What Kind Of Vitamins Should A Teenager Take
For growing teenage boys and girls, growth spurts are inevitable, and there are certain vitamins that will support healthy growth and development in your child.
For example: Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin for strong bones and cell growth. If your teen isnt getting the recommended daily value of this important vitamin on a daily basis through a balanced diet, you may consider turning to a dietary supplement.
Vitamin C is essential to the proper growth of young women and men, primarily for its collagen-building properties. This is a water-soluble vitamin, which means it is not stored in the body and must come from external sources like citrus fruit, bell peppers, or daily vitamins if necessary.
Folic acid or folate is necessary for cell division and can be found in breakfast cereals, legumes, avocados, and spinach.
B vitamins like Vitamin B12 and Vitamin B6 are essential for maintaining energy levels, metabolizing fats, carbs, and proteins, and the production of red blood cells. Vitamin B6 can be found in plant and animal foods like dark leafy greens, fish, potatoes, and chickpeas. Vitamin B12 is primarily found in animal products, so if your teen follows a vegan diet or vegetarian diet then you may want to consider a supplement.
Are You Deficient In Vitamin D
About four million Australians now suffer from a vitamin D deficiency, according to the latest ABS data. One of the main reasons offered for this widespread vitamin D deficiency is overzealous use of sunscreen and other sun protection in other words, weve taken to slipping, slopping and slapping a little too well.
While some have rejected this suggestion, it could be explained by a few factors for example, sunscreens now having higher SPF ratings , and people being more likely to spend more time indoors, particularly recreation time.
This report explains:
- of vitamin D and supplements
- Recommended sun exposure times
- Who’s at risk of a vitamin D deficiency
- Symptoms and effects of a vitamin D deficiency
Do I Need A Supplement
Anyone over the age of 1 needs 600 IU of vitamin D every day, and adults over 70 need 800 IU per day, according to the National Institutes of Health .
You only need about five minutes outside with your arms and legs exposed, twice a week, to get enough vitamin D, per the NIH, but that sun exposure is a double-edged sword: Too much can up your risk for developing skin cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
If going out in the sun is a no-go and you find it challenging to fit in vitamin D-rich foods, then a supplement may be your best choice.
Keep in mind, though, that more is not always better. You’ll never get too much vitamin D from the sun because your body knows how to shut it off, but you can get too much from a supplement, which can lead to side effects like stomach upset. The NIH recommends keeping your daily dose below 4,000 IU. Since most supplements come in 1,000 or 2,000 IU, this shouldn’t be an issue.
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Best Vitamin C Supplements For Teens
Also known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is essential for the growth, development, and repair of body tissues. This water-soluble essential vitamin has been linked to health benefits like strengthened immunity, brain function support, and reduced risk of disease.
Worried that your teens arent getting the recommended daily value of Vitamin C? Not to fear, there are a few natural supplements you can try out. Here are my top picks for the best Vitamin C supplements for teens. If youre looking for a chewable teenage vitamin, I recommend Raise Them Well Childrens Immunity Chewables. While these are geared towards children, their website mentions that they work great for teenagers and advise that you double the dose if youre using them for teens.
For a great-tasting vegan gummy vitamin, is a great choice. This one works well for both teenagers and adults. Childrens Best Organic Immune Gummy is another good choice.
If youre looking for a liquid Vitamin C supplement for teens, I recommend ChildLife Essentials Vitamin C. You can easily adjust the dosage to make this a suitable option for teens or even adults.
Not All Vitamin D Is The Same
The two forms of vitamin D that many people may be most familiar with are vitamin D2 , derived from yeast or mushrooms, and vitamin D3 , derived from animal sources like fish and egg yolks. There’s another form, though, called calcifediol.
Calcifediol is produced when D3 is metabolized by the liver and is the form of vitamin D that circulates in your bloodstream. We often don’t get enough of it through diet and from the sun, and most vitamin D supplements on the market do not provide calcifediol directlythey either contain vitamin D2 or vitamin D3, which must be processed by the liver to create the vitamin D that then circulates in the blood.
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How And When To Take Vitamin D Supplements
So whats the best way to take vitamin D supplements?
Even if a supplement says you can take it on an empty belly, vitamin D seems to do best with a meal. This is especially true when paired with a meal higher in fat. One study showed adults taking vitamin D with a fat-heavy meal had a 32 percent boost in vitamin D blood levels after 12 hours compared to those taking the supp with a fat-free meal.
Should you take vitamin D morning, noon, or night? Honestly, its up to you and your preferences. There seems to be no ideal time, although some research claims it may be best to take in the morning rather than at night. Thats because increased vitamin D levels may suppress melatonin the hormone responsible for regulating our snooze cycle according to a 2018 article.
