Perfect Multivitamin Combination

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What is the best vitamin for a child? This is a common question of most parents. Drugstore personnel tend to reply, ‘The complete combination, of course!’

A multivitamin combination is usually composed of the B complex group, vitamin A, vitamin D3 or ergocalciferol, vitamin E or tocopherol and vitamin C. These active components are normally in smaller amounts and act only as additional supplements for the body. While adults may have enough supply of these from foods, kids – particularly the younger ones require more nutrients for growth.

Vitamins and other supplements are commonly regarded as OTC products. If you are planning to buy a multivitamins product for your child, the following active components can also be great essentials.

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Ascorbic Acid VS Sodium Ascorbate

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Ascorbic acid has been known as an important vitamin to build up resistance and to strengthen the immune system. While it can also be attained by eating fruits and vegetables, ascorbic acid is more popular in drugstores as a dietary supplement in single or in combination types. Ascorbic acid is usually prescribed in individuals – young and old, to prevent cough and colds. Doctors also use it as an adjunct with other medications (e.g. cough and colds and antibiotic) to speed up healing.

Ascorbic acid is a good choice as a daily supplement. However, with stomach irritation as its major side-effect some vitamin C users tend to use sodium ascorbate – a counterpart on ascorbic acid.

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Are Dietary Supplements Advisable While Suffering From Diarrhea?

Some clinics would recommend patients to stop their vitamins and other dietary supplements when suffering from diarrhea. As diarrhea is a symptom of frequent defecation of watery stools, in take of vitamins and dietary supplements will be a waste of time since these will only be excreted. But, can this reason be true?

 

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While vitamin (ascorbic acid and multivitamin) intake is doubled and even tripled for dengue fever management and supplements (Charantia, Taheebo) are recommended for diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions, the use of vitamins and other dietary supplements are temporarily terminated during chronic diarrhea.  Clinic and pharmacy personnel would reason that taking vitamins won’t be helpful since these will only be flushed down along with the frequent bowel evacuation. Contrary to this, vitamins and supplements can actually be absorbed by the body.

The main concern here is there are vitamins and supplements that can make diarrhea worse. However, there are still those that can support diarrhea treatment.

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Dietary Supplements Overdose

Most people take dietary supplements to ensure that they are getting enough nutrients food couldn’t provide much. While a pregnant woman increases her intake of iron and calcium for the needs of her own body and for the unborn child, the daily dose of ascorbic acid and other vitamins can also be doubled in cases of serious infections. However, these instances should always be advised by a medical doctor. When it comes to daily nutrients and multivitamins, more is not good. There are certain limits for these supplements and taking much can be very harmful for the body.

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The following are facts about the best dietary supplements that you could be abusing. Take note that most of these values are based on a 2000 calorie intake for people of 4 or more years of age. This is applied because it approximates the caloric requirements for postmenopausal women who have the highest risk for excessive intake of calories and fat. The maximum values are based on Food and Drug Administration (FDA) values, the World Health Organization (WHO), BBC Health values, the European Union Directive (based on FDA values) and values from various other governmental and private agencies in the USA and the UK.

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"No Approved Therapeutic Claims"

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The statement ‘No approved therapeutic claims’ is usually found in herbal and food supplement containers. Like the line, ‘Smoking is hazardous to your health’ in cigarettes or the declaration, ‘Drink moderately’ in liquor bottles, the statement serves as a warning for those who would rely solely with some particular food supplements.

 Dietary supplement categories

Supplements can be grouped into two - those that can be used in treating ailments and those that function only for dietary support. Ferrous sulfate for instance belongs to the first group. It is a vitamin indicated for anemia. Vitamin C promotes faster wound healing and therefore often prescribed by doctors with the antibiotics. The B complex combination is another thing. This group is advised with patients suffering from neuralgia. These supplements mentioned not only provide nutrients but can be used as treatment as well. Thus, this group can be regarded as supplements with therapeutic claims.

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