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Vitamin D supplementation: are multivitamins sufficient?
Rebecca J Moon1,2, Elizabeth M Curtis1, Cyrus Cooper1,3,4
1MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK.
Archives of Disease in Childhood
|February 27, 2019
Summary
Many children's multivitamins do not contain the recommended 400 IU/day of vitamin D. Parents should check labels carefully to ensure adequate vitamin D intake for children's bone health.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health
- Dietary Supplements
Background:
- Public Health England recommends 400 IU/day of vitamin D for children over one year old.
- Vitamin D is crucial for bone health and development in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the vitamin D content of commercially available children's multivitamins and vitamin D supplements in the UK.
- To determine the proportion of products meeting the recommended daily intake of 400 IU/day.
Main Methods:
- A survey of multivitamins and vitamin D supplements marketed to children under 12 years.
- Products were sourced from nine UK supermarkets and health supplement retailers.
- Vitamin D content was verified using manufacturer websites and product packaging.
Main Results:
- 67 different multivitamin products were analyzed, with vitamin D content ranging from 0 to 800 IU/day.
- Only 25%-36% of multivitamins provided the recommended 400 IU/day, varying by child's age.
- Supplements specifically for 'healthy bones' or containing only vitamin D were more likely to meet the 400 IU/day recommendation (57%-67%).
Conclusions:
- A significant number of children's multivitamin products do not supply the recommended 400 IU/day of vitamin D.
- Healthcare professionals should be aware of this discrepancy when advising on vitamin D supplementation.
- Parents and caregivers are advised to select products that explicitly provide at least 400 IU/day of vitamin D for their children.
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