Whether as parents or the children themselves, a majority of your patient population is either gearing up for (or are already) heading back to school. As beach days get traded for evenings hitting the books, this busy time can be met with excitement, but more likely, a lot of anxiety including high hopes for kids to stay healthy, happy and focused on learning.
To help ease some of this anxiety and support overall health and well-being, our Medical Education team has put together a list of foundational supplements that, in addition to a great multivitamin, should be in every child’s back-to-school supplement supply kit.
Omega 3
Omega 3s are critical nutritional building blocks that support healthy brain development in a variety of ways. Research suggests that adequate Omega 3s are required for proper neurotransmitter function, supporting psychological and behavioral health. Other studies have shown supplementation with Omega 3s may improve memory.1 Kids’ brains work extra hard at school trying to learn and remember new things every day. In addition, the social environment can present many new emotional challenges. Ensuring adequate daily intake of Omega 3s is essential support for optimal cognitive and emotional health.
Our team recommends:
- Kid’s Omega Swirl Fish Oil – Barlean’s – KOSFO
- Kids Orange – Coromega – C45242
- Liquid Strawberry – DHA Junior – DHAJ1
Probiotics
Kids spend long hours in school, not always making the best choices when it comes to food. On top of that, families are working to juggle extracurricular activities. The reality of these busy schedules means healthy, balanced meals are often taking a back seat to pocket-sized snacks. Probiotics can benefit everyone, even those already consuming nutritious meals, but they become extra important for picky and/or on-the-run eaters.
Probiotics help improve both digestion and absorption of nutrients, helping kids get the most out of the food they do consume. Taking steps to help children maintain their healthy microbiome will also help to boost their overall health and immune system function. Different products contain different strains of probiotic bacteria, so there is also a benefit to switching things up month to month to promote healthy gut bacteria diversity.
Our team recommends:
- Ther-Biotic Children’s – Klaire Labs – KTCC
- HMF Fit for School – Genestra – G44006
- Ultimate Flora Kids Probiotic – Renew Life – R58680
Elderberry
Elderberry has been shown to significantly help in the fight against the common cold and even the flu, reducing symptoms by an average of four days.2 Its antiviral activity is powerful at knocking out colds and the elder flower has long been used to promote sweating and breaking flu-related fevers.3,4 Shown to be most effective when treatment begins prior to an acute issue, elderberry syrup is a sweet treat that kids will be eager to take. Especially helpful to take daily when cold and flu season arrives, there is no harm in adding it to the everyday lineup.
Our team recommends:
Vitamin D
Even with a high-quality multivitamin, it’s likely that children aren’t getting enough Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps to maintain adequate blood levels of calcium by increasing the level of absorption from food, which will help kids build strong bones. Vitamin D also plays a critical role in helping to regulate the immune system — improving immune defense against illness while reducing the risk of autoimmune dysfunction.5
Additionally, Vitamin D supports muscle function, cardiovascular function, respiratory function, metabolism and brain development, including proper neurotransmitter function, which affects mood and energy. Vitamin D regulates about 1,000 genes in the body,6 making a child’s optimal physical, mental and emotional development heavily reliant on having adequate Vitamin D.
Our team recommends:
- Vitamin D3 Kids Gummies – Nordic Naturals – N1143
- Kids Vitamin D3 Grape – Metabolic Response Modifier – M10311
- Micellized Vitamin D3 400 IU – Klaire Labs- KMCD
- Liquid Vitamin D3 – Protocol for Life Balance – VID9
Starting the new school year is always a big change, but helping your patients have a fully stocked supplement supply kit is something parents and kids alike will appreciate.
This information was brought to you by Emerson Ecologics.
