health
P
opping a multi-vitamin onto
your child’s plate to make-up
for any shortfall in nutrients
seems like a sensible
approach, doesn’t it? Few and far
between are the parents who believe
their child eats a truly balanced and
wholly nutritious diet. So why not add
a multi-vitamin to be sure? Well despite
the comforting promises on vitamin
labels, there are risks to supplement
use that parents need to be aware of.
The question of ‘to supplement or not’
isn’t a straightforward one.
Pills that claim to make your child
smarter; make their bones stronger;
give them more energy; improve their
immunity – there is a supplement
on offer for any concern a parent
may have. The global market for
dietary supplements is growing at
an astounding rate. Yet regulation
and testing is not as stringent as you
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might expect. It is often highlighted
that US Federal law “does not require
dietary supplements to be proven safe
to FDA's satisfaction before they are
marketed. For most claims made in the
labeling of dietary supplements, the law
does not require the manufacturer or
seller to prove to FDA's satisfaction that
the claim is accurate or truthful before it
appears on the product.” In Hong Kong
dietary supplements are classified either
as pharmaceutical products, Chinese
medicine or ‘general food’. A report by
the HK Consumer Council found that of
76 multi- or single vitamin supplements
reviewed (including supplements
aimed at children), only 16 were
actually registered as pharmaceutical
products, despite the potential side-
effects of vitamin use, prompting calls
for tighter controls. Regulation does
vary by country, but in general vitamin
and mineral supplements are not
tested and scrutinised in the way that
prescription medicines are. You should
therefore treat any health claims made
by vitamin companies with a good dose
of skepticism.
The lower levels of scrutiny applied
to children’s vitamins, relative to
prescription medicines, means that
you may not always get what you
expect either. A report by Consumer
Lab in the US found that 80 per cent
of children’s gummy vitamins tested
did not have the same amounts of
vitamins and minerals as listed on their
labels. Impurities were also found. Katie
Young, a Qualified Clinical Nutritionist,
states that “many over the counter
supplement brands contain junk
ingredients, or cheaper, less absorbable
forms of nutrients and some may
do more harm than good. As with
anything, don’t fall pray to marketing
hype.” Vitamins aimed at children are
often loaded with artificial colours,
flavours and sugar to make them more
palatable. As Katie points out, “sugar is
an anti-nutrient and lowers immunity, so
is counter productive.”
So if the magic multi-vitamin pill
isn’t quite so magical, what should
parents do? There is a whole alphabet
of vitamins and minerals that are
absolutely essential to a child’s health
and many parents feel concerned that
their child’s diet may not be adequate.
Yet the advice on using vitamin and
mineral supplements is constantly
evolving and often frustratingly
contradictory. One thing experts agree
on is that parents should seek medical
advice before giving their child any
form of supplement. “It is extremely
important to see a professional who can
determine which vitamins and minerals
are needed and provide you with high-
grade supplements targeted to your
child’s specific needs. I know many
people like to order supplements online
and self-prescribe, as they may be
cheaper - but you get what you pay for.
You would not do this with prescription
drugs and should not do this with
supplements,” Katie says. Seeking
professional guidance is particularly
important if your child takes other
medicines as “ you need to know if any
nutrients may have contraindications
with other nutrients, medications or
conditions. Some supplements can
interact with medication.”
Another thing most experts agree
on is that when it comes to vitamins
and minerals, you can certainly have
too much of a good thing. There are
dangerous side-effects to overdosing
on vitamins, so caution is warranted.
Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Violet
Man, says: “Children of different ages
can be different sizes and pills are
based on body weight, not on age. It’s
best to talk to your doctor or dietitian
about the right type and correct
dosage.” She highlights that excessive
vitamin A can be toxic, causing loss
of appetite, nausea, itching skin.
Overdosing on vitamin D can lead
to calcium being deposited into soft
tissues, vomiting and diarrhoea. A
condition called hypercalcemia can
be caused by excessive calcium
and vitamin D supplementation; care
is needed if using either of these
supplements alongside a multi-vitamin
that may already contain them. Katie
explains that, “some vitamins are hard