Hot weather brings with it the predictable: an excuse to get in the ocean whenever (me), an excuse not to get in the ocean unless the temperature is above 30 degrees (my husband, Mark), and poor sleeping habits from the kids. Kids tend not to sleep well in bright light, especially when it’s hot and humid, so parents across the country are feeling increasingly desperate at this time of year.
My kids just can’t fall asleep easily, and I know I shouldn’t blame it on the weather any more than I can blame it on the day of the week. But this summer I’ve noticed a lot of parents claiming supplements are the solution to all their ailments. It used to be something blindly recommended for sleep problems. Now it’s magnesium, vitamin D for lack of sunlight, fish oil for lack of focus.
But how true is that? Do our kids really need extra supplements? I buy gummy vitamins for my kids in the winter, which they love, and I only buy probiotics when they’re on antibiotics, but I often wonder if giving them more regularly would help strengthen their immune systems.
Health technology brand Zoe last month launched the first whole-food supplement recommended for children, made from 32 plants and fungi.
But when I mention magnesium supplements, Zoe’s lead nutritionist, Federica Amati, looks aghast over Zoom. “Circadian rhythms are determined by exposure to sunlight,” she explains. “So it’s natural and not a problem if your child has trouble sleeping. If your child’s diet is low in magnesium, adding a banana after dinner can help raise their magnesium levels. Supplements are not the answer; a variety of magnesium-rich foods is better.”
Magnesium is commonly found in breakfast foods such as cereals, wholemeal bread, oats, bananas, nuts, seeds, leafy vegetables, carrots and apples, so perhaps this explains the popularity of late-night breakfasts. Lucy Upton, spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association and paediatric dietitian and feeding therapist, is similarly sceptical. “Magnesium has become quite the fashionable supplement these days, but at present there isn’t much evidence to suggest that many children in the UK are not getting enough of it,” she explains.
Amati is open to taking probiotic supplements for gut health, especially after children have taken antibiotics. She often chooses Optivac or Baba West products for her daughters during the winter, but she thinks a diet rich in natural yoghurt or kefir could be just as effective. Paediatric nutritionist Natalie Yellett would like to see further research into probiotics. “Studies are starting to be done on their use in infants and children with various medical conditions. There is still no concrete evidence on their effectiveness or safety in healthy children, particularly regarding which strains and in what amounts.”
Amati says lactoferrin has become a popular supplement among parents. It’s a protein found in breast milk that helps fight off viral infections. But it’s also found in kefir and yogurt. “It’s a useful indicator of the quality of dairy products,” she explains. She plans to check labels more carefully.
I wish we could get our kids to eat more omega-3s, but every time we bring out the fish and tell them it’s good for their brains, Astrid nods toward the fish tank (which, unfortunately, is right by the kitchen table) and says she’s thinking of her pets. We end up making her some noodles or sausages or whatever she wants to eat. This happens at least twice a month.
Nutritionists say omega-3s are also found in shrimp, flaxseed, chia, walnuts and eggs, but 100g of oily fish contains more than eight times the omega-3 and you only need to eat it twice a week (salmon has 2,150mg; mackerel has 4,580mg) compared to eggs (70mg, just over a quarter of the recommended daily intake of 250mg).
“If you don’t eat any oily fish, it’s worth taking a supplement, as it’s so important for brain development, memory and cognition,” Amati says. Upton agrees: “Some research suggests it may have potential benefits for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD. When choosing a supplement, choose one that contains the omega-3 fatty acids DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), and even algae-based ones if your child won’t eat fish. Don’t jump at the cod liver oil, as it often has too much vitamin A and not enough of the important omega-3 fats.”
Nutritionists all agree that vitamin D is important in winter. “Stick to the NHS recommendations,” advises Amati, adding that “in summer, vitamin D produced from safe sun exposure is more beneficial than supplements.” The NHS recommends that all babies aged six months to five years receive a daily vitamin and mineral supplement containing at least 400 IU of vitamins D, A and C, except for babies consuming more than 500ml of infant formula.
To be on the safe side, parents might feel reassured by purchasing a broader-spectrum daily multivitamin, but Amati recommends avoiding it. “I don’t think it’s necessary to give it to children unless there’s a medical problem. There’s no evidence that it has the same effect as a balanced diet, and it often gives a false sense of security,” she says. Upton agrees. “Many parents think that AZ multivitamin and mineral supplements are necessary for all children, but in reality, if a child is eating a varied, balanced diet, they only need the ones that are recommended on a daily basis,” she says.
Yellett cautions against increasing your intake without consulting a doctor or nutritionist: “Some vitamins and minerals, especially in high doses, can be harmful if not needed. Vitamin D is fat-soluble and in high doses can accumulate in the liver, causing toxicity.” Yellett suggests that children on a vegan or vegetarian diet should ensure they are getting enough calcium, iron, vitamin B12 and iodine.
All nutritionists emphasize a healthy diet over supplements: “Make sure your child eats iron-rich foods from either plant or animal sources, and have at least three servings of calcium-rich foods a day. Consume omega-3 fats, found in olive and seed oils, nuts, tofu and olives, regularly, and oily fish such as salmon and mackerel up to twice a week,” says Yellett.
I’m going to stock up on bananas and oats, and definitely not multivitamins, for the next heatwave I expect to hit.
