Choosing a kid’s multivitamin, may seem simple. But, once you really dig into what they need, it’s obvious that not all kid’s vitamins are created equal. 

So, what do you look for and how do you know what is best for your littles? Beyond a good taste (the kids need to like it, after all), look for a children’s multivitamin that is designed to nourish them in this important lifestage and includes these ingredients:

Vitamin D

It’s possible for your children to get vitamin D without you worrying about sun damage. Vitamin D can support mood, immunity, and healthy bones. Unfortunately, many kids are deficient in vitamin D. Look for them in delivery forms that kids will be willing to take on a daily basis.

Methylfolate

Folate supports your child’s energy production (3, 4), brain’s processing speed (5), and memory (4). Additionally, it is needed for synthesis of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine (5), sleep (6), cognitive function (7), and mood (8). And during early development, it also affects physical and emotional health.

Methylcobalamin

Methylcobalamin, also known as vitamin B12, is needed to make serotonin. Serotonin affects mood, sleep, memory, and more (9, 10, 11). It is also needed for the body’s energy production (12, 13). And when combined with methylfolate, it helps the body form red blood cells and produces SAMe, a compound involved in immune function and mood support. Together, they also help iron work better in the body.

Iron

Iron deficiency rates are highest for young women, infants, and children under the age of two years old. So, additional iron is needed more than ever as your child grows. Without it, the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen to make energy. And it helps red blood cell production (14), supports attention span (15), and supports your body’s immune health (16).

Looking for supplements with the above ingredients to support your child? We’ve got you covered.

Kids Liquid Multi+

is formulated by a neurologist-mom and made with only vegan superfoods, enzymes, and vitamins and minerals. Created with love, this liquid multivitamin is designed to nourish your growing child at every lifestage. Plus, kids love the taste!

is perfect for kids. It absorbs quickly and provides 15 mg of highly bioavailable iron per dropper. Made with Albion® Taste-Free Iron, it absorbs quickly and helps to eliminate uncomfortable side effects often associated with iron.
As a parent, we want to provide the best for our children. By choosing high-quality advanced supplements, you have one less thing to worry about. And, when they like taking them too, that’s a bonus we can all appreciate.
    Madhavi Gupta, MD

    Madhavi Gupta, MD

    Madhavi Gupta, MD is the founder and CEO of Best Nest Wellness. Dr. Gupta is a board-certified neurologist and has won The People’s Choice Award as a favorite doctor three years in a row. She holds a degree in biochemistry and humanities from MIT, completed her neurology residency in New York City, and completed her fellowship in headache medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

    References

    (1) Vitamin D and Depression: Where is all the Sunshine?  Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2010 Jun; 31(6): 385–393.

    (2) Vitamin D and the Immune System, J Investig Med. 2011 August ; 59(6): 881–886.

    (3) Mitochondrial function and toxicity: Role of the B vitamin family on mitochondrial energy metabolism, Elsevier, Chemico-Biological Interactions, Volume 163, Issues 1-2, 27 October 2006, Pages 94-112.

    (4) Vitamin B Supplementation: What's the Right Choice for Your Patients? J Psychosoc Nurse Ment Health Serv, 2017 Jul 1;55(7):7-11, doi: 10.3928/02793695-20170619-02.

    (5) Effect of 3-year folic acid supplementation on cognitive function in older adults in the FACIT trial: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, Volume 369, Issue 9557, 20–26 January 2007, Pages 208-216.

    (6) Short-Term Folate, Vitamin B-12 or Vitamin B-6 Supplementation Slightly Affects Memory Performance But Not Mood in Women of Various Ages,  Janet Bryan, Eva Calvaresi, Donna Hughes, The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 132, Issue 6, June 2002, Pages 1345–1356.

    (7) The Methylation, Neurotransmitter, and Antioxidant Connections Between Folate and Depression,  Alternative Medicine Review. Sep2008, Vol. 13 Issue 3, p216-226. 11p.

    (8) Serotonin control of sleep-wake behavior, Sleep Medicine Reviews, Volume 15, Issue 4, August 2011, Pages 269-281.

    (9) Serotonin and human cognitive performance, Curr Pharm Des, 2006;12(20):2473-86. doi: 10.2174/138161206777698909.

    (10) Serotonin in Mood and Emotion, Handbook of Behavioral Neuroscience, Volume 21,     2010, Pages 367-378.
     
    (9) CHAPTER 3.5 - Serotonin in Mood and Emotion, Handbook of Behavioral Neuroscience, Volume 21, 2010, Pages 367-378.

    (10) The Serotonergic Raphe Promote Sleep in Zebrafish and Mice, Neuron, VOLUME 103, ISSUE 4, P686-701.E8, AUGUST 21, 2019.

    (11) Opposing roles for dopamine and serotonin in the modulation of human spatial working memory functions, Cerebral Cortex, Volume 8, Issue 3, March 1998, Pages 218–226.

    (12) Mitochondrial function and toxicity: Role of the B vitamin family on mitochondrial energy metabolism, Chemico-Biological Interactions, Volume 163, Issues 1–2, 27 October 2006, Pages 94-112.

    (13) The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Energy Metabolism and Well-Being, Journal of Internal Medical Research, Volume: 35 issue: 3, page(s): 277-289, Issue published: May 1, 2007.

    (14)  Erythropoietin, iron metabolism, and red blood cell production, Semin Hematol, 1996 Apr;33(2 Suppl 2):5-7; discussion 8-9.

    (15)  Iron deficiency and cognitive functions, Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat., 2014; 10: 2087–2095, Published online 2014 Nov 10.

    (16) Iron homeostasis in host defence and inflammation, Nat Rev Immunol, 2015 Aug;15(8):500-10. doi: 10.1038/nri3863. Epub 2015 Jul 10.