How to choose the ideal vitamin complex for children in the fall?

Updated: 07.29.2021 In the first year of life, a child’s body develops especially rapidly, requiring the supply of many nutrients and components. Among them, vitamins play one of the most important roles. They ensure proper growth and development, promote the formation of the bone and immune systems.

Only an observing doctor can determine whether your baby needs additional vitamins. Basically, the use of such drugs is justified in the following cases:

• The baby was born prematurely (prematurity).
• The child is growing slowly and gaining weight.
• She gets sick often and her immune system is weakened.
• Complications have been observed during pregnancy.
• Poor appetite or unbalanced diet of the child (for example, lactose intolerance).
• Mom cannot eat fully (while breastfeeding).
• The baby refuses complementary foods or eats very poorly.
• Experts diagnosed vitamin deficiency.
• Frequent use of antibiotics.

Currently, there are many types of different vitamins for newborns on the market. They differ from each other in their composition and dosage of nutrients, as well as the presence of additional medicinal extracts, dyes or flavors.

For this age, almost all drugs are produced and sold in liquid form, this ensures safety when taken and eliminates the risk of choking for the baby.

We present the rating of vitamins for newborns 2021. 11 of the best products that were selected by our experts based on user reviews and ratings.

There are contraindications, be sure to consult your doctor!

Signs of vitamin deficiency in children

The most acute lack of vitamins in a child manifests itself in vitamin deficiency. This is a state of the body in which for quite a long time any vitamin or a whole group of them is completely or almost completely absent. The most common signs of vitamin deficiency are weakness, increased fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and impaired physical and mental development of the child. Also among the characteristic symptoms:

• lack of appetite;
• depression, irritability, tearfulness;
• decreased immunity, frequent colds;
• insomnia, difficulty waking up in the morning;
• skin itching, peeling;
• poor posture, deformation of skeletal bones.

Such painful changes are usually accompanied by a significant decrease in the child’s activity in kindergarten and his performance at school.

B vitamins

B vitamins comprise a group of eight water-soluble vitamins that play important, closely interrelated roles in cellular function by serving as coenzymes in a wide range of catabolic and anabolic enzymatic reactions: B vitamins are commonly synthesized by plants, with their synthesis occurring in plant chloroplasts, mitochondria and cytosol is carefully regulated according to the changing needs of the plant. An exception is vitamin B12, which is synthesized by bacteria and usually isolated from animal products.

Vitamin B6 is important for maintaining certain biochemical reactions in the immune system. Foods rich in vitamin B6 include chicken, salmon and tuna. Vitamin B6 is also found in green vegetables and chickpeas.

What does vitamin compatibility mean?

Above we indicated the compatibility of vitamins. It can be both good and bad. In the latter case, this means that the simultaneous use of some of them impairs absorption and does not provide the desired beneficial effect. This often happens when parents, without consulting a doctor, purchase separate vitamins and the child takes them all at once.

This negative factor is taken into account in ALFAVIT vitamin and mineral complexes. All the vitamins and microelements present in their composition are perfectly combined and give a synergistic effect - they promote the best mutual absorption in the body (pharmaceutical interaction) and/or enhance each other’s effects (pharmacological effects).

Vitamin C and colds

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a vitamin found in certain food sources such as citrus fruits, berries, potatoes and peppers. The vitamin is also sold in the form of dietary supplements. Vitamin C is important for the formation of collagen, blood vessels, cartilage and muscle, so it helps maintain the integrity of many tissues in the body, including the skin. It is involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, chemicals that are important for signaling in the nervous system. In addition, vitamin C promotes the production of carnitine, a chemical that supports the transport and breakdown of fatty acids to produce energy.

Vitamin C is vital for maintaining the body's overall health and is found in high concentrations in immune cells. This raises the possibility that vitamin C is an immune stimulant, although its mechanism of action is not yet clear.

The human body cannot form or produce vitamin C, and therefore it is essential that vitamin C is obtained in the correct doses from external sources.

Best plant sources of vitamin C:

• Black currant, rose hips,
• tomatoes, pepper
• broccoli, kiwi

An obvious benefit of consuming vitamin C is the prevention of scurvy, especially in children at risk such as those who are malnourished, have limited food choices or have bowel disease.

