Choosing a multivitamin and mineral supplement for children

Who might benefit from a multivitamin and mineral supplement?

Vitamins and minerals are important for growth and development, general health and wellbeing.

If we eat a balanced diet including foods from all food groups then it is likely that we are meeting our vitamin and mineral requirements from food alone. However, this may not always be the case.

Children may benefit from a multivitamin and mineral supplement if they:

• have a diet which misses out whole groups of foods e.g. fruit and vegetables or meat and meat products
• are on a restricted diet for a food allergy
• have increased vitamin and/or mineral requirements
• have periods of ill health meaning they eat less well
• have specific medical diagnoses

What should I look for?

There are lots of different multivitamin and minerals supplements for children available which can be very confusing.

They come in different forms:

• crunchy chewable tablets
• jelly type chewable tablets
• liquids

Your dietitian may have suggested a specific vitamin or mineral such as Vitamin C, iron or calcium and amount to look for.

Alternatively a more suitable supplement is one that contains minerals as well as vitamins. These are often described as A-Z type supplements.

If your child prefers a supplement that is aimed at a younger child then this is fine as long as you follow the recommended daily dose of the product. However, please be more careful using a supplement aimed at an older child. Your dietitian can advise you if you are unsure.

Please also check carefully for any ingredients that your child may be allergic to.

Where can I get them?

There is often a good choice of multivitamin and mineral supplements available in larger supermarkets, pharmacies and health food shops. Remember that the more expensive choices (often the well- known brand names) are not necessarily providing more vitamins and minerals than the ‘own brands’ which are often just as good.

You can also find supplements online but please ensure that they are from a recognised website.

Can I get supplements on prescription?

There are times when vitamin and mineral supplements are available on prescription but these are limited to when a specific nutrient is required or when a more complete supplement is indicated.

Some families are eligible for the Healthy Start vitamins via your health visitor. Healthy Start is a scheme of vouchers and coupons for pregnant women and families with children under the age of four. More information can be found via your health visitor or Healthystart (opens in a new tab).

Generally the supplements available to buy taste nicer and are suitable. They are often available on offer to spread the cost.

Can you suggest any specific kinds to buy?

The ingredients of supplements can change regularly so please check the labels. At the time of writing (March 2021), examples of supplements with a wider range of vitamins and minerals include:

What about vitamin D?

Vitamin D is important for keeping our bones, teeth and muscles healthy. It is in a small number of foods but our main source is from exposure to sunlight.

As we are recommended to use sunscreen and the exposure to sunlight in the UK can be limited especially between October and early March, it is recommended by the Department of Health that all children under the age of five receive a Vitamin D supplement alongside a balanced diet.

The recommendations are:

• Breastfed babies from birth to one year should be given daily Vitamin D supplement containing 8.5-10mcg (340iu – 400iu).
• Formula fed babies shouldn’t be given a Vitamin D supplement until they’re having less than 500ml (about a pint) of infant formula per day, as the formula has extra vitamin D added.
• Children aged 1-4 years old should have a daily supplement containing 10mcg (400iu) of vitamin D.
• Pregnant and breast feeding women need 10mcg vitamin D (400iu) per day.
• Women and children who qualify for the Healthy Start scheme can get free supplements containing the recommended amounts of vitamin D. See the Healthy Start website (opens in a new tab) for more information.
• For adults and children over five years old you may wish to consider taking a supplement of vitamin D containing 10mcg (400iu) in the winter months (October to early March).

Are there any alternatives?

If you feel that your child’s diet does not contain sufficient vitamins and minerals and that you are unable to increase this with the options above then you can discuss this with your GP/hospital doctor or dietitian.

Contacts/further information

If you require any further information or wish to comment on this leaflet please contact:

Your dietitian: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Department of Nutrition and Dietetics
Box 119
Cambridge University NHS Foundation Trust
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ

01223 216655