Nutrition: Foundations for Life

Vitamins

Routine vitamin supplementation is not recommended for school-aged children.  Children should obtain necessary nutrients from an adequate, well-balanced diet.  Such a diet should provide Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for all vitamins, minerals and micronutrients including those for which no RDA has been established.¹

However, there are several special populations for which the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does recommend vitamin supplementation.

Infants: Although human milk contains small amounts of vitamin D, many nutritionists believe this is not enough to prevent rickets. Therefore, the AAP recommends that breastfed infants receive 200 IU of oral vitamin D daily during the first two months of life,  until 500 ml of vitamin D-fortified formula or milk is added to their diet. ²   

Nutritionally at-risk children and teens: Children with chronic illnesses such as celiac disease, cystic fibrosis or broncho-pulmonary dysplasia, are at-risk for nutritional deficiencies.  These children may benefit from multivitamin supplementation including specifically, iron, calcium and Vitamin B complex.   Routine vitamin supplementation is not recommended for adolescents, but is suggested for nutritionally at-risk teenagers. This is especially important for teenage female athletes. The "female athlete triad" refers to the combination of disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis.

 The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) provide estimated average requirements of vitamins for various age groups: 

to Learn more:
              effects of common vitamin deficiencies
              effects of excess vitamins

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