The most important vitamins for kids

Children need all the micronutrients and vitamins found in our food for their physical and mental development. Below, we look at five vitamins that are particularly important for our children. They have one thing in common:

Although vitamins for children are highly important, according to the latest scientific findings, an adequate supply is not always guaranteed. Below, we present the most important study results.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A deficiency is frequently observed in developing countries.¹ Although the nutritional situation in Germany is significantly better, according to findings from the EsKiMo Study and the National Nutrition Survey II, 25 to 50 percent of children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 do not consume sufficient amounts of this valuable nutrient through their diet.^2,3

What functions does vitamin A perform in the child's body?

According to American scientists from the Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, this versatile nutrient is primarily responsible for the physical development of our children.⁴ According to researchers from the University of Cambridge Clinical School in the United Kingdom and Cornell University in New York, bone formation and cell growth are impaired without an adequate daily intake of vitamin A.^5,6

In addition to physical development, this essential nutrient also appears to be involved in the development of mental abilities. Based on animal studies involving rodents and songbirds, scientists at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, USA, demonstrated the following: “Vitamin A supplementation improves learning and memory performance in cases of vitamin A deficiency and may alleviate the cognitive impairments associated with normal aging.”⁷

In addition, according to US scientists at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, vitamin A plays a central role in protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism.⁸ We have long known about the essential role this micronutrient plays in our immune system.⁹ For this reason, it is not surprising that a low vitamin A level in the blood increases the risk of inflammation and bacterial and viral infections. This is the conclusion reached by Professor Dr. Ram Reifen, a physician at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.¹⁰

Vitamin B12

According to a study by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), almost 40 percent of Americans have an inadequate supply of vitamin B12. Although vegetarians and vegans are often affected, deficiency also occurs increasingly with age among people who eat a mixed diet.^11,12

What functions does vitamin B12 perform in children?

A recent review (meta-analysis) by a group of researchers from the United States and India examined the effect of vitamin B12 on children's cognition. Doctors use this term to refer to certain functions of the brain.

These include perceptual ability, attention, intelligence quotient, memory, and academic performance. A comparison of 17 clinical studies involving several thousand participants between 1 and 16 years of age demonstrated a direct relationship between children's vitamin B12 status and their cognitive abilities.

For this reason, in the summary of their work, the scientists point out the following: “The importance of an adequate vitamin B12 status, particularly during pregnancy and early childhood, cannot be overestimated given the role of vitamin B12 in the development of the brain and the growth of fetuses and children.”¹³

A 2017 scientific study involving 320 children reached the following conclusion: Vitamin B12 status during infancy is associated with the development of social perception and visuospatial imagination in children up to five years of age.¹⁴

Vitamin C

Two major nutrition studies from 2007 and 2008 came to the surprising conclusion that more than one in four children in Germany does not consume enough vitamin C through their diet.^{2, 15}

The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recognized the effects of this inadequate intake and therefore increased the vitamin C reference values for adults and children in 2015.¹⁶

What significance does vitamin C have for children?

Because of its antioxidant properties, some scientists consider this valuable nutrient the most important vitamin for the human organism. In addition to its essential role in collagen formation, vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system.

A 2019 review by French researchers at the University of Clermont-Auvergne included eight clinical studies involving a total of 3,135 children aged three months to 18 years. In the summary, the scientists emphasize: “Although no preventive effect could be established, taking vitamin C shortened the duration of upper respiratory tract infections.

Given the frequency of colds, the excessive prescription of antibiotics, and the safety of vitamin C, supplementation is justified. This applies especially to children under 6 and children who frequently suffer from upper respiratory tract infections.”¹⁷

A recent research paper by Russian scientists points to another function of vitamin C: “Providing the body with zinc and vitamin C is important for the function of the central nervous system (CNS). Zinc supplementation (10 to 30 milligrams daily) has a positive effect on memory and reduces hyperactivity in children.”¹⁸

Vitamin D

The results of current nutrition studies paint a bleak picture: In Germany, more than nine out of ten children have an inadequate supply of vitamin D3. The situation is particularly serious for girls and boys aged 6 to 11.^{2, 19}

Vitamin D and the development of the skeleton in children

Industrialization in the 19th century caused environmental pollution in Europe to increase sharply. As a result, smog formed in many cities, reducing sunlight exposure throughout the year. In the course of this development, a skeletal disorder occurred in a large percentage of young children, especially in England, which is known in German as rickets.

