As we discuss how children are eating during check-ups, many parents will ask me whether taking a multivitamin would be a good idea for their child. Certainly, taking a vitamin is not a substitute for a healthy diet, but it may be increasingly important to ensure adequate intake of vitamin D.
Recently, vitamin D has received press as the new “wonder vitamin.” Vitamin D is important to maintain healthy bones and teeth. It has also been found to be important in maintaining a healthy immune system, prevention of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with asthma and depression.
Your body will naturally make vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. However, it turns out that most people are not getting enough vitamin D. Studies done in multiple cities in the United States demonstrate most people have low levels of vitamin D, especially during the wintertime. Several factors may actually limit the amount of vitamin D an individual produces.
Firstly, there has been a major push to decrease skin cancer and limit sun exposure. Even when outside, people are taking good measures to protect their skin from ultraviolet light by the use of sunscreen, which is important to protect against sunburn and skin cancer, but limits vitamin D production.
In Pennsylvania, where a good portion of the year is cooler, people need to wear clothing which covers more of their skin, which also limits vitamin D production. People in cool climates tend to spend more time indoors, limiting sunlight exposure.
Interestingly, darker skinned individuals are less likely to develop skin cancer, but more likely to have low vitamin D levels. Melanin, which is the pigment that gives skin its color, protects skin from sun damage but also blocks vitamin D production.
Additionally, certain health conditions like cystic fibrosis and inflammatory bowel disease may affect the body’s absorption of vitamin D.
It is currently recommended that children over 1 year-old and teenagers receive 600 IU of vitamin D daily. Though vitamin D is found in fatty fish and oil, these are not traditionally popular foods. Many products are fortified with vitamin D including milk, orange juice, soy milk, cereals and bread. However, parents need to read labels carefully to determine how much vitamin D is actually present. For example, each 8-ounce glass of vitamin D fortified milk contains only about 100 IU of vitamin D. I tell parents that I certainly do not want children drinking 48 ounces of milk daily to get enough vitamin D!
Thus, taking a multivitamin is important for most children to meet their daily requirements for vitamin D. Most over the counter multivitamins for infants and children contain 400 IU of vitamin D. If this is added to a healthy diet including a couple glasses of milk daily or other vitamin D fortified foods, children will likely get the required 600 IU daily. Most people who eat vitamin D rich foods, get normal sun exposure and take a multivitamin containing vitamin D will not get toxic levels of vitamin D. Issues with vitamin D toxicity occur from taking mega doses of the vitamin.
Lately, I have started recommending to parents to consider a daily multivitamin to help children meet their vitamin D requirements. In fact, with the array of vitamins available – chewables and gummies in a variety of flavors, this is usually a very easy change to implement. It is a positive step in maintaining bone health as well as preventing other chronic conditions.
