How Do Dietary Supplements Complement Children's Nutrition?

How Do Dietary Supplements Complement Children's Nutrition?

Introduction

If you ask any nutrition or health expert, they will tell you that children should primarily obtain the nutrients they need from food. A balanced diet is generally sufficient to provide the essential nutrients that support growth and development for most children. However, in some cases, support from dietary supplements can make a significant contribution to this process.

The purpose of dietary supplements, as the name suggests, is to support nutrition—but they should never replace a healthy and balanced diet. Products designed for children can help fill certain gaps in their diet. This support can be beneficial for children who do not get enough nutrients from certain foods, for picky eaters to increase dietary variety, or for children with special conditions such as food allergies that require additional nutrients.

Multivitamin supplements like Argivit can effectively provide the missing vitamins and minerals needed to support children’s growth and development. They can particularly help children during their growth periods to meet nutrient deficiencies.

Each child’s nutritional and developmental needs are unique; therefore, the use of dietary supplements should be carefully considered according to individual needs and ideally planned under the guidance of a healthcare professional. Below, you can find some of the most commonly supplemented nutrients for children and points to consider before introducing dietary supplements to your child.

The Importance of Nutrition for Children

Consider how quickly children’s bodies change and develop during the first few years of life. All systems—bones, muscles, organs, and brain tissue—require sufficient nutrients for healthy growth and development. Nutrition not only supports physical growth but also directly affects a child’s cognitive functions, energy levels, immune system, and overall well-being.

While the body is resilient, proper nutrition is essential for healthy growth, development, and overall health. Good eating habits established during childhood lay the foundation for a healthy life in later years. Nutrition plays a decisive role in child health, from macronutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals that support various bodily functions.

Understanding your child’s individual needs is an integral part of ensuring proper nutrition. Ideally, children should get the nutrients they need mainly from natural and balanced foods. However, nutrition is not limited to this choice alone. Many environmental and practical factors—including access to fresh and healthy foods, soil nutrient content, and how meals are prepared—can affect this balance. For example, even in regions with relatively easy access to healthy foods, studies have shown that some children do not get adequate amounts of nutrients like vitamin D and iodine.

Commonly Supplemented Nutrients in Children’s Diets

Parents choose dietary supplements for their children for various reasons. Research on supplement use indicates that the most frequently cited reasons include supporting the immune system, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, filling nutritional gaps, and promoting healthy growth and development.

The same research shows that the most commonly used supplements are multivitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Let’s take a closer look at some of these nutrients:

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin naturally produced in the skin after exposure to sunlight. It is essential for normal growth and bone development in children because it helps regulate calcium absorption. Additionally, it contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system in children.

Unlike many other nutrients, vitamin D is not naturally abundant in most foods. Apart from fortified milk, egg yolks, fish, butter, and some fatty cheeses, dietary sources are limited; therefore, sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D.

Since vitamin D levels vary from person to person, if you suspect your child is not getting enough, the healthiest approach is to measure their vitamin D levels through a blood test. Based on the results, a healthcare professional may recommend supplementation at an appropriate dose.

Multivitamin supplements like Argivit can provide a healthy solution for children with vitamin D deficiency.

Calcium

Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, is essential for normal bone growth and development in children, in combination with other nutrients such as vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin K, and phosphorus.

Meeting daily calcium needs is generally not a problem for children who consume calcium-rich foods such as milk, yogurt, or leafy green vegetables. However, research shows that children who do not consume enough dairy products—such as those on a vegan diet or taking medications that affect bone mineral metabolism—may benefit from calcium supplementation. Nevertheless, for most children, additional calcium is not necessary.

Iron

Iron is one of the essential nutrients for healthy child development. Like calcium, many children can meet their daily iron needs through food, but some are at higher risk of insufficient intake. Diets low in iron-rich foods or diets high in processed foods can result in low iron intake. In addition, some children may require additional iron supplementation. For example, children who consume excessive cow’s milk (which can inhibit iron absorption) or adolescent girls with heavy menstrual periods may be at risk for iron deficiency.

Iron levels can be easily monitored with a simple blood test. If a deficiency is detected, supplementation should be supervised by a healthcare professional. Excess iron can also have adverse effects, so it is important to adhere to recommended doses.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients for both children and adults. In the body, they are converted into active forms called DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). During infancy, DHA intake contributes to normal visual development (“Beneficial effect can be achieved with 100 mg DHA per day”); during pregnancy and breastfeeding, maternal DHA intake supports normal brain development in the fetus and breastfed infants.

Fish is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, and individuals who consume fish twice a week generally meet the recommended omega-3 intake. Certain plant foods, such as flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts, also contain omega-3. However, the omega-3 in plant sources is in the form of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and must be converted in the body to DHA and EPA. This conversion is less efficient than obtaining omega-3 from fish, meaning larger amounts of plant sources are required to achieve the same DHA and EPA levels.

Picky eaters often avoid fish and other plant-based omega-3 sources, making dietary supplements a frequently preferred option to meet this nutrient requirement.

Individual Needs Should Guide Supplement Use

Whether a child benefits from dietary supplements depends on their body composition, eating habits, and individual nutrient requirements. Recommendations from friends, relatives, or social media may seem appealing; however, nutrition is highly personal. Consulting a healthcare professional ensures the best decision for your child.

Expert guidance helps minimize the risk of excessive nutrient intake by preventing unnecessary supplementation.

References

  1. Martini L, Pecoraro L, Salvottini C, Piacentini G, Atkinson R, Pietrobelli A. Appropriate and inappropriate vitamin supplementation in children. J Nutr Sci. 2020;9:e20. Published 2020 Jun 5. doi:10.1017/jns.2020.12

  2. Kaganov B, Caroli M, Mazur A, Singhal A, Vania A. Suboptimal Micronutrient Intake among Children in Europe. Nutrients. 2015;7(5):3524-3535. Published 2015 May 13. doi:10.3390/nu7053524

  3. Barretto JR, Gouveia MADC, Alves C. Use of dietary supplements by children and adolescents. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2024;100 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S31-S39. doi:10.1016/j.jped.2023.09.008

  4. Martens PJ, Gysemans C, Verstuyf A, Mathieu AC. Vitamin D's Effect on Immune Function. Nutrients. 2020;12(5):1248. Published 2020 Apr 28. doi:10.3390/nu12051248

  5. Srivastava SB. Vitamin D: Do We Need More Than Sunshine?. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2021;15(4):397-401. Published 2021 Apr 3. doi:10.1177/15598276211005689

  6. Abrams SA. Bone Health in School Age Children: Effects of Nutritional Intake on Outcomes. Front Nutr. 2021;8:773425. Published 2021 Nov 19. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.773425

  7. Atkins LA, Spence AC, Szymlek-Gay EA. Iron Nutrition of Pre-Schoolers in High-Income Countries: A Review. Nutrients. 2023;15(11):2616. Published 2023 Jun 2. doi:10.3390/nu15112616

  8. Borasio F, De Cosmi V, D'Oria V, et al. Associations between Dietary Intake, Blood Levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids and Reading Abilities in Children. Biomolecules. 2023;13(2):368. Published 2023 Feb 15. doi:10.3390/biom13020368

  9. Burns-Whitmore B, Froyen E, Heskey C, Parker T, San Pablo G. Alpha-Linolenic and Linoleic Fatty Acids in the Vegan Diet: Do They Require Dietary Reference Intake/Adequate Intake Special Consideration?. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2365. Published 2019 Oct 4. doi:10.3390/nu11102365

Back to blog