Vitamins For Children

I have three little kids in my family, and quite common with them are the cases of getting a fever, runny nose and common colds. Maybe it's due to the climate some say or could it be their food? I'm not a Doctor so I'm not really sure what causes them. But common sense would tell us that children nowadays need all the vitamins they can get.

Basically, I would think that not many of the kids these days eat a healthy diet. They tend to prefer eating snack food rather than healthy food. Even the so-called 'healthy food' in the current era may be derived from nutrient deficient soils. So what's good to eat and what's not? Personally, my kids are fussy eaters, opting more easily towards junk food and the ever increasing existence of fast food.

My worry is that children are more susceptible to vitamin and mineral deficiencies compared to us, the adults. Choosing the right supplementation could be the wises decision we ever make to ensure their good health. We all know that our body system can't manufacture the right amount of vitamins needed on a regular basis. So it's quite important that we depend on that steady supply of precious minerals and compounds from a foreign and environmental source. This is what I learned about Vitamins for Children and their definitions.

Many of the available multivitamin supplements contain one or more of these :

• Vitamin A - Maintaining a healthy skin, nails, hair, vision and promoting growth, are all corresponding to Vitamin A. It's known to be an essential antioxidant for our immune system.

• Vitamin B1 - Deriving energy from food, this is it's essential for. It also helps prevent the loss of appetite and at the same time reinforcing our nervous and digestive system.

• Vitamin B2 - It supports cell growth and promotes body energy. Just like vitamin A, it's also good for hair, nails and the eyes.

• Vitamin B3 - This vitamin produces body energy and also aids the brain function and improves the level of skin health.

• Vitamin B6 - This is important for obtaining a healthier skin and to build a strong immune system. It's also known to be essential for the function of muscle and brain and aids hormone production.

• Vitamin B12 - Helping generate red blood cells, in return preventing anaemia and fatigue. It is also a good vitamin for the nervous system.

• Vitamin C - This is quite necessary for an overall healthy growth and for the development of our body. Vitamin C will boost the immune system and help to absorb the iron from foods. Known to have protective elements against certain forms of cancer and coronary heart disease. This vitamin is not stored in any great amount in our body thus it needs to be replenished every day.

• Vitamin D - Very Essential in the formation and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. This vitamin is needed in our body to help with the absorption of calcium and phosphorous, which indirectly keeps our bones strong and healthy.

• Vitamin E - It works as a natural antioxidant which helps protect our body's tissues from free radicals, which could attack the fats in the membranes of our cells. It will also help build a healthy heart and immune system. You requirements for Vitamin E would increase when your intake of polyunsaturated fats increases as well.

• Calcium - We all know this is something essential for maintaining and building those strong healthy bones and teeth.

• Zinc - It will help in the process of healing wounds. Most Zinc that is in our body are found in the bones.

• Iron - This is the vital part of a haemoglobin (this is the red pigment found in our blood which is responsible to carry oxygen in and around the body). A situation where there is a lack of Iron in our daily diet would leave us feeling very tired and lethargic.

So now perhaps we get a clearer picture of what all these vitamins stand for. Choosing that right multivitamin with the right amount of minerals will definitely help our children's short and long term health requirements.

I know I'm gonna start them on multivitamins now, what about you?