I want to know if any moms give their kids b complex vitamin for kids? The reason I ask is because I want to give it to my kid because her immune system is low. She get sick most of the time ( colds ). I know about veggies but we don't eat them like we should so vitamins work for me I just want to know how about my kid?
Thanks everyone for responding. Well to answer some question, I give her a children's multivitamin, castor oil, and now I want to start b complex. My regimen is the same and I don't get sick. But she does. I do give her veggies, meat, grains, but not everyday she want to eat it. She's ten. But she is a healthy kid overall, I just wanted to keep her immune system strong. I am going to talk with her ped. Soon though.
I give my son b complex for kids, from the health food store because he has seizures, and it's supposed to help with that. I also give him fish oil every day
You don't say what, if any, vitamins she currently takes.
I shop on drugstore.com for gummy vitamins as well as Target.
Here is our vitamin regime for our son:
multivitamin
extra vitamin D
extra vitamin C with zinc + echinacea
omega 3
Since we started this 2 years ago, his number of illnesses in a winter has decreased dramatically and when he does catch a cold, he just has sniffles for a day.
In my experience as a nutritional consultant, giving a child single or small-batch vitamins is not overly successful, and certainly not a good investment. Vitamins, minerals, trace elements, phytonutrients, herbs etc. all need a balanced interaction with each other to function fully. Most of us know, for example, that calcium requires vitamin D for absorption. Now multiply that same concept for some 70 ingredients that are needed! So, while B complex vitamins are important, your child won't get the benefit if she's not getting everything else.
The vitamin industry makes a fortune because everyone's buying a bottle of this and a bottle of that, and tries to make it work. It usually just costs a lot of money for minimal, if any, benefit other than feeling like you're doing something positive.
You also have to be careful because most vitamins and supplements (though not all) carry warning labels from the FDA saying "Keep out of reach of children." That always drives me nuts especially with children's products!
What you want is a comprehensive nutritional supplement, ideally patented (so you know it's proven safe, effective and unique), something that is in powder form that you mix in liquid at the time of consumption (milk, juice, water, etc.) and something that is appealing to the child. You don't want pills (absorbed only 15-30% tops) and you don't want a premixed liquid (proteins break down, and there are emulsifiers to prevent settling). You want to be sure it's formulated (manufactured) in the US or in a country with even stricter laws (vs. something outsourced to a third world country with a US label just stuck on it), that's manufactured under near-pharmaceutical grade conditions (higher than the food industry requires), that has a guarantee, and is based on clinical data and not just sold in grocery stores. You want a guarantee, and a company with proven business ethics. You want to know the background and experience of the Chief Scientific Officer - you want to be sure there's a scientific basis for the formulas and not just something thrown together by a bunch of business executives trying to make a buck. There is something I know of which you can buy on line from the manufacturer but you need a referral so that you have someone you can ask questions of if necessary. Thereafter you can buy on your own as you wish. If that interests you, I can give you the contact info.
The veggies you are pushing are a great idea, but they are not enough. Our food supply (even organic and locally-grown) doesn't have the nutritional components we need to fight off the environmental influences, the processed foods, and so on.
My son hasn't had a "sick visit" to the doctor in about 6 years, and neither have my husband and I. All our lab work comes out better than it ever has, and I work with a lot of people who have done the same. There's plenty of great science going on right now with immune system boosting and you want to take advantage of that.
I don't know about B-complex specifically, but I have had really good luck with things from Vitamin World. My kids have used their White Chocolate Bunny probiotics, Fiber Gummies, and a multivitamin gummy. I have a vitamin mix from them that is all derived from food, and contains most everything you need for a day. I am actually full for at least an hour after I take 1 pill. I like that they are made from food because then I know I am putting "real stuff" in my body. I hope that helps. Oh, and I know that research says that its not enough to do any good, but I have seem impressive changes in a lot of issues with my kiddos. Maybe we are the exception and the rule?
Vitamins work for you because veggies don't? Is that your theory? It doesn't really work that way. Your child needs actual food. Our bodies don't absorb nearly as much of the vitamin supplements as we think they do. We pee most of the vitamin supplements away.
My best advice is for you to talk to a pediatric nutritionist, and not to offer a concentrated vitamin without the advice of a doctor AND pediatric nutritionist.
How old is your kid? I ask because at certain ages there isn't much you can do, the kids just get sick all the time. They have yet to catch all the colds the rest of us have already had, so they are just sick.