The role of vitamin C in preventing colds has been extensively studied, and all evidence suggests that vitamin C does not help prevent or cure colds . Some studies suggest that taking vitamin C may shorten the duration of illness. However, taking vitamin C on a regular basis does not reduce the incidence or severity of colds. Considering the low cost of the drug and its high safety profile, parents can use ascorbic acid as an adjuvant in the treatment of colds. But there is no need to take vitamin C daily during the winter months as a preventive measure for colds. Moreover, it is not recommended due to the possibility of increasing urinary oxalate excretion and therefore increasing the risk of calcium (oxalate) stones.

When should you take vitamin D?

A pregnant woman needs to take at least 800 IU of vitamin D per day to ensure an adequate supply for the baby. But not everyone has this opportunity. The reasons may be different:

• little sun in the region;
• dark skin, immune to its rays;
• gestational diabetes;
• excess weight;
• malnutrition.

Breastfeeding should be continued as long as possible. If a baby is diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency, the pediatrician will prescribe supplemental vitamin D supplementation. Most often, the vitamin is obtained from fish oil or infant formula. A nursing mother should consult a physician to select the required dosage for herself.

A pediatrician may prescribe aqueous solutions of the vitamin to a newborn if he notices the first signs of calciferol deficiency. This can be done without testing. It is recommended to drink drops if a child develops sweating at the back of the head, a slow rate of fontanel closure that does not correspond to his age, or if the baby shows increased irritability.

It is better when the baby receives it naturally. His body itself produces a useful substance when the skin comes into contact with the sun's rays. Therefore, you need to walk with babies every day and for at least an hour.

There is no need to hide the baby's face and hands from the sun. But at the same time, you should not allow overheating and go out into direct rays on a summer afternoon. At a comfortable temperature, sunbathing on the whole body is recommended.

The second natural source of vitamin D is mother's milk. But there should be enough of it in a woman’s body to provide for both herself and the child. You need to take care of this during pregnancy:

• walk in the sun;
• eat fish, cereals, eggs, cheese;
• drink milk and orange juice;
• take fish oil.

It is better for a woman to start from the first trimester, while all the basic body systems of the unborn baby are being formed. By the third trimester, his skeleton will actively accumulate calcium - you need to be prepared for this. Otherwise, a deficiency of vitamin D will be created in the mother’s body. This is dangerous not only for the child, but also for herself.

How to replenish vitamin balance

For preventive purposes in winter and spring, it is necessary to replenish the content of vitamins in the body.

If there is not enough vitamin A in a child’s body, the child may grow poorly, his vision deteriorates, his appetite spoils, and peeling and irritation of the skin appears.

In order to replenish vitamin A in the body, you need to diversify your child’s diet with yellow-orange vegetables and fruits. Such as carrots, sweet peppers, tomatoes, apricots, peaches. It is also found in butter, cream, sour cream, eggs, and liver.

A lack of vitamin D is manifested by impaired development of the child’s musculoskeletal system, curvature and brittleness of bones, tooth decay, joint disease and nervous system disorders. The easiest way for babies to get vitamin D is to stay in direct sunlight and walk on a sunny day. You can replenish vitamin D in foods by diversifying your child’s diet with caviar and liver, eating egg yolks, butter, and fatty fish - tuna, salmon.

A lack of vitamin C manifests itself in a child with frequent colds, weakened immunity, irritability and apathy. To replenish the supply of vitamin C, you need to include red pepper, white cabbage, dill, parsley, lemon, black currants, raspberries, strawberries, and sea buckthorn in your child’s diet.

Lack of vitamin E in children manifests itself in deterioration of vision, lethargy, and emotional mood swings. By diversifying your child’s diet with cereals and oils, you can compensate for the lack of vitamin E in children.

The diet of babies from 1 year old should be varied and complete so that the child can receive vitamins from natural sources. If vitamin deficiency occurs, you can turn to vitamin complexes.

How to choose the ideal vitamin complex for children in the fall?

Why do children need extra vitamins?