If youre an expecting mama, vitamin D is usually recommended to be part of your daily supplement routine. You should confirm with your doctor how much is safe for you, specifically.
But Prices Can Vary A Lot So Choose By Cost And Pill Type
Our latest tests yield some good news for the many people who take a daily vitamin D pill, or one that combines calcium and vitamin D: All of the 32 products met or exceeded their claimed levels of the vitamin, disintegrated or dissolved properly where applicable, and were well below the safe upper limit set by the Institute of Medicine.
But we found levels of lead in nine of 12 supplements that combine vitamin D with calcium that would have triggered warnings for reproductive risk under California Proposition 65. However, a number of companies had reached a settlement with the California Attorney General’s office that allows them latitude in how they count lead levels and in these cases the products do not have to have warnings. Still, Consumer Reports continues to believe that it is better to choose products with lower lead levels. for a chart that shows average lead levels in supplements we tested.
We also found that costs can vary widely, as shown in the Ratings chart. So choose by price and preference of pill type, and consider whether you want a product that also contains calcium.
For our tests, at least three samples of each product were analyzed for their level of vitamin D3 and, in the case of the combined products, their level of calcium. The supplements with calcium were also tested for the presence of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.
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What Is Vitamin D And Why Is It Important
Vitamin D belongs to the family of fat-soluble vitamins, which include vitamins A, D, E and K. These vitamins are absorbed well with fat and are stored in the liver and fatty tissues.
There are two main forms of vitamin D in the diet:
- Vitamin D2 : Found in plant foods like mushrooms.
- Vitamin D3 : Found in animal foods like salmon, cod and egg yolks.
However, sunlight is the best natural source of vitamin D3. The UV rays from sunlight convert cholesterol in your skin into vitamin D3 .
Before your body can use dietary vitamin D, it must be activated through a series of steps .
First, the liver converts dietary vitamin D into the storage form of vitamin D. This is the form that is measured in blood tests. Later, the storage form is converted by the kidneys to the active form of vitamin D thats used by the body .
Interestingly, D3 is twice as effective at raising blood levels of vitamin D as vitamin D2 .
The main role of vitamin D in the body is to manage blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. These minerals are important for healthy bones .
Research also shows that vitamin D aids your immune system and may reduce your risk of heart disease and certain cancers .
A low blood level of vitamin D is linked to a greater risk of fractures and falls, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, several cancers and even death (
16 ).
For instance, an analysis of five studies examined the link between vitamin D blood levels and colorectal cancer .
Nutrition Geeks Vitamin D3 1000iu
Best: Overall
Rating: 9.5/10
They say good things come in small packages, and this supplement proves that. Inside this compact, letterbox-friendly foil bag which uses less plastic than conventional pill bottles are 180 tiny tablets measuring 6mm, each delivering a high-quality 1,000IU vitamin D hit. They are incredibly easy to swallow and leave no aftertaste, so they are perfect for anyone who struggles to take pills without gagging. Perhaps best of all, though, is the price: this bag for less than £4 is equivalent to a six-month supply of vitamin D and will easily get you through autumn and winter.
Looking to go vegan? Weve found the best vegan cookbooks that dish up killer plant-based recipes
IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.
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The 10 Best Vitamin D Products
Besides getting vitamin D in food, the nutrient can be taken as supplements, such as oral tablets, capsules, gummies, and liquid drops. Nutritionists recommend choosing Vitamin D products that have been verified by U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention , NSF International, or other independent certifiers that develop standards to assess the quality of dietary supplements.
As with any product, some vitamin D supplements are better than others. The following are 10 of the best vitamin D products that nutritionists recommend:
What To Know Before Taking The Best Vitamin D Supplements
To ensure a strong daily dosage and healthy absorption, the best vitamin D supplements contain vitamin D3, an active form of the vitamin that the body has an easier time breaking down. Experts note that vitamin D is fat soluble and may be difficult for the body to absorb if its not taken with a fat. For some, vitamin D3 supplements can lead to a deficiency in other vitamins and minerals including magnesium and vitamins A and K. Make sure to consult your physician to find the right dosage and formula that best suits your body, diet and lifestyle.
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Watch Out For Added Sugar And Salt
Gummies and chewables often contain added sugar. In fact, many samples we looked at had sugar listed as the main ingredient.
There have been reports of children over-consuming gummy vitamins as they view them as sweets, so be sure to keep tasty versions of vitamins well out of reach once you’ve doled them out.
