Right Sizing: the Dangers of Kids Taking Adult Vitamins

It can be a struggle to find a child’s multivitamin that isn’t full of added sugar or artificial colorings, which sometimes leads parents to consider giving kids the same ones they themselves take.  But doctors and experts caution against sharing your stash, reminding us that kids ages 4 to 12 need no more than 50% of the adult recommended daily allowance of vitamins such as A, D, E and K.  Exceeding this can cause symptoms ranging from nausea to rash and headaches, while overdosing Iron can lead to liver and intestinal issues.  Some minerals can also interact with prescription medications, so supervision is always essential.

Nearly five thousand children are sent to emergency rooms across the country annually due to ingesting too much vitamin, which typically happens because supplements today often look and even taste like candy.  Keeping both adult and kid vitamins stored out of reach and educating kids on what they are and why it’s important not to take extra, are two preventative measures.

While a whole food approach to vitamins is always preferable, sometimes kids need a supplement, especially those with a plant based diet, where extra Zinc, Calcium, Iron and B12 can be beneficial.  Doctors at the Mayo Clinic also suggest a multivitamin in cases of food allergies, physical and/or developmental delays and chronic diseases.