Children under one year of age do not need to take vitamins, with the exception of vitamins D and K. They can only be prescribed by a doctor: vitamin D for the prevention and treatment of rickets;
vitamin K when its content is low in the baby’s body from birth, when absorption in the intestines is impaired or there is insufficient amount of the vitamin in breast milk [1]. An additional source of vitamins is important during the stage of active growth and development, starting from 2-3 years. At this time, the majority of children are already sitting at the common table, eating almost the same as adults. Many children's foods, additionally enriched with vitamins, are disappearing from a child's diet. Adult food often contains insufficient amounts of vitamins due to incorrect heat treatment, improper preparation, or not entirely correct combinations of products. Over the years, a young body may experience a lack of vitamins that contribute to full development, especially if children are selective in food, often get sick or suffer from chronic diseases. Thus, we will talk about vitamins intended for children over 3 years old.

Important: children aged 2-3 years need additional vitamins when transitioning to an adult diet, if the child is selective in food, often gets sick or suffers from chronic diseases.

Myth about vitamins: “In the summer you need to eat 7 glasses of strawberries so as not to get sick in the winter”

The opinion that after summer a supply of vitamins is formed, which will ensure the normal functioning of the child’s body, is erroneous. Vitamins do not stay in the body for long. Water-soluble vitamins (C and B vitamins) are not stored by the body and must be introduced into the body systematically. While fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K, E) are absorbed and accumulated, they do not form any significant reserve [2]. The human body must constantly receive vitamins, so in addition to eating natural food, it is advisable to supplement the lack of vitamins from other sources.

Important: you cannot stock up on vitamins; you need to systematically replenish the lack of vitamins in the body from other sources.

Why do children need to take vitamins in the fall?

In autumn, any person’s body may experience a lack of vitamins. This happens for obvious reasons:

• The less and less often a person sunbathes, the higher the deficiency of vitamin D. In the fall, it stops being produced almost completely - this vitamin is formed only in bright sun and at certain hours, provided there is at least 30% of exposed areas of the body.
• Result: tendency to blues and depression, fatigue, weak immunity;
• The fruit season is ending, and as a result there is less vitamin C - a protector against fatigue, colds and stress;
• The beginning of school days. During this period, schoolchildren experience emotional and mental stress, they need an additional supply of vitamins with neuroprotective properties (protect brain cells) - B1, B5, B6, B12, C, E, A, folic acid (B9). These vitamins reduce fatigue and anxiety.

Important: lack of sun, fruits and high educational loads lead to a lack of vitamins in children. These are vitamins D, C, E, A, B1, B5, B6, B12 and folic acid (B9).

Multivitamins or vitamin-mineral complex?

Vitamins are divided into several groups according to their composition:

• monovitamins, which contain one type of vitamin (usually vitamin K, A, E or D);
• multivitamins - combine 2-8 substances;
• vitamin-mineral complexes, including multivitamins and mineral components.

Doctors believe that most often the body is deficient not just of one vitamin, but of a whole complex, so it is recommended to take multivitamins.

As studies of the vitamin supply of schoolchildren show, combined deficiencies of vitamins A, D, E occur in 6% of children, vitamins of group B - 46%, B6 and B9 - 55% of those examined[3].

In the autumn, it is necessary to include an additional source of multivitamins in the diet. For example, for the general strengthening of a child’s body, Umkavit Multivit vitamins are suitable as a supporting complex.

If your child is often sick and cannot recover for a long time, we recommend the enhanced complex “Umkavit Multivit Forte” - vitamins will support the child’s immunity and reduce the risk of colds. The complexes contain all the necessary vitamins: C, A, E, D3 and B vitamins.

According to the Research Institute for Organization and Informatization of Health Care, diseases of the musculoskeletal system in children from 0 to 14 years old occupy one of the leading places in the structure of childhood diseases [4]. The reason for this is insufficient intake of calcium from food, in particular milk and dairy products. Every day, children consume an average of 150-250 ml of dairy products, this figure is three times lower than recommended. The average daily calcium requirement of children and adolescents is, depending on age, 800−1200 mg [1]. In modern children's nutrition, the calcium content has decreased to 500 mg per day [4].

Calcium is especially important during periods of active growth and tooth change. Vitamin and mineral complexes, for example, “Umka Calcium D3”, enriched with cholecalciferol and calcium, will help strengthen bone tissue and improve posture.

Important: to prevent colds, it is recommended to drink multivitamin complexes, for example, Umkavit Multivit. For children who often get sick and take a long time to recover, an enhanced multivitamin complex, for example, Umkavit Multivit Forte, is suitable. During the period of active growth and change of teeth, calcium is needed, which can be provided by the vitamin and mineral complex “Umka Calcium D3”.

Marmalade or pill?

There are many vitamins in the form of release:

• pills;
• syrups;
• drops;
• chewable tablets and lozenges;
• lollipops;
• gel;
• powders for dissolution in water or effervescent tablets;
• marmalade figures.

Interestingly, in recent years, marmalade has been the most attractive form for children, as it is perceived as a delicacy. For example, Umkavit vitamins are produced in the form of marmalade lozenges - 4 complexes of vitamins with different compositions and tastes.

It doesn’t matter in what form you take vitamins, it depends only on your child’s preferences. The main thing is that the child receives the required amount of vitamins regularly.

Important: in what form you take vitamins depends on your child’s wishes; the most popular type is marmalade, for example, the Umkavit vitamin complex.

How many vitamins do you need?

• If you are sure that your child receives most of the vitamins from food, complexes that contain 30−50% of the recommended intake (RDA) are suitable for him;
• Complexes containing almost 100% dose of RNP are worth purchasing if you doubt the proper nutrition of your child, or if your child is often sick.

Important: complexes with 30-50% of the RNI for children with an adequate diet, complexes with 100% of the RNI for frequently ill children.

When to start

You need to start taking vitamin complexes not at the height of the cold season, but before its onset.

Important: September and October are the most favorable months to start taking a course of vitamins.

Which company to trust, where to buy vitamins and what else to pay attention to

The complex must be suitable for your child’s age. Give preference to forms with precise dosages: in the form of figurines, lozenges, lollipops;

Children's medications are given a pleasant taste, smell, and bright color - this is achieved through dyes and flavors. Make sure your vitamins use only natural ingredients;

Buy vitamins only from trusted pharmacy chains - there is less chance of encountering a counterfeit. Dietary supplements sold outside pharmacies, on the Internet, or by hand may be of dubious quality and composition, which will only harm your child;

In the first days of taking vitamins, you need to strictly monitor your child. Like any substance, vitamins can cause allergic reactions, so in the first days of taking them, do not give your child anything new from foods;

Choose products from well-known pharmaceutical companies that have been operating in this market for a long time;

It is important that vitamins are tested for tolerability and their benefits are proven. For example, the safety and effectiveness of Umkavit vitamins was confirmed at the clinical site of the Children's Health Research Center. And in the laboratory of vitamins and minerals of the Center for Nutrition, Biotechnology and Safety, it was proven that Umkavit vitamins increase the level of vitamins and fight vitamin deficiency in the child’s body.

Important: buy researched vitamins from well-known companies, for example, Umkavit vitamins. Check the composition for the presence of natural colors and flavors. Monitor your child during the first days of taking vitamins.

Remember that vitamins are dietary supplements, not medicine. You should not believe that their use can cure diseases. Optimize your child’s diet, ensure the correctness and variety of his diet: the more different foods there are on the table, the more likely it is that the body will receive all the necessary substances. Buy fruits and vegetables in different colors, replace unhealthy foods with healthy foods, and spend more time outdoors with your children. Vitamins are not the main source of essential substances, but they help make the diet complete and fill nutritional gaps, which can protect your child from possible diseases.

Sources:

1. Baby food: A guide for doctors / Ed. V.A. Tutelyan, I.Ya. Horse. - M.: Medical Information Agency LLC, 2009.
2. Talashova S.V. Correction of vitamin and mineral status in schoolchildren in the autumn. Question let's modernize pediatrics. 2009; 8 (4): 111−115.
3. Burtseva T.I., Notova S.V., Skalny A.V., Burlutskaya O.I. Hygienic assessment of vitamin provision of Orenburg schoolchildren. Question let's modernize pediatrics. 2009; 8 (2): 44−48.
4. Volkova L.Yu. Nutritional factors of bone tissue formation in children and adolescents. Ways to prevent possible violations. Question let's modernize pediatrics. 2015; 14 (1): 124−131.