Vitamins & Minerals
Multivitamins and Minerals
What are childrens multivitamin and mineral products?
Children of 3 years and over have the same Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) levels for vitamins and minerals as adults. Lower levels are recommended for children from 4 months to 3 years and typically this is about half of the adult level. Refer to the chart of RDA values for more information.
Most children’s multivitamin and mineral products aim to provide half of the RDA level. The presumption is that the other 50% comes from diet. The assessment of value in our survey will be based on provision of 50% of the RDA at the recommended daily dose. Absence of any vitamins, as well as lower or higher than 50% RDA amounts will also be taken into account in the SC assessment.
Should Children Take Multivitamin and Mineral Supplements?
The answer to this question should be a provisional yes, on the basis that some children’s diets may not supply the necessary levels of nutrients. Additionally, there are some research studies which show potential benefits from supplementation, and also because these vitamins are safe for children unless significant overdosing occurs, then it provides an insurance policy that micronutrient needs are being covered.
Vitamins and mineral products for children under 3 years are always presented as liquids or syrups. For children over three years of age, chewable tablets, or more recently, jelly type sweets. All of these potentially overcome the problem of getting children to take the traditional tablet and capsule forms.