It's essential for healthy bones, teeth, gums, and blood vessels. Ask your doctor if supplements are right for you.Vitamin EVitamin E is an antioxidant and helps protect cells from damage. It is also important for the health of red blood cells.Vitamin E is found in many foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and green leafy vegetables. It's also added to some breakfast cereals.Teens should get 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily.Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 is important for normal brain and nerve function. It helps maintain healthy skin and is important for nerve function.You'll find niacin in red meat, poultry, fish, fortified hot and cold cereals, and peanuts.Teen guys need 16 mg of niacin daily. It is also needed to make DNA.Liver, dried beans and other legumes, green leafy vegetables, asparagus, and orange juice are good sources of this vitamin.
So are fortified bread, rice, and cereals.Teen girls and guys need 400 micrograms of folate daily. Although more supplementation studies are needed, ensuring vitamin D adequacy throughout childhood and adolescence seems prudent. The Linus Pauling Institute recommends that adolescents aged 14 to 18 years should have a daily intake of 600 to 1,000 IU (15 to 25 μg) of vitamin D, consistent with the recommendations of the Endocrine Society . According to the Endocrine Society, at least 600 IU/day may be required to maximize bone health, and 1,000 IU/day may be needed to increase serum levels above 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) . Given the average vitamin D content of the diets of adolescents, supplementation may be necessary to meet this recommendation. The RDA of magnesium for those aged 14 to 18 years, 410 mg/day for boys and 360 mg/day for girls, was derived from results of balance studies in adolescents.
Good dietary sources of magnesium include nuts, and green leafy vegetables because magnesium is part of chlorophyll — the green pigment in plants. Meats and milk have an intermediate magnesium content, with milk providing mg per cup . Although data are limited, some studies have found that a large percentage of adolescents have magnesium intakes below recommended levels ( ). In an analysis of NHANES data, US adolescents who consumed milk had higher daily magnesium intakes than adolescents who did not drink milk .
However, NHANES data show that US adolescents (12-19 years) on average only consume about 1 cup of milk daily . Low-fat milk, nuts, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables are important sources of magnesium for adolescents. If adolescents do not meet the RDA through dietary sources, LPI recommends a combined magnesium-calcium supplement. 20,21 summarises data for UK children aged 6 months to 2.5 years from two dietary surveys. The National Diet and Nutrition Survey20 studied a representative cohort aged 1.5–4.5 years between July 1992 and June 1993.
Plasma levels of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D showed seasonal variation, being highest in July to September and lowest in January to March. About 99% of calcium in the body is found in bones and teeth . Specifically, data used by the FNB to determine calcium accretion came from a recent longitudinal study in 642 Caucasian adolescents aged 14 to 18 years . Thus, the RDA was set at 1,300 mg/day; this level of calcium intake is expected to cover the needs of 97.5% of adolescents. Vitamin B6 is required for heme synthesis and in the synthesis and metabolism of amino acids— the building blocks of proteins. Thus, the vitamin has obvious relevance to adolescent growth and health.
Dietary intake recommendations of vitamin B6 for adolescents were established by extrapolating data from adults, using metabolic body weight and accounting for growth. The RDA for boys aged 14 to 18 years is 1.3 mg/day, and the RDA for girls aged 14 to 18 years is 1.2 mg/day . Only a few studies have evaluated vitamin B6 status specifically in adolescents. The same investigators found more than 40% vitamin B6 inadequacy when a group of 112 adolescent girls (12- and 14-year-old) were followed for two years . For information on dietary sources of the vitamin, see the article on Vitamin B6.
This may have led to confusion contributing to the relatively low use of vitamin supplements. This is very unlikely to be met by diet, as the average daily intake of women of reproductive age approximates 3 μg/day. Uncertainty has therefore arisen from recent guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence18 stating that there is insufficient evidence to support routine provision of vitamin D to pregnant mothers. Severe iron deficiency leads to iron-deficiency anemia; anemia affects more than 30% of the global population . Adolescents have increased requirements for iron due to rapid growth. In particular, adolescent girls are at a heightened risk of iron deficiency due to inadequate intake of dietary iron, especially heme iron; increased demands of growth; and iron loss that occurs with menstruation.
Following puberty, adolescent girls have lower iron stores compared to adolescent boys . Vitamin C has a number of important roles during growth and development, including being required for the synthesis of collagen, carnitine, and neurotransmitters . Vitamin C is also a highly effective antioxidant and is important for immunity . Further, vitamin C strongly enhances the absorption of nonheme iron by reducing dietary ferric iron (Fe3+) to ferrous iron (Fe2+). Specifically, iron absorption is two- to three-fold higher with co-ingestion of 25 to 75 mg of vitamin C .
This has special relevance to adolescent health, considering the fact that iron deficiency is prevalent among adolescents, especially girls . The RDA for adolescents aged 14 to 18 years, which was extrapolated from recommendations for adults based on relative body weight, is 75 mg/day and 65 mg/day of vitamin C for boys and girls, respectively . Meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts and legumes (e.g. beans and lentils) are good sources of iron and protein. Iron is needed to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen around your body.
