How Necessary Is a Kid’s Vitamin D3 Supplement?

With the popularity of computers and video games, a growing number of kids rarely play outside. The result is far less sun exposure which can cause some to develop vitamin D deficiencies. While there are some vitamin-D fortified foods that can help bridge the gap, for many, kid’s vitamin D3 supplements are necessary for ensuring that vitamin D levels are being met.

Why Kids Need Vitamin D
Sunlight naturally stimulates the skin to produce vitamin D which helps the body absorb calcium, magnesium and phosphate. These minerals are necessary both for bone formation and for stimulating the immune system. Vitamin D is not only required during the growing years of childhood, it’s necessary throughout life for the absorption of calcium.

Of course, it’s necessary to balance the benefits of obtaining vitamin D through sun exposure and the risk of skin cancer. Some try to obtain sufficient amounts of the vitamin through the diet by eating nutrient-rich foods like salmon, mackerel, liver, cheese, eggs and milk products. While these foods do contain vitamin D, not all kids like them. And, some are even allergic to them.

When vitamin D levels are low, bones are at risk of becoming thin, brittle or misshapen. A vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to insulin resistance, high blood pressure and decreased immunity. It’s common for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and digestive issues to also have substantial vitamin D deficiencies. If the deficiency is not corrected, there is a greater risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases, as well as tiredness, fatigue and even depression.

The Solution of Vitamin D3 for Kids
Kids have a greater need than ever for vitamin D supplementation because of increased time indoors, as well as the greater use of sunscreen. The best way to ensure your child is obtaining a sufficient amount of the vitamin is to provide a kids vitamin D3 supplement in its bioavailable form. With Animal Parade Sugar Free Vitamin D3 chewables, kids get the nutrition they need in a convenient chewable supplement that tastes great. It’s easy to ensure kids are getting sufficient vitamin D3 with a single daily supplement that is vegetarian, gluten-free and flavored with real fruit flavor.

Why You Should Choose Kids Multivitamins with Probiotics

If you’ve experienced intestinal issues, it’s likely that your physician recommended incorporating more probiotics into your diet. The same microorganisms found in probiotics that are beneficial for adults can also help support intestinal health in children. One of the simplest ways to provide probiotics to them is to choose a formula of kids multivitamins with added probiotics.

Many parents are under the assumption that the only way to add probiotics to a child’s diet is to give them yogurt or yogurt drinks with live cultures. While some yogurts do offer a good source of probiotics, they are not the only option. In fact, some kids vitamins, such as Animal Parade from Nature’s Plus, provide a complete range of intestinal probiotics, as well as probiotics to support oral health, too!

The Benefits of Probiotics
It can seem counterintuitive that bacteria is beneficial, especially since we take antibiotics to kill bacteria. Yet, not all bacteria is harmful. In fact, some can be very helpful. This is where probiotics enter the picture. Probiotics are live microorganisms, including bacteria that help prevent and treat certain diseases and conditions. Maintaining the right balance of bacteria is necessary in both children and adults. An imbalance of bacteria in the intestinal tract is linked to ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease and possibly even diabetes.

Yogurt is perhaps the most well-known source of probiotics. However, not all are created equal. In fact, many brands, especially those that are targeted to children, contain little or no probiotics at all. Many of these products also contain high amounts of added sugar, as well as fat. The National Yogurt Association has established standards for probiotics. Only those that have 100 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacture are considered to display the Live and Active Cultures seal on their packaging.

Other dietary sources of probiotics include the fermented dairy product kefir, sauerkraut, dark chocolate, microalgae, miso soup, pickles, tempeh and kimchi. While these all offer the benefits of probiotics, many kids do not particularly care for these foods.

Kids Vitamins: An Alternative to Yogurt 
If your child loves yogurt, by all means give him or her yogurt to obtain beneficial levels of probiotics. However, there is another option for gaining the positive benefits of probiotics. With kids multivitamins that contain probiotics, you can help support your child’s intestinal health while also ensuring they meet their daily requirements of vitamins and minerals.