Effervescent tablets, which you dissolve in water and drink, are also one to watch out for. These tend to contain sodium, too much of which increases your risk of high blood pressure.
If you have high blood pressure you should avoid all effervescent tablets that list sodium in the ingredients.
Can You Take Too Much Vitamin D
While it is possible to take too much vitamin D, toxicity is very rare.
In fact, you would need to take extremely high doses of 50,000 IU or more for a long period of time .
Its also worth noting that it is impossible to overdose on vitamin D from sunlight .
Although 4,000 IU is set as the maximum amount of vitamin D you can take safely, several studies have shown that taking up to 10,000 IU daily wont cause side effects (
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Ddrops 1072834 400 Iu Liquid Vitamin D3 Drops For Babies 25 Ml 2 Count
$ as of February 28, 2022 9:30 pm
Features
- 2 Boxes of 90 Drops
- Dietary Supplement
- The Sunshine Vitamin in Just One Drop
- Babies need vitamin D for healthy growth and development
- During the summer months products may arrive warm but Amazon stores and ships products in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations, when provided.
Baby Ddrops 400 Iu 90 Drops
as of February 28, 2022 9:30 pm
Features
- Made with only two naturally sourced ingredients, pure vitamin D3 and fractionated coconut oil.
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- Free from preservatives, additives, artificial flavors, colors, and common allergens.
- Award-winning. Baby Ddrops is certified non-GMO, a Moms Choice Gold Award Recipient and is Parent Tested Parent Approved.
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The Latest Research On Vitamin D Supplements
Vitamin D supplements have long been touted as important to bone health. The problem is that several studies have found that they dont live up to the hype. Vitamin D supplementation doesnt prevent fractures or falls, or have any effect on bone mineral density that is clinically meaningful, according to large review of over 81 clinical trials published in October 2018 in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology. 30265-1″ rel=”nofollow”> 4)
Nor was vitamin D supplementation found to reduce the risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death in a randomized, controlled clinical trial involving over 25,000 participants that was published in January 2019 in The New England Journal of Medicine. Yet researchers found that those who developed cancer had a 25 percent lower death rate when they were taking vitamin D. The findings also included a possible reduction in cancer risk for African Americans, which researchers wrote warrants further study.
Meanwhile, though observational studies have suggested a link between low vitamin D levels and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a randomized, controlled clinical trial published in June 2019 in The New England Journal of Medicine did not support that conclusion. Vitamin D3 supplementation at a dose of 4,000 IU per day did not result in a significantly lower risk of diabetes compared with a placebo.
Still, before you dispose of your supplements, speak with your doctor.
Advice For Infants And Young Children
The Department of Health and Social Care recommends that babies from birth to 1 year of age should have a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year if they are:
- breastfed
- formula-fed and are having less than 500ml of infant formula a day, as infant formula is already fortified with vitamin D
Children aged 1 to 4 years old should be given a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year.
You can buy vitamin D supplements or vitamin drops containing vitamin D at most pharmacies and supermarkets.
Women and children who qualify for the Healthy Start scheme can get free supplements containing vitamin D.
See the Healthy Start website for more information.
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What Vitamin D Dosage Is Best
Vitamin D is commonly known as the sunshine vitamin.
Thats because your skin makes vitamin D when it is exposed to sunlight .
Getting enough vitamin D is important for optimal health. It helps maintain strong and healthy bones, aids your immune system and may help protect against many harmful conditions .
Despite its importance, roughly 42% of people in the US have a vitamin D deficiency. This number rises to a staggering 82.1% of black people and 69.2% of Hispanic people .
There are several other groups of people that have higher vitamin D needs because of their age, where they live and certain medical conditions.
This article will help you discover how much vitamin D you need daily.
What Is Vitamin D Supplement
Vitamin D supplement is an alternative way to allow the body to access the fat soluble vitamin D. It contains rich amounts of the fat soluble vitamin D in levels that will helps the body develop.
With ingredients like cane sugar, sheeps wool, high fructose corn syrup, etc., your body will be able to synthesize vitamin d even in the absence of sunlight.
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Are You At Risk For These Common Nutrient Deficiencies
Yet very few foods have enough vitamin D to reach recommended daily intakes, and sunshine can be unreliable in certain climates. Men and women relying on sourcing vitamin D through diet alone typically dont exceed 288 IU a day on average. Even drinking an 8-ounce glass of milk will only get you 100 IU one-sixth the amount that many adults need daily.
But when supplements are added, they get closer to the 600 IU goal. Consider this: Women between ages 51 and 70, who averaged 156 IU through the diet-only approach, reached 404 IU with the help of supplements.
