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Supplementing your child's diet with a daily multivitamin can be one of the best things you can do for their health. There are 13 vitamins and 14 essential minerals that an infant needs in order to grow and develop properly. Here are several examples of what some of these essential nutrients can do for your child:
As you might suspect, not all multivitamins are created equal. Supplements vary significantly in quality amongst the different manufacturers. For example, the vitamin C in Product A may not be as potent or bioavailable as the vitamin C in Product B.
To help you navigate through the maze of vitamin supplements for kids, we analyzed 89 different multivitamin products specifically designed for children. We rated each of them on four key parameters by using a scale from 1 to 10, with ten being the highest score.
The table below provides a summary of the Effectiveness Scores of 89 multivitamins for children that are currently available on the market.
Rank | Multivitamin | Score |
---|---|---|
1 | Vitamin Gummies for Kids by NATURELO | 9.22 |
2 | Total Balance Children's by Xtend-Life | 8.94 |
3 | Children's Multivitamin by Mercola | 8.72 |
4 | Vitamin Code Kids by Garden of Life | 8.68 |
5 | Kangavites Chewable Tablets by Solgar | 8.56 |
6 | Oxylent Children's Multivitamin Drink by Vitalah | 8.45 |
7 | Vita-Tab Chewable by Prothera | 8.36 |
8 | Complete Children's Chewable by Trace Minerals Research | 8.32 |
9 | Carlson for Kids Multi by Carlson Labs | 8.31 |
10 | Usanimals by USANA Health Sciences | 8.28 |
11 | Children's Formula Life Extension Mix by Life Extension Foundation | 8.19 |
12 | Shakleekids Incredivites by Shaklee | 8.16 |
13 | Kid Bear Kids Multi by Jarrow | 8.12 |
14 | Ola Loa Kids Multi by Ola Loa | 8.10 |
15 | Perfect Kids by Super Nutrition | 8.10 |
16 | Greens Today Children's Formula by Greens Today (Natures Answer) | 8.08 |
17 | Isotonix Might-A-Mins by Isotonix (Market America) | 8.05 |
18 | DinoPals by FreeLife | 8.03 |
19 | Pioneer Childrens Multi by Pioneer Nutritional | 8.03 |
20 | Supralife Kids Toddy by SupraLife | 8.01 |
21 | Kids Scooby Doo Gummies Multivitamin by One-A-Day (Bayer) | 7.98 |
22 | Progressive Child Chewable Multi by Progressive Laboratories | 7.96 |
23 | Glyco Bears by Mannatech | 7.95 |
24 | Koala Pals by Melaleuca | 7.95 |
25 | Vegan Kids Multiple by Veglife (Nutraceutical) | 7.94 |
26 | Kid's One Daily by MegaFood | 7.92 |
27 | Alive! Children's Chewable by Nature's Way | 7.89 |
28 | Kid's Optimal Multivitamin by Seeking Health | 7.88 |
29 | Dolphin Pals by Country Life | 7.83 |
30 | Buried Treasure Children's Complete by Buried Treasure (Life Line Foods) | 7.81 |
31 | Children's Chewable Wafers by Kirkman Labs | 7.81 |
32 | Children's Basic Nutrients by Thorne Research | 7.80 |
33 | NutriStart Chewable by Rainbow Light |
7.76 |
34 | Flintstones Complete by Flintstones (Bayer) | 7.75 |
35 | Sea Buddies Daily Multiple by Enzymatic Therapy | 7.72 |
36 | GNC Kids MultiBite plus Minerals by GNC | 7.69 |
37 | Dinosaurs Multisaurus by KAL (Nutraceutical) | 7.67 |
38 | Progressive Child Chewable Multi by Progressive Nutritional Therapies | 7.66 |
39 | Children's Chewable by Solaray (Nutraceutical) | 7.65 |
40 | Centrum Kids by Centrum (Pfizer) | 7.64 |
41 | Children's Chewable by Kirkland Signature (Costco) | 7.63 |
42 | Multigenics Chewable by Metagenics | 7.59 |
43 | Big Friends by Natural Factors | 7.57 |
44 | Kid Vits - Orange Splash by NOW Foods | 7.55 |
45 | Animal Parade by Nature's Plus | 7.54 |
46 | Kids Superior by FoodScience of Vermont | 7.53 |
47 | Liquid Children's Super MultiVitamins by Dr's Advantage | 7.52 |
48 | Junior Immunofort by Thompson's | 7.47 |
49 | Zoo Friends Complete by 21st Century | 7.46 |
50 | Nordic Berries by Nordic Naturals | 7.44 |
51 | Super Earth Rainforest Animalz by Bluebonnet Nutrition | 7.40 |
52 | Kid's Mighty Vites by DaVinci Laboratories | 7.36 |
53 | PediaKid 22 Vitamins & Multiminerals by PediaKid (Laboratories Ineldea) | 7.32 |
54 | Kid's Stuff Multivitamin by Vitabase | 7.31 |
55 | Vitalets by Freeda Vitamins | 7.29 |
56 | Children's Multivitamin Complete by Equate (Walmart) | 7.25 |
57 | Children's Chewable by Thompson (Nutraceutical ) | 7.20 |
58 | Vita-Vim for Kids by Jamieson | 7.17 |
59 | Irwin Kids BerryLicious Super Multi by Irwin Naturals | 7.16 |
60 | Total One Kids by Swiss Natural Sources | 7.13 |
61 | Basic Preventive Junior Tab by Douglas Laboratories | 7.12 |
62 | Quest Kid's Daily One Chewable by Quest (SunOpta Inc.) | 7.11 |
63 | Kid's Mega Vites by Doctor's Nutrition | 7.10 |
64 | Nutrilite Kids MultiTarts by Nutrilite (Amway) | 7.10 |
65 | Yummi Bears Organics by Hero Nutritional Products | 7.09 |
66 | Children's Vitamins and Minerals by G&G Vitamins | 7.07 |
67 | Kids Calm Multi by Natural Vitality | 7.04 |
