Vitamin D and our children

This morning ABC news aired a documentary about the lack of vitamin D in children in the United States. The disease called rickets, also known as ‘brittle bone disease,’ is back. Rickets is preventable with proper nutrient intake.

Vitamin D is a vitamin made in the body from sun exposure, and also found in some foods. Vitamin D is used to build strong (dense) bones, develop a stronger immune system and improve absorption of calcium. Kids are not getting enough vitamin D.

What’s happening today, is that kids are wearing sunblock when playing outside, and this blocks natural production of vitamin D. Then, many children are not eating foods with vitamin D. It’s a conundrum! Children’s bones and immune systems are paying the price.

What’s unfortunate about vitamin D, just like omega-3s, is that most people don’t know they have too little until it’s too late. The good news is that supplementation works.

For children, PharmaOmega makes a product called ‘Child’. Child provides 200 IU of the best form of vitamin D plus 350 mg’s of omega-3s in 2 very small 'pea sized' capsules. This is more omega-3 per serving than any other product for children, and it has important vitamin D as well. Kids can take 2 or 4 capsules (depending on their age) with or without a multiple vitamin.

Keep life simple and remember, nutrition only works when the nutrients are consumed!