Thoughts on Supplements
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My sister has sent me many screenshots from Amazon or from the pharmacy along with a text, “Is this the right one?! You said get vitamin D but there are like 27 kinds!” If you aren’t already experiencing plenty of decision fatigue in your life – try to pick out vitamins or supplements for your family. The choices are endless.
I am going to share with you what I give my own children. This does not mean that it is the only or even the best choice. I’ve done what all parents try to do – I’ve made the best decisions I can with the information I have.
To cut back on my own decision fatigue I stick with two brands that I’ve come to trust. The first is MaryRuth’s. You can read more about their line of vitamins and supplements here. The second is SmartyPants which I will link to below. For full disclosure, I prefer MaryRuth’s but they are also more expensive and Costco now carries SmartyPants and often has them on sale. Like most families, we often end up making choices based on price.
- Vitamin D: This is a very important supplement because very little vitamin D comes naturally from food sources. Vitamin D comes from exposure to sunlight and from some fatty foods such as salmon or cod liver oil. Many dairy products and cereals are fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D plays a very important role in bone formation and in the functioning of the immune system. We are also learning more all the time about the role it plays in mental health. You can read a lot of interesting information about vitamin D at: www.vitamindcouncil.org. This is an especially important supplement for breastfeeding babies as there is very little Vitamin D in breastmilk and babies get so little exposure to the sun (for good reason!). I really like the MaryRuth’s spray version of vitamin D. I’ve also used this one for my baby. Formula is already fortified with vitamin D so rarely are formula-fed babies deficient. My big kids (age seven) get vitamin D in their multivitamin and during the winter they also get 2-3 sprays per day additionally of the MaryRuth’s version because we live in a part of the world that doesn’t get much sun for half of the year.
- Multivitamins: There are very mixed opinions about whether children over two years of age should get multivitamins. Ideally, kids will eat a well-rounded and balanced diet and be getting all their necessary nutrients from their food. However, this isn’t always the case so in our home we supplement our kids diet with a multivitamin. This is the one we use. I recommend it because it is free from GMOs, synthetic colors, artificial flavors and almost all allergens (wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts) so it’s a safe choice for most families. I also like that the B vitamins are broken down into more bioavailable (more easily digested and processed) forms. The B-12 is in methylcobalamin form and the folate is metylfolate. MaryRuth’s multivitamin liquid is a better choice if you’re looking for less sugar. But my kids love their gummies so we stick with SmartyPants for now.
- Elderberry: I didn’t start my kids on this until they were three but they now take it daily during cold/flu season. There isn’t a lot of well-researched studies about it so I certainly can’t prove it’s effectiveness but if nothing else it’s packed with antioxidants which boost the immune system. It is important to note here that supplements are not regulated by the FDA so I always caution people that if they are going to use supplements, do your research well. I personally only buy from specific well-known brands. This is the elderberry I keep on hand. Also, if your child is on any sort of medication you should check with your healthcare provider as herbs and supplements can interact with various medications.
- Probiotics: In our guts we have both “good” and “bad” bacteria that play roles in breaking down and processing our food. When an imbalance in these types of bacteria occur, it can impact digestion and immunity. My preference is the MaryRuth’s probiotic drops. I keep these on hand as well although they’re not my first choice. I also include fermented foods in their diet (mainly kefir which is a yogurt like product that I add to smoothies) which contain naturally occurring probiotics.
- Omega-3s: Omega 3s are essential fatty acids that play a vital role in brain formation which is why it’s particularly important that babies and children get enough in their diets. Omega-3s also play a huge part in heart health, eye development and they also fight inflammation. I will include the link here to the supplement we use. Here is a link from the Mayo Clinic where you can read a bit more about the benefits of Omega-3s.
I hope this information is helpful to you as you navigate just one of the 9,000 daily choices we make for our kids and families every day!