Childhood is a critical time for growth and development. Kids need all the nutrients (carbs, fats, protein, minerals, vitamins, and water) in balanced amounts for growing both mentally and physically. If any of these nutrients are lacking, they develop deficiencies that may stay with them for life.
Kids vitamins, along with a healthy diet vital from a variety of food sources are key to a child's development. It is good if your kids are regularly taking vitamins in adequate amounts. However, like some other parents, you might be confused about the best time for kids to take a vitamin or mineral supplement? If so, then keep reading to discover.
What Time Should Vitamin and Mineral Supplements Be Taken?
Think about what time of the day parents usually gives vitamins to their children? Some parents give vitamins in the afternoon and some during the morning. Some prefer giving vitamins in the morning on an empty stomach while some fat soluble vitamins are best when taken with a meal to help stimulate digestion.
Preliminary research suggests taking certain vitamins can depend on the body's absorption and dietary pattern too.
There are some dietary supplements that can interact with certain foods like grapefruits and other citrus fruits and milk too. It may be best to seek professional medical advice before giving any dietary supplements to your children.
Why Does The Timing Mater for Vitamin Supplementation?
The question may pop up in your mind: Why should I consider the time before giving any vitamins to my kids? It is essential to provide supplements to kids on time to ensure they are absorbed properly to sustain their hectic activities and keep them fresh throughout the day.
Remember, all vitamins work differently. There are two major types of vitamins: one is water-soluble, and the other is fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins include biotin, riboflavin, folate, thiamine, niacin, pantothenic acid, Vitamin C, several B Vitamins including B6, B12, and folic acid. On the other side, fat-soluble vitamins include Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K.
As the name suggests, water soluble nutrients dissolve in water. Our body absorbs and can utilize these vitamins at any time of the day even on an empty stomach. It helps if you give your kids these vitamins with a full glass of water. Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in fat to produce favorable outcomes for the body.
Like many other nutrients, some vitamins also interfere with the absorption of other vitamins. For instance, Vitamin C interferes with the absorption of vitamin B12 and prevents the body from utilizing it effectively. Some mineral supplements can also halt the absorption of a few vitamins too. That is why it's critical to give vitamins and minerals to your children on different schedules.
Morning Is The Best Time to Give Vitamins to Kids
Preliminary research suggests taking vitamins in the morning is the perfect time to give vitamins to your children. You can give them the nutrition supplements after they finish their breakfast. Here are three reasons why:
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Because most parents consider breakfast as the most important meal of the day, they are less likely to forget about giving vitamins to their kids.
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Vitamins assist in the body's absorption of other nutrients kids receive from food during breakfast. It means that they can reap the maximum benefits of the food they consume in the morning if they take most supplements right after finishing their meal.
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Evidence suggests that Vitamin C stays in the bloodstream only for a few hours so it is better to take it once in the morning to boost the immune system and give sufficient energy to your child.
Why Use a Nutrient Supplement When You Have Food?
Giving vitamin supplements to your little ones may seem a choice. Although there was no need for taking vitamin supplements for child health years ago, times have changed. Kids need supplements because:
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Different foods provide different nutrients. Many kids are picky eaters. They do not like to eat every food, even when asked repeatedly. Ultimately they start lacking nutrients that foods could provide. In this scenario, the role of supplements might be needed.
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Due to hectic schedules, parents are not always free to cook meals, so they go for ready-to-eat meals which are not as nutritious.
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Kids with digestive issues, asthma, and other medical issues, especially if they are taking medicines, require supplements to meet their nutritional needs. However, it is advisable to consult your kid's doctor before giving them vitamin supplements if they are on other morning medications.
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Kids who eat a lot of processed food, convenience food, and fast food can become nutrient deficient and thus require supplements.
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Kids who are vegan, vegetarian, or on a dairy-free diet may lack some nutrients that occurs naturally for others and therefore necessitate supplements.
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Kids who drink carbonated drinks and sodas need supplements because these drinks leach vitamins from their bodies.
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Kids with food intolerances, especially lactose and gluten intolerances. need vitamins and minerals in supplement to fulfil their dietary requirements.
Benefits of Multivitamin Supplements for Kids
Vegetables are a good source of vitamins. However, kids today do not like veggies. Their bodies start relying on vitamins and other nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin D, B Vitamins, folic acid, and other mineral supplements to develop correctly as they grow. Although a balanced healthy diet can provide adequate vitamins and nutrients, it may not always be possible. The following reasons suggest why you should give multivitamins to your kids daily:
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Multivitamins Tend to Fill Nutritional Gaps
While men multivitamin and women multivitamin supplements are taken for boosted energy and optimal health, the same is the case with kids. Multivitamin supplements are a great way to fill nutritional gaps that may affect your kids' ability to be in good health.
Especially if your child is a picky eater, you may discover some nutritional deficiencies in them. These deficiencies can be benefited from multivitamin supplements that provide them vitamins they need every day. You can read Daily Reference Intakes to have an insight into what amounts of vitamins your kids require on a daily basis. You will be amazed to know what your kids may not be getting enough of through diet.
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Multivitamins Help Get Stronger Bones
Younger children can get into mischief growing up. Sometimes you will see them playing with friends outside and participating in team sports. Regardless of whatever they do, you want to ensure that rough plays do not mean broken bones. For that reason, you need to give multivitamin supplements to support bone growth.
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Multivitamins Help Keep the Immune System Strong
At any time of the year, whether it's cold winter days or scorching summer days, you want to ensure that your kids remain healthy throughout the year. The best way to do so is to ensure that their body is fully supported.
Vitamins like Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Vitamin E help support your kids' immune functions and thus keep them healthy and happy. You may get worried when your kids get a cold or flu. Multivitamins are beneficial to help your child recover faster.
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Great Initiative to Develop Healthy Habits
When you have your child take vitamins every morning, they will soon get used to it. You can tell them why vitamins are necessary for them. You children will learn fast. They will remember to take and enjoy their vitamins every morning considering them vital for good health as they grow up.
Which is the Best Multivitamin Supplement?
After knowing learning about the best time to give your kids a vitamin supplement, you may be wondering what the best multivitamin supplement available on the market. 70,000 families believe our Kids Multivitamin is superior to other multivitamin supplements.
It includes nine essential vitamins that are: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, and five different B Vitamins including B1, B2, B6, folic acid, and Vitamin B12. Here are three reasons that make First Day's Kids Daily Essential stands on top of the list:
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It is made up of Organic Fruits and Vegetables
Every gummy is packed up with 12 organic veggies and fruits and contains useful phytonutrients and antioxidants. The vegetables and fruits are gathered worldwide and are produced according to the highest standards.
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They are Formulated Based on the Latest Science
First Day products are designed to make certain that your kids are getting exactly what their bodies require. After comprehensive research, going through more than 35,000 studies on pediatric health, the Kids Multivitamin was created.
You can be confident that your kids receive all the essentials for healthy development and growth every time you hand them their daily serving. You can give these to your kids on an empty stomach or with food.
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They Contain Up to 80 Percent Less Sugar
Many kids' snacks are loaded with sugar. However, instead of giving your kids vitamins coated with sugar, provide them with vitamins that are made up of veggies and fruits. Instead you can get original vitamin supplement rather than sugar bombs presented as vitamins.
The flavors of these tiny gummies are extracted from fresh fruits like oranges and strawberries. That is the reason kids love this delightful treat and ask for more.
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It Supports Daily Good Health
When you provide your children our daily multivitamin after breakfast it supports their health in the following ways:
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Healthy Development and Growth
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Improved Brain Function
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Emotional Development
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Immunity Support
Kids cannot get these benefits from fast foods, processed meals, and unhealthy snacks they consume on a daily basis.
Not all kids will love their vegetables. If you have a picky eater, and a narrow selection of food choices so in that scenario, supplements can be helpful to prevent deficiencies and ensure proper growth.
An Overview of The Vitamins in First Day's Daily Kids Multivitamin:
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Vitamin A
This is important for your vision.
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Vitamin C
This is needed for the repair of tissues in every part of the body. This can also boost the immune system aiding in the body's natural defence of illness.
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Vitamin D
Helps boost calcium absorption and phosphorus in the body helping your body process multiple nutrients simultaneously that are all important for maintaining healthy bones.
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Vitamin K2
This is good for heart health. It also plays a key role in the metabolism of calcium.
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Vitamin B1
Supports brain functions.
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Vitamin B2
Helps your child improve focus to explore and learn new things.
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Vitamin B6
This is important for keeping the immune system and nervous system healthy. It is also necessary for proper brain development.
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Folic Acid
This plays multiple roles in the human body. It is required for the production of healthy red blood cells. It helps in cell growth, cell division, and the synthesis of DNA and RNA. It also enhances brain activities.
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Vitamin B12
Plays a central role in the function and development of nerve cells and the brain. It is required for the formation of DNA and red blood cells as well.
Why Are Certain Minerals Not Included?
The major reason for not including iron supplements or calcium supplements in First Day's kids gummies is because your kid can easily get these from everyday foods.
Calcium absorption and iron absorption is best coming from food rather than a supplement tablet. Eggs, cocoa, nuts, seeds, avocados, beans, and organ meats are packed with these minerals. Although our kids gummies provide you with only the essential vitamins you need, other supplements typically provide calcium and iron in abundance.
Over supplementation is not the best way to boost iron absorption or to ensure your kids body absorbs calcium. To fulfill the daily vitamin requirement, your kid needs to eat a lot of these foods. It's also why we ensure the right level of fat soluble vitamins and, b vitamins, and other vitamins so you can focus on getting your children the other minerals they need.
Bottom Line
The best way to ensure your child is getting the nutrients they need is from their food. Calcium supplements and Iron supplements should be avoided, but if you have a picky eater they may not get all the vitamins they need on a daily basis.
A multivitamin can be a great way to make sure your child's baselines are covered. Giving them this supplement in the morning after breakfast is the best time to establish a routine.
Dr. Zainab Naeem, DDNS
Zainab Naeem, Doctor of Nutrition and Dietetics has attained the degree of DDNS and is a nutritionist/ dietitian by profession and a writer by choice. She has attained the degree as a Nutritionist from The University of Lahore and has worked as a community nutritionist intern at Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore and Clinical Nutritionist from Mayo Hospital, Lahore Pakistan. She is also pursuing her degree in Associate degree in Psychology from Virtual University of Pakistan. She has been working as a nutrition and medical blog writer from past 4 years and many of her articles are published on various platforms. Zainab believes that a healthy body needs a healthy mind and her writings revolve around the concept of good nutrition along with working on the mental health too.
She is Co-Author at https://writingstake.com/ and https://sehatnutrition.org/. She is also a co-author in two anthologies and love to pen down her emotions on paper in the form of her writings. As a digital publisher, she has wrote numerous articles and wellness blogs for various clients as a freelance writer. And is currently working as a freelance nutritionist. You can get in contact with the nutritionist through platform https://sehatnutrition.org/ where she is serving as a Head of Hosting and Content writing or can reach her out on IG: xayni_de_artista.
