their deficiencies can be extremely dangerous, manifesting themselves, among others, in bone structure disorders, osteopenia, or osteoporosis. In addition, vitamin D plays a role in building immunity in people of all ages (!).
Baby supplements by age
When determining the type and dose of a supplement, consider the child's health and age. Dietary supplements for newborns and infants are usually limited to preparations containing vitamin K, to prevent coagulation disorders, and vitamin D3, which is important for bone and tooth development. Only at the end of the 6th month of life is it time to expand the diet.
A supplement for children aged 1 to 3 mainly consists of products containing vitamins A, E, K, C, and the B vitamins. However, preschoolers often eat selectively, which can lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. If the child eats a variety of foods, vitamin D supplementation is usually sufficient. However, in cases of food neophobia or reduced appetite, dietary deficiencies can be supplemented with a properly selected supplement. During this period, the need for B vitamins increases, as does that for vitamins A, E, K, and C. The same is true at school age.
Vitamin jellies: tasty food supplements for children
If a kid is not getting all the necessary nutrients from their diet, a children's dietary supplement can be introduced. Vitamin jellies, which combine vitamin sets with certified plant extracts, have become particularly popular in recent years. Their effect is based on a combination of biologically active substances derived from natural fruit extracts. When choosing them, one should be guided by a high standardisation index - this is the factor that indicates whether the product will be effective.
With the youngest children in mind, the Best4Kids children's supplement was created, containing ingredients such as bromelain from pineapple, cranberry, pomegranate, rosehip, and chokeberry extracts. The product contains not only natural plant extracts but also a set of B vitamins that support brain health, as well as vitamins K and D3, and vitamins A and E. Thanks to its tasty gummy form, the preparation is exceptionally pleasant to use.
Sources:
- Rusińska A., Płudowski P., Walczak M. i inni, Zasady suplementacji i leczenia witaminą D - nowelizacja 2018 r., Postępy Neonatologii, 2018, 24 (1).
- H. Weker, M. Barańska, M. Strucińska, Poradnik żywienia dziecka w wieku od 1. do 3. roku życia: https://www.imid.med.pl/images/do-pobrania/poradnik.pdf
- Jarosz M., Zasady prawidłowego żywienia dzieci i młodzieży oraz wskazówki dotyczące zdrowego stylu życia, Instytut Żywności i Żywienia, 2008, wydanie I.
- Prof. dr hab. med. J. Książyk, prof. dr hab. med. J. Szczapa, dr med. P. Sawiec, Witaminy w diecie dziecka: https://www.mp.pl/pacjent/pediatria/zywienie/52608,witaminy-w-diecie-dziecka
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