During your teenage years, you'll start to menstruate, or get your period, and this leads to loss of iron. If you don't get enough iron, you can develop anaemia, a condition that can make you feel tired and light-headed and short of breath. Protein is needed for growth and to keep your muscles healthy. Not eating enough protein when you are still growing, or going through puberty, can lead to delayed or stunted height and weight. Include meat, chicken, fish or eggs in your diet at least twice a day. Megafood is one of the best multivitamins for teenagers from 13 to 18 years old.
This mixture of vitamins and minerals is compatible with healthy bones, immune function, and red blood cells with only three tablets per day. The teen years are a time when parents often start to have less control over their children's eating habits. Teenagers begin to eat more food away from home, have a bigger say in family meal choices and often snack more on foods that are high in fat, sugar and/or salt but low in other nutrients. At the same time, some teens may start to skip meals, experiment with vegetarian diets, eliminate food groups such as meat, dairy or carbs, or closely monitor what they're eating to control their weight or bulk up. The end result can be very unbalanced diets – often with too much saturated fat, sugar and salt but too little fibre, a lack of fruit and veg and not enough vitamins and minerals during this time of rapid growth.
The eight B vitamins are crucial to the production of energy and red blood cells. A 2016 review of studies said they're "absolutely essential for every aspect of brain function." And they have a number of full-body benefits. "Biotin, or B7, is a B vitamin that helps keep hair healthy." The RDA for vitamin A is based on the amount needed to ensure adequate stores of vitamin A in the body to support normal reproductive function, immune function, vitamin A-dependent gene expression, and vision .
Vitamin A intake recommendations for adolescents were derived by extrapolating the recommendation for adults using metabolic body weight, accounting for growth. For information on vitamin A content in foods, see the article on Vitamin A. The formulas also contain vitamin D, magnesium and zinc which contribute to the maintenance of normal bone health. In general, multivitamin/mineral supplements contain only a small percentage of the RDA for calcium and magnesium; therefore, intake of calcium and magnesium from dietary sources, such as low-fat milk, is important. The amount of bioavailable iron in food is influenced by the iron nutritional status of the individual and also by the form of iron .
Individuals who are anemic or iron deficient absorb a larger percentage of the iron they consume than individuals who are not anemic and have sufficient iron stores . Although heme iron generally accounts for only 10-15% of the iron found in the diet, it may provide up to one third of total absorbed dietary iron . The absorption of nonheme iron is strongly influenced by enhancers and inhibitors present in the same meal. For instance, vitamin C strongly enhances the absorption of nonheme iron by reducing dietary ferric iron (Fe3+) to ferrous iron (Fe2+) and forming an absorbable, iron-ascorbic acid complex. Organic acids, such as citric, malic, tartaric, and lactic acids, also enhance nonheme iron absorption.
Further, consumption of meat, poultry, and fish enhance nonheme iron absorption, but the mechanism for this increase in absorption is not clear . Inhibitors of nonheme iron absorption include phytic acid, which is present in legumes, grains, and rice. Polyphenols found in some fruit, vegetables, coffee, tea, wines, and spices can also markedly inhibit the absorption of nonheme iron, but this effect is reduced by the presence of vitamin C . Soy protein, such as that found in tofu, has an inhibitory effect on iron absorption that is independent of its phytic acid content . The Olly multivitamin delivers a daily dose of 18 essential nutrients, which includes the B vitamins, antioxidants, vitamin D, and calcium.
This gummy vitamin also features a blend of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as biotin and folic acid to support energy and bone health, DeFazio explains. "To get your daily dose, all you have to do is put one into your mouth and chew, making it an easy choice for adults and kids alike who dislike swallowing large pills," she adds. Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron, a mineral that facilitates the transportation of oxygen through your blood stream and helps regulate cell growth.
Vitamin C helps to keep your cells healthy and, as an antioxidant, may protect you from illness. The recommended daily intake is 75 milligrams of vitamin C for teen boys and 65 milligrams for teen girls. Adding a variety of foods to a teen's diet can help her get what she needs, and supplementing with multivitamins may benefit some teens. It's important for teenagers to get all the necessary vitamins daily. However, several vitamins are particularly important for growth, development and sustained energy levels. Fill your diet with a variety of vitamin-rich foods to get plenty of vitamins, as well as other nutrients, without having to worry about taking dietary supplements.
However, when accounting for intake from fortified foods, less than 5% of individuals in that age group have intakes below the EAR . The US Food and Drug Administration implemented legislation in 1998 requiring the fortification of all enriched grain products with folic acid . Globally, more than 50 countries have mandatory programs of wheat-flour fortification with folic acid, but flour fortification is not common in Europe . Dietary folate inadequacy is common among adolescents in European nations, especially girls . Despite the abundance of iron in the United States food supply through natural, enriched and fortified food sources, teens may be consuming less of this mineral than their developing bodies require.
Adolescent girls, especially, tend to have lower intakes of foods that provide iron. Children and adolescents from food-insecure households are at greater risk of not getting enough iron than their peers who have easier access to food. Girls are also at increased risk of iron deficiency due to iron loss during menstruation. If teens are following calorie-restrictive diets to lose or manage weight, that may affect iron intake, and vegetarian or vegan teens may also be at risk of not getting enough iron.