68 | Kid's Superior by Mountain Naturals of Vermont | 7.03 |
69 | Children's Multi-Vi-Min Vegetarian Caps by Allergy Research Group | 6.98 |
70 | BBBC Bengal Bites by Better Bodies By Chemistry | 6.94 |
71 | Sunshine Heroes by Nature's Sunshine | 6.90 |
72 | EmerGen-C Kids Multi by Alacer | 6.79 |
73 | Daily Extra Powder Blend by Vita Logic | 6.79 |
74 | Animal Friends Chewable Vitamins by TwinLab | 6.78 |
75 | Children's Multi-Vites & Minerals by Vitamin Power | 6.60 |
76 | Liquid Kid's Companion by Natrol Inc. | 6.57 |
77 | I.Q. Essentials: Kid's Perfect Multi by Purity Products | 6.56 |
78 | Children's Multivitamin Chewable by Schiff | 6.55 |
79 | MultiVites by Herbalife | 6.51 |
80 | SmartyPants Gummy Vitamins for Kids by SmartyPants | 6.51 |
81 | Marvel Heroes Multi Gummies by Sundown | 6.47 |
82 | Children's Multi Gummies by Puritan's Pride | 6.44 |
83 | Fantastic Kids Gummies Multivitamin by Vitamin World | 6.20 |
84 | Super Bears by Wellgenix | 6.13 |
85 | L'il Critters Gummy Vites by Northwest Natural Products | 6.06 |
86 | Gummy Cuties Multi-Vitamin by Natural Dynamix | 6.03 |
87 | Floradix Kindervital by Flora (Salus-Haus) | 5.96 |
88 | Children's Gummies by Walgreens | 5.82 |
89 | Sentinel Children's Chewable by Action Labs | 5.64 |
After evaluating all 89 products we noticed several recurring issues:
Here is more detail on what goes into calculating each of the scores:
This metric represents how many of the 13 vitamins and 14 essential minerals are included in the product. Surprisingly, a number of products are missing key ingredients, such as iodine, chromium, and magnesium. We also consider the number of additional active ingredients because lesser-known nutrients, such as choline, inositol, and lycopene have well documented health benefits, but are typically not included in the more basic multivitamin formulations. We give extra credit to products that contain such beneficial compounds.
Our potency score has two components: the chemical form of the nutrient, as well as the total amount of each nutrient contained in one serving. Depending on the chemical form of the nutrients it uses, Product A can be several times more potent than Product B. For example, Magnesium Citrate contains 16.2 percent of elementary magnesium, while Magnesium Oxide contains 60.3 percent of elementary magnesium. A product containing magnesium in the Oxide chemical form would be 3.7 times more potent when it comes to that one nutrient than a product containing magnesium in the Citrate chemical form.
Bioavailability is the portion of a given active ingredient that is capable of being absorbed through the intestinal membranes so it becomes available for use by the cells and organs of the body. A given nutrient can come in many different chemical forms and some of these forms may be more bioavailable than others. For example, a study by the University of Texas published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology showed that one common form of calcium, called Calcium Citrate, is 2.5 times more bioavailable than another popular form, called Calcium Carbonate. Based upon these findings, we've assigned a lower Bioavailability score to products containing Calcium Carbonate rather than other, more bioavailable forms of calcium.
When it comes to children's multivitamins, we put safety first. We prefer a less potent, but safer product, rather than a product packed in nutrients that are well in excess of the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs). The standards against we measure potency and safety of children's multivitamins are based on the RDAs for children four to eight years of age, as put forth by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council.
When determining the Safety scores, we look for two things:
1. Harmful additives. We analyze the list of ingredients to see if any artificial flavors, preservatives, coloring, sweeteners and binding agents are included. All such ingredients are then cross-referenced against an ingredient safety database to check for compounds with potential toxicity. Points are deducted from the Safety score of each product that includes substances with potential toxicity.
2. Risk of overdose. We cross-reference every single ingredient to make sure it falls within the safe Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL) for children as set out by the Food and Nutrition Board. Ingredients that exceed the UL get a deduction in their Safety rating. For example, the vitamin A UL for children aged four to eight is 3000 IU; however, quite a few products contain 5000 IU and higher. When children take multivitamins that exceed the UL for vitamin A, they can experience side effects, such as fatigue, nausea, and irritability. To avoid this risk, keep an eye on the Safety score of the product you are considering.
