Vitamins for children: Do healthy children need vitamins?

If you believe the advertisements, every child needs a daily vitamin tablet. But is this true?

Not necessarily, the experts agree. Ideally, children should get their vitamins from a balanced, healthy diet that includes:

• milk and dairy products like cheese and yoghurt
• plenty of fresh fruits and leafy, green vegetables (yes, that means the broccoli and spinach they hate)
• protein like chicken, fish, meat, and eggs
• whole grains like oatmeal and brown rice

Which children need vitamin supplements?

Given the reality of busy parents, those well-rounded, home-cooked meals aren't always possible. That's why doctors may recommend a daily multivitamin or mineral supplement for:

• children who aren't eating regular, well-balanced meals made from fresh, whole foods
• picky eaters who simply aren't eating enough
• children with chronic medical conditions such as asthma or digestive problems, especially if they're taking any medicines (make sure you talk to your child's doctor first before starting a supplement if your child is on medication)
• particularly active children who play physically demanding sports
• children eating a lot of fast-food meals, convenience foods, and processed foods
• children on a vegetarian diet (they may need an iron supplement), a dairy-free diet (they may need a calcium supplement), or other restricted diet
• children who drink a lot of fizzy drinks, which can leach vitamins and minerals from their bodies

Top 6 vitamins and minerals -- and benefits -- for children

In the alphabet soup of vitamins and minerals, a few stand out as critical for growing children.

• Vitamin A promotes normal growth and development; tissue and bone repair; and healthy skin, eyes, and immune responses. Good sources include milk, cheese, eggs, and yellow-to-orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes and squash.
• Vitamin Bs. The family of B vitamins, B2, B3, B6, and B12, aid metabolism, energy production, and healthy circulatory and nervous systems. Good sources include meat, chicken, fish, nuts, eggs, milk, cheese, beans, and soya beans.
• Vitamin C promotes healthy muscles, connective tissue, and skin. Good sources include citrus fruit, strawberries, kiwi, tomatoes, and green vegetables like broccoli.
• Vitamin D promotes bone and tooth formation and helps the body absorb calcium. Good sources include milk, cheese, and yoghurt (especially fortified dairy products), egg yolks, and fish oil.
• Calcium helps build strong bones as a child grows. Good sources include milk, cheese, yoghurt, tofu, and calcium-fortified orange juice.
• Iron builds muscle and is essential for healthy red blood cells. Iron deficiency is a risk in adolescence, especially for girls once they begin to menstruate. Good sources include beef and other red meats, turkey, pork, spinach, beans, and prunes.

Megavitamins, large doses of vitamins, aren't a good idea for children. The fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) can be toxic if children overdose on excessive amounts.  The same is true for iron. Your children can get too much of a good thing.