Anyone who struggles to eat a healthy, varied, and balanced diet may benefit from taking supplements. For teenagers, it may be helpful to take iron, calcium, and vitamin D if you feel you are lacking these essential vitamins and minerals. Before you or your teenager start taking any new supplements it's a good idea to check with your GP or a pharmacist.
What Vitamins Should I Take 18 Female There are certainly diseases caused by a lack of specific nutrients in the diet. Classic examples include scurvy , beri-beri , pellagra , and rickets . But these conditions are rare in the U.S. and other developed countries where there is generally more access to a wide range of foods, some of which are fortified with vitamins. Individual vitamin supplementation may also be essential in certain cases, such as a deficiency caused by long-term poor nutrition or malabsorption caused by the body's digestive system not functioning properly.
Vitamin D is a nutrient that helps the body use calcium and phosphorous to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. Vitamin D is unique in that it can be synthesized by the body after exposure to ultraviolet rays from sunlight. Too little vitamin D can cause calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood to decrease, leading to calcium being pulled out of the bones to help maintain stable blood levels. This can cause rickets in children and osteomalacia or osteoporosis in adults.
However, too much vitamin D can cause too much calcium to be deposited in the body, which can lead to calcification of the kidney and other soft tissues including the heart, lungs and blood vessels. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for maintaining normal calcium metabolism and is therefore necessary for bone health. The growth plates of bones continue to enlarge, but in the absence of adequate mineralization, weight-bearing limbs become bowed. The B vitamin, folate, is required as a coenzyme to mediate the transfer of one-carbon units. Folate coenzymes act as acceptors and donors of one-carbon units in a variety of reactions critical to the endogenous synthesis and metabolism of nucleic acids and amino acids . Thus, folate has obvious importance in growth and development.
Moreover, higher intakes of folate in adolescents have been linked to better academic achievement . Like other B vitamins, adolescent intake recommendations for folate were extrapolated from adult recommendations, using metabolic body weight and accounting for growth. The RDA for adolescents aged 14 to 18 years is 400 μg/day of dietary folate equivalents . There are exceptions to this rule however, which is why consulting with your doctor is always a smart choice.
Dr. Olulade explains that, for example, lifestyle diets such as veganism and vegetarianism may make it difficult to maintain an adequate Vitamin B12 level. There are also vitamins not easily found in food sources, like Vitamin D, which make it a common deficiency in women, especially those with darker skin or those who don't spend much time in the sun. Iron, folic acid, and calcium are three other supplements that may be helpful depending on your lifestyle, health, and age. However, only a doctor can tell you if you have a true deficiency. An optimum nutritional intake during adolescence and young adulthood can help set the stage for lifelong health. Teenagers need to have sufficient vitamins and minerals to ensure healthy development during growth spurts, plus as they undergo significant physical and biochemical changes in their bodies.
So the importance of obtaining the right nutrients in the diet is vital, just at a time when this may not be a top priority for some busy teenagers. The usually recommended allowance for teen girls is 1,000 mg/day for 4-8 years old teenage girls while for 9-14 years is 1,300 mg/day. Vitamin A promotes proper bone growth and tooth development, making it a vital nutrient for all children and adolescents.
According to the Linus Pauling Institute, teens in industrialized countries tend to have low intakes of vitamin A, which is a necessary nutrient for adolescent development. Teen boys should get 900 micrograms, or 3,000 international units, of vitamin A per day, while teen girls need 700 micrograms, or 2,333 international units of vitamin A daily. For those who eat a healthful diet, a multivitamin may have little or no benefit.
A diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, good protein sources, and healthful fats should provide most of the nutrients needed for good health. When it comes to specific vitamins and minerals, some Americans get less than adequate amounts, according to criteria set by the National Academy of Medicine. For example, more than 90% of Americans get less than the Estimated Average Requirement for vitamin D and vitamin E from food sources alone.
Healthy Start provides an opportunity to review vitamin requirements of UK children. The mainstay of prevention of vitamin deficiency should be a healthy and balanced diet. The vitamin for which supplementation is most important is vitamin D. National strategy should aim at education of the public regarding dietary and environmental issues, while health professionals should be vigilant to detection and prevention in high‐risk individuals. Vitamin D should be available for pregnant women, and a low threshold should be adopted for starting supplements in babies shortly after birth. Vitamin A could quite easily exceed the recommended intake (800 μg/day) if a high‐dose supplement is given.
It would therefore seem prudent to have a limited number of vitamin preparations available for those children in whom nutritional intake is unlikely to be sufficient. These should err on the lower side for vitamin A, while ensuring a satisfactory dose of vitamin D. Water‐soluble vitamin content, if included, should be modest. Some risk factors for vitamin deficiency in infancy will continue through early childhood and it will be wise to continue until 4 years of age—as endorsed by Healthy Start. The Maxi Teen Supreme dietary supplement is a doctor-formulated multivitamin for girls. The powerful antioxidants present in the tablets cleanse the impurities in the body.
