Too Many Vitamins?

That's the beauty of working with someone like say, ME! I am a Nutraceutical Consultant with nutraMetrix (a Division of Market America). My job is to help people identify the correct nutrients and delivery systems that their body needs and provide them. I have many tools available to me to do so. I work mostly with health care professionals, but am able to assist a select group of people as well. (My services are FREE, but the products they need are not.) If you want to talk, I am happy to help you to sort this out!

S.

Have you spoken with your pediatrician? If he doesn't know - ask him to recommend you to a nutritionist that also is familiar with children. You should get the best of both worlds by having natural items - as well as what is required daily. But I feel this is the best way to do this without getting directed to someone's website or email~ :)

Hi T.---Here is a website that lists RDA's for everyone. Hope this helps. http://www.puristat.com/standardamericandiet/rda.aspx

I would like to add that RDA's are based on what a 150 lb. man needs to prevent diseases of deficiency during wartime. You'd probably agree that there aren't very many people diagnosed with vitamin deficiencies any longer. Another thing to remember is that there are numerous studies showing that isolated vitamins do not work in the body the way that nutrients from whole food do. In fact, it can be dangerous if a person consumes too much.

Your best source of nutrients is food. I have a really great chart that shares serving size requirements for kids of all ages that I would be happy to share with you.

Be very careful of isolated nutrients. Oprah had Consumer Labs do a study several years ago to see if what was on the label matched what was actually in the vitamins, and vice-versa. A couple of childrens vits had lead in them. Some prenatals didn't have all of the folic acid in them as listed on the label, etc.

Feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss any of the topics that I've touched on. I am passionate about health and prevention, so much that I am taking a series of wellness classes taught by a Naturopath who has her PhD in Nutrition. I've never been a regular vitamin taker, but I have found a great supplement made from 17 different fruits, veggies and grains and I wouldn't miss a day.

Oh, and it should be very important for you to call the manufacturer of any supplement you are looking at and ask them about any INDEPENDENT, peer-reviewed research that they've done ON THAT VITAMIN. It can't be research done on vit C, D, E, etc. It has to have been done, on the Flintstones product, for example. And it CAN'T have been done by the company that manufactures it. A manufacturer or product may be very good, but research done in-house could very possibly be biased.

I hope this all helps. Let me know if I can be of additional service. In health, D. ###-###-####

hi teresa,

I was looking in one of my kid nutrition books and it had a table of recommendations(I don't know where they got it from and it is a vegetarian book so I'm not sure if that changes anything for you.) For 4-8 years old it states for one day they should get Iron 18mg, 5mg zinc, 800 mg calcium, 1.2mcg of vitamin b12 and 5mcg of vitamin D. For 1-3 year olds, Iron 12mg, zinc 3mg, calcium 500 mg, B12 0.9mcg and Vitamin D 5 mcg.

Keep in mind when reading about vitamins that what is listed on the back of the container does not at all mean that is the amount your child is getting. A good potion of the vitamin will become waste...The absolute BEST place to get vitamins is in FOOD. An excellent fresh food diet will give your children all the vitamins and minerals they need.

T., I get the children's from Melaleuca for my granddaughter.

S.

I would talk to your kids Dr. My daughter is on a multi vitamin (prescription). My Dr. said most kids don't need a vitamin at all but my daughter is on the small side under the 5thpercentile for her age so that's why she put her on one.

A quick note to say, I don't have the answer on RDA for kids without looking up on internet. The following website might help you... http://www.anyvitamins.com/rda.htm
And since you are very aware of the health benefits for children, have you ever heard of Xocai the Healthy Chocolate. Children love this because it taste so good yet you are not giving all the bad stuff associated with chocolate just the nutrients in a very tasty way. Xocai is a dark chocolate, taste wonderful, has no processed sugars, no caffeine, no wax fillers, no milk products. One square is equal to 1/2 pound of spinach or 1/2 cup blueberries in nutrients and antioxidants.. Eating three a day will give you and your children the added health benefits of over 10,000 antioxidants a day. I just wanted you to be aware of this product. Let me know if you would like more info..
Take Care
P.

I have never given my kids vitamins and they seem to be just as healthy as all their friends - seems like a scam to me to get worried parents to shell out cash for something they should be getting naturally from their varied and balanced diet. In the UK you would be considered a bit weird to give your kids vitamins - no one does it there!

After reading all of the responses, here is what I know.

Unless a person (child or adult) eats according to the food pyramid guide, they need supplements. How much? Well the RDA is the very minimum and general. There are certain vitamins that people can get too much of. I can say with cretainty, at least with the multi vitamin me and my family take, that you would not overload your children on them.

A good diet, exercise and supplements are part of a healthy lifestyle. Most doctors do not know about supplements (vitamins). In fact if you ask them how many classes/hours of nutrition that was required to get their medical degree, they would say a couple of hours (not even classes). Also, most doctors are so busy that they don't take the time to do any research and would not recommend vitamins/supplements for fear of a law suit.

I started my children out with a multi vitamin. Then progressed from there. Since that time, they have not been on an anti-biotic and that has been over 10 years. They are 15 and 12.

With regards to UK, the Royal family is very much into a healthy diet and vitamins.

The products I use are from a company who has been making natural products for 53 years. They share my values. I know that their products come from the highest and purest forms of food. That is the very beginning. If you would like to talk about this further, I welcome your call at ###-###-####.

I would talk to your pediatrician. I though maybe my son needed a vitamin and when I spoke to my Dr. he said no. Most kids who eat a well balanced diet do not need them. He told me...in my son's case it could potentially do more harm than good...for the reasons you mention.