Question: Should I give my child supplements?

Most nutrients can be found in a healthy Western diet instead of relying on supplements. Following is a listing of supplements to avoid giving to children:

• Amino acids (glutamine, arginine and lysine)
• Vitamins (A, B, D, E and beta carotene)
• Minerals (iron, zinc and selenium)
• Herbal remedies (bee pollen, bromelain, goldenseal, ma huang, noni juice, wheat grass, barley grass, Echinacea, andrographis, garlic and ginseng)

Could these supplements be good for your child? Perhaps, but they have not been proven to be either safe or effective. In fact, zinc and Echinacea have been studied enough to show that there is no proven benefit for children and could have undesirable side effects.

What about vitamin C? A typical healthy diet is already rich in vitamin C and many foods are supplemented with it. Provide your child with a diet rich in vitamin C. Consider supplementing their diet with vitamin C in pill form only when another household member has a cold.

A healthy, well-balanced diet is important for preventing and fighting infections. There is little need to supplement a diet that contains proteins and moderate amounts of carbohydrates and fats. Find the micronutrients your child needs in vegetables, dairy products, meats, chicken and fish.