Food supplement for toddlers

Question

I have bought Mivitotal, a food supplement which contains vitamins and minerals in specific levels, for my infant children who are 3 and 5 years old.

The ingredients per 10ml serving are:

Betacarotene (Pro-vitamin A) – 1mg

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine HCl) – 1mg

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) – 1mg

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) – 1mg

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) – 2.3mg

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) – 1.0mg

Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) – 0.6mg

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) – 33mg

Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol) – 0.8mg

Vitamin E (d-alfa-Tocopherol Acetate) – 5mg

Biotin – 25mcg

Boron (Citrate) – 166mcg

Folate – 0.6mcg

Inositol – 8.3mg

Choline (Bitartrate) – 8.3mg

PABA (Para-Amino-Benzoic Acid) – 3.3mg

Iodine – 25mcg

Calcium – 83mg

Potassium – 33mg

Chromium – 33mg

Magnesium (Oxide) – 66.6mg

Manganese – 0.5mg

Selenium – 16.6mcg

Zinc – 2mg

Please let me know if you think there is too much or too little of anything in this? Would you recommend me to give it to my children or is there any better option?

Answer

My first question to you would be: Why do you think your children need a multivitamin-mineral supplement in the first place? Are your children fussy eaters who do not eat all foods? Do you think their diet is deficient in organic, whole foods (vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, legumes, protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids)? If this is the case, or if you feel that your children are not getting a variety of different whole foods every day, then you may be well be concerned about whether or not they are getting their nutritional intake of all the vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Studies have shown that organic foods provide more of the nutrients than those foods not grown organically, so it may be more beneficial to provide organic foods as much as possible (that budget and time) allows.

You can discuss your concerns about your children’s diet with your doctor (or paediatrician) who can provide a recommendation on whether there may be dietary deficiencies based on a thorough consultation. A doctor can also request a blood test to measure levels of certain vitamins/minerals, if deficiency is a concern.

In regards to mineral supplements, you need to ensure that they contain no heavy minerals (the oxide form) as those are not as easily absorbed (not bioavailable) as other forms of of mineral supplements.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to give you a recommendation on whether your children require a supplement with the information you have provided. You need to see your family doctor who can recommend a nutritionist to advise you on whether supplementation is necessary.

Please note that the information provided is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Consult with your medical physician regarding appropriateness of using supplements in your healing process.