Vitamins by Age Group

Vitamins and supplements are a big industry, and there are so many to choose from.  Trying to figure out what to take, which makers have a better product and if it really adds value to your health. 

A dietary supplement is just that, it is a dietary ingredient intended to add further nutritional value to your own diet.  We do know that by eating the right amounts of fruits, vegetables, nuts, protein and dairy, we fulfill our daily requirements of vitamins needed to sustain a healthy body.  But a busy lifestyle doesn’t always allow for the perfect meal planning, so our bodies tend to suffer from lack of certain nutrients needed daily, so the next best thing is to reach for the vitamins/supplements to make up for those we are lacking.

That being said, what dietary supplements are the most important?  And what are the necessary amounts needed, as it varies with age and the daily diet doesn’t always provide all the nutrients needed.

According to WebMD:

Infants (0-12mos.):  Since infants can’t consume as many calories as adults, a diet high in fat supplies more than twice the calories of carbohydrates or protein.  Fat also supplies the essential fatty acids that attribute to proper brain development. Breast Milk, formula and animal products provide fat and cholesterol, which is necessary for a healthy nervous system.  Babies need Vitamin D every day to build strong bones and teeth.  Iron is needed as well to help support an infant’s rapid growth and development.

Toddlers & School Aged Children (1-8yrs.): Toddlers need about 1,400 calories a day. Milk provides calcium and vitamin D for the growing bones.  Everyone between 1-70 years old should get 600IU of vitamin D daily, about the amount found in five 8-ounce glasses of milk.  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children of all ages who drink less than 32 ounces of vitamin D added milk daily need vitamin D supplements.  As a child’s diet begins to reflect the family’s eating patterns, the child may be at risk for a diet low in calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and fiber, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Kids who avoid meat and other iron-rich foods, or any food group, may need a multivitamin supplement to fill in nutrient gaps.  Children who don’t consume enough milk or calcium and vitamin-D foods may require extra calcium.

Pre-teens and Teens (9 to 19 years old): Adolescence is the time for a child’s final growth spurt.  A child’s body begins preparing for the changes to come starting around age nine.  Nearly half of all skeletal growth occurs during the teen years.  Rapidly growing bones trigger a higher demand for calcium and the body responds by boosting calcium absorption from food and depositing it in bones to make them longer and thicker.  From age 9-18, children require 1,300mg of calcium daily, about the amount found in 32 ounces of milk.  Children of all ages require 600IU of vitamin D, which promotes calcium absorption in the body.  Iron requirements increases at age 14 to support increased blood volume and muscle mass.  Teen girls due to menstruation need more than boys to make up for monthly losses.  Inadequate iron intake can lead to anemia, the most common nutrient shortfall for teen girls. Teens who skimp on animal products run a greater risk for iron deficiency and insufficient intake of vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D, among others.  A daily multivitamin helps to fill in small nutrient gaps in a teen’s diet.

Adults (19 to 50 years old): Calorie needs decrease when you’re done growing.  A woman’s iron needs increase again in adulthood, to 18mg daily.  During pregnancy, iron requirements rise to 27mg daily, which is difficult to satisfy with food alone. 

Folic acid is another important nutrient during the childbearing years.  This B vitamin helps to prevent birth defects during early pregnancy.  The Institute of Medicine encourages women who may become pregnant to consume 400 micrograms of folic acid daily from fortified foods, dietary supplements, or a combination of the two.

With the exception of pregnancy, calcium absorption starts decreasing during adulthood.  Women, and men, should satisfy their daily calcium needs during this stage, which arte 1,000mg to reduce the risk of bone fractures later on in life. Calcium and vitamin D supplements make sense if you don’t consume the recommended 24 ounces of low-fat (1%) milk or fat-free milk or yogurt, or a combination of these every day – or if you don’t get the recommended calcium and vitamin D from other foods besides dairy.

Senior (50years old and older):  Nutrient needs change with advancing age for several reasons:  the body absorbs less, it requires more, or it needs less of certain nutrients.  For example, after menopause, women need less iron – 8mg daily – compared to 18mg daily during childbearing years – but they require more calcium.  As estrogen production decreases during menopause, more bone is broker down than constructed.  In addition, the body absorbs less calcium than it did earlier in life.  After age 51, women should consume 1,200mg calcium daily and men need 1,000mg.  Vitamin D needs go up with age, too.  After age 71, you should get 800IU daily.  Unless you drink 64 ounces of mild each day, you need a vitamin d supplement.

It’s harder to absorb naturally occurring vitamin B12 after age 50, because your body is less able to grab the vitamin B12 from foods and absorb it.  The body easily absorbs synthetic B12, however, which is why experts recommend it as the primary B12 source for people over 50.  Foods fortified with vitamin B12. Such as breakfast cereals and other, grains, or a multivitamin can help you meet your vitamin B12 needs.

Also keep in mind that certain nutrients interfere with over-the-counter and prescription medications.  As always, ask your doctor or pharmacist about the dietary supplements you take and how they may affect your medications.