To calculate the Overall Effectiveness score of a given product, we take the average of the other four scores: composition, potency, bioavailability, and safety. For best results, we recommend choosing a multivitamin product that has an Overall Effectiveness score of 8.0 and above.
Unless your child has a specific medical condition which requires supplementation, it is best to wait until a child reaches the age of four before giving him or her a multivitamin supplement. If your child has been diagnosed with a vitamin deficiency and their doctor has advised you to start supplementing their diet, a safe product that we generally recommend for babies and toddlers is the Enfamil Poly-Vi-Sol multivitamin drops. For babies under one year old, it is also highly recommended to use vitamin D drops such as Enfamil D-Vi-Sol, as vitamin D is critical for the proper development of the infant.
The ultimate goal of multivitamin supplementation is to elevate the level of vitamins and minerals in your bloodstream so they can reach the cells and organs that need them. Each nutrient has an optimal range for effective functioning of the body. If children have too little of a given nutrient, they can suffer a deficiency disease. If they have too much, they may develop undesired side effects such as diarrhea and nausea.
For the optimum range of each vitamin and mineral, please see the table below which was published by the National Academy of Sciences and lists the RDA and the UL of each nutrient. In this data, the RDA is the minimum amount of the nutrient a healthy person has to have through their diet or by taking supplements. The UL is the maximum amount of the nutrient a person can consume on a daily basis without risking any side effects. If there is not enough data to assess the potential for adverse effects in a particular age group, ND (Not Determined) will appear in the column.
Table 2: Optimal range of vitamins and minerals for children aged 4 to 8
Nutrient | Unit | RDA for 4-8 year olds | UL for 4-8 year olds |
---|---|---|---|
Vitamin A | IU | 1333 | 3000 |
Vitamin C | mg | 25 | 650 |
Vitamin D | IU | 600 | 3000 |
Vitamin E | IU | 10 | 447 |
Vitamin K | mcg | 55 | ND |
Thiamin | mg | 0.6 | ND |
Riboflavin | mg | 0.6 | ND |
Niacin | mg | 8 | 15 |
Vitamin B6 | mg | 0.6 | 40 |
Folate | mcg | 200 | 400 |
Vitamin B12 | mcg | 1.2 | ND |
Panto. Acid | mg | 3 | ND |
Biotin | mcg | 12 | ND |
Choline | mg | 250 | 1000 |
Calcium | mg | 1000 | 2500 |
Chromium | mcg | 15 | ND |
Copper | mcg | 440 | 3000 |
Fluoride | mg | 1 | 2.2 |
Iodine | mcg | 90 | 300 |
Iron | mg | 10 | 40 |
Magnesium | mg | 130 | 110 |
Manganese | mg | 1.5 | 3000 |
Molybdenum | mcg | 22 | 600 |
Phosphorus | mg | 500 | 3 |
Selenium | mcg | 30 | 150 |
Zinc | mg | 5 | 12 |
Potassium | g | 3.8 | ND |
Sodium | g | 1.2 | 1.9 |
Table 3: Optimal range of vitamins and minerals for children aged 9 to 13
Nutrient | Unit | RDA for 9-13 year olds | UL for 9-13 year olds |
---|---|---|---|
Vitamin A | IU | 2000 | 5667 |
Vitamin C | mg | 45 | 1200 |
Vitamin D | IU | 600 | 4000 |
Vitamin E | IU | 16 | 894 |
Vitamin K | mcg | 60 | ND |
Thiamin | mg | 0.9 | ND |
Riboflavin | mg | 0.9 | ND |
Niacin | mg | 12 | 20 |
Vitamin B6 | mg | 1 | 60 |
Folate | mcg | 300 | 600 |
Vitamin B12 | mcg | 1.8 | ND |
Panto. Acid | mg | 4 | ND |
Biotin | mcg | 20 | ND |
Choline | mg | 375 | 2000 |
Calcium | mg | 1300 | 3000 |
Chromium | mcg | 25 | ND |
Copper | mcg | 700 | 5000 |
Fluoride | mg | 2 | 10 |
Iodine | mcg | 120 | 600 |
Iron | mg | 8 | 40 |
Magnesium | mg | 240 | 350 |
Manganese | mg | 1.9 | 6000 |
Molybdenum | mcg | 34 | 1100 |
Phosphorus | mg | 1250 | 4 |
Selenium | mcg | 40 | 280 |
Zinc | mg | 8 | 23 |
Potassium | g | 4.5 | ND |
Sodium | g | 1.5 | 2.2 |
The following measurement units are used in the table: mcg, mg, g and IU.
1000 mcg (micrograms) = 1 mg (milligram)
1000 mg (milligrams) = 1 g (gram)
IU stands for International Unit. It represents a measurement of a particular substance based upon its effect or activity within the body. Since the IU is established for each nutrient independently, it cannot be used to compare one nutrient to another in the same fashion as one can use grams to compare the mass of one substance to another. For example, 100 IU for vitamin D is not the same as 100 IU of vitamin E.