Doctors quickly recognized the connection between the lack of sunlight and rickets. In 1919, scientists discovered vitamin D as a treatment for rickets, and the dreaded “softening of the bones” gradually lost its menace.²⁰

Those of us who are older surely still remember the spoonful of cod-liver oil that our parents forced us to take as children. Thanks to the administration of vitamin D3 to infants and young children recommended by the DGE, rickets is now very rare in Germany.²²

Despite this encouraging development, as already mentioned, the vitamin D status of our children is still inadequate. The deficiency goes unnoticed only because the children show no clear symptoms.

Vitamin D3 performs numerous functions in the body

As several scientific studies show, vitamin D, as a precursor to the hormone calcitriol, performs essential functions in our bodies:

• By activating the vitamin D receptor, vitamin D directly affects the expression of more than 1,000 genes in most human tissues and cell types.²³
• Vitamin D regulates the colonization of our gut bacteria (microbiome)²⁴
• Vitamin D3 has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties²⁵

According to current studies, vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of numerous chronic diseases. These include:

• Allergies and asthma^26,27
• Sleep disorders²⁸
• Atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, and high blood pressure^29,30
• Anxiety and depression^31,32
• Type 2 diabetes (age-related diabetes)³³
• Osteoporosis³⁴
• Dementia and Alzheimer's disease^35,36

In 2019, Italian scientists conducted a meta-analysis of more than 130 studies to investigate a connection between vitamin D levels and various autoimmune diseases.

The analysis demonstrates a connection between low vitamin D levels in the blood and the incidence of autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), hyperthyroidism (Graves' disease), Hashimoto's thyroiditis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and psoriasis.³⁷

Folic acid

Alongside vitamin D, the nutritional status in Germany is also critical with regard to folic acid. According to the results of the EsKiMo study and the National Nutrition Survey II, around two-thirds of boys and more than three-quarters of girls aged 6 to 17 do not consume enough foods containing folic acid.^2,38

The role of folic acid in children's development

According to Dr. Ouafa Sijilmassi, a research associate at Complutense University of Madrid, folic acid (folate) is one of the essential vitamins for health at every age, as it is involved in the body's production of amino acids, messenger substances (neurotransmitters), and certain vitamins. For this reason, folic acid is of crucial importance for rapidly growing tissues such as the fetus in the womb.³⁹

A deficiency during pregnancy can have serious consequences for the unborn child. In addition to premature birth, the US health authority (NIH) also lists congenital heart defects and other malformations of the embryo as consequences of folic acid deficiency.⁴⁰

Recent meta-analyses show that folic acid supplementation in pregnant women can be beneficial for their unborn children: According to the findings of a Chinese-Canadian research group, folic acid supplementation during pregnancy could have positive effects on the development of the brain and nervous system beyond its proven effect on neural tube defects (commonly referred to as “spina bifida”).⁴¹

Chinese scientists from Shandong University reached the following conclusion: “In summary, our extensive meta-analysis suggests that maternal intake of folic acid supplements during pregnancy could significantly reduce the risk of autism spectrum disorders in children, regardless of ethnicity, compared with women who did not take folic acid supplements.”⁴²

Several scientific studies point to the great importance of folic acid for cognitive abilities. A Korean research team determined vitamin B12 and folate status in healthy people and people with cognitive impairments aged between 60 and 79. The result: “The present findings suggest that high folate levels may protect older adults from cognitive impairment.”⁴³

Scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm reached the same conclusions. Accordingly, blood folate levels are also associated with cognitive performance in older people without dementia.⁴⁴

Although the studies were conducted with adults, they provide important insights into the significance of folic acid for our offspring. Therefore, it is advisable to ensure that children and adolescents receive an adequate supply through their diet.

» Have you seen our Multivitamins for Children guide yet? In this comprehensive guide, our team at wowtamins, made up of parents and experienced experts, gives you an honest and well-founded overview of the necessity of dietary supplements for children.

Summary

Vitamins A, B12, C, D, and folic acid play central roles in our children's growth. A deficiency during pregnancy and the first years of life should therefore be avoided at all costs.

Based on numerous recent studies, we have shown that vitamins A, B12, C, D, and folic acid play important roles in the growth and health of our children. A deficiency during pregnancy and the first years of life should therefore be avoided at all costs.

In addition to a balanced diet, it is important for your child to get regular sun exposure in summer. In addition, according to the DGE, a high-quality dietary supplement can help prevent an inadequate supply.

Sources