As your boy reaches the 12th year of his life, you may notice many physical, cognitive, and emotional changes over time. By now, you might already be considering giving them some multivitamin supplements to avoid nutritional deficiencies. So, what kind of multivitamin should you give to your 12-year old boy?

Your 12-year old boy's nutritional needs get more demanding as they prepare their bodies for the teenage stage. As long as they are growing well and eating healthily, you don't necessarily have to let them take multivitamins. However, you may need to give your child multivitamins if you think they find it hard to eat a wide range of foods from across all food groups; they have a poor appetite due to health issues and others.

In this post, we will be tackling the following main points:

• The nutritional needs for a 12-year old boy
• How to tell if your 12-year old boy needs to take multivitamins?
• What nutrients should be included in a multivitamin supplement?
• How to pick the best multivitamin for your 12-year old boy?

The pre-teen stage is not something that any parent should just neglect, especially when providing their children their needs to stay strong and healthy.  Children's physical activity level and the stage of development determine the amount of healthy food they need to consume. Typically, a growing kid is expected to have a more enormous appetite.

Note that no food possesses all the nutrients that your child needs. That's why you must encourage them to eat a variety of foods so that they can get the nutrients they need for growing up.

Ideally, their diet should comprise a wide variety of fresh foods from these food groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, protein, and reduced-fat dairy or dairy-free alternatives.

Apparently, it is unnecessary to give your 12-year old take multivitamin supplements, especially if they are just growing well and healthy.

Your child may need to take a multivitamin supplement under the following conditions:

1. They are not eating regular, well-balanced meals from fresh, whole foods.
2. They have poor appetites.
3. They are picky eaters.
4. They are delayed in their physical and developmental growth.
5. They have certain chronic diseases such as asthma or digestive problems.
6. They are on a restrictive diet, i.e., a strict vegan diet.

Furthermore, before you give them any type of supplementation, we recommend that you should see you're child's doctor to ensure if they really need to take them and get the allowable dosage.

Note that there are some risks involved if multivitamins are given in megadoses - it can result in vitamin and mineral toxicity. Or it may interfere with your child's medications. 

Vitamin A

A 12-year old boy needs 600 mcg RAE per day.

Vitamin A (Retinol) is a fat-soluble vitamin needed to promote your child's normal growth and development. This nutrient also plays an essential part in eye, tissue, skin, and bone health.

Vitamin B-complex

B-complex vitamins consist of B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. They are essential for metabolism, boosting energy levels, and promoting cardiovascular and cognitive health.  See the table below for the daily recommended intake for a 12-year old boy.

Vitamin C

A 12-year old boy's daily recommended intake for vitamin C is 45mg.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is crucial for your child's immune system and collagen production for wound healing. It works as an antioxidant to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals.

Vitamin D

Your child needs 15 mcg (600 IU) of vitamin D per day.

Vitamin D is needed for the body to absorb calcium for strong bones. This vitamin also plays a part in muscle, nerve, and immune function.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is essential for wound healing or blood clotting and healthy bones. Your child needs 60 mcg of vitamin K per day. 

Calcium

Your 12-year old needs calcium for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. The recommended calcium intake for a 12-year old boy is 1,300 mg per day.

Iron

Children need iron for hemoglobin production. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells (RBCs) that carries oxygen from the lungs to different body parts.

The daily recommended iron intake for a 12-year old boy is 8 mg.

Iodine

Iodine is necessary for thyroid hormone production. These hormones are essential for your child's proper bone and brain development. It also plays a vital role in controlling metabolism and other functions.

The daily recommended iodine intake for a 12-year old boy is 120 mcg.

Zinc

The mineral zinc plays several essential roles in keeping your child healthy. It supports immune function, wound healing, protein production, and overall growth and development.  The daily recommended zinc intake for a 12-year old boy is 8mg. 

Once you get the GO signal from your child's doctor, they will usually prescribe a specific type of multivitamin for your child to take.

In a general sense, here are the points you need to consider when choosing a multivitamin:

• Choose the type of multivitamin that is formulated for your child's age group.
• It contains essential micronutrients.
• Check the label and ensure it does not provide greater than 100% of your child's daily value (DV) of vitamins and minerals.
• The supplement has undergone third-party testing.
• Choose the proper form that suits your child's preference. Multivitamin supplements come in various forms, such as chewable tablets, powders, liquid, or gummies.
• Check the multivitamin's ingredients, potential interactions, and contraindications. 

As an additional precaution, it is common for children to believe that a multivitamin supplement is like candy to their eyes. Thus, you need to keep it away from their reach for their safety.

Discover the potential of our Kids Good Stuff to help fill any nutritional gaps in your 12-year old's diet! This is a great way to help your kids get all the nutrients they need to keep them happy and healthy from the inside out.

Our Kids Good Stuff is rich in vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, K E, K, calcium, iron, iodine, zinc, and more!

Here are more reasons why parents are choosing our Kids Good Stuff as multivitamin support for their children:

• It is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, peanut-free, and non-GMO
• It is made from real food, including 11 different fruit and vegetables
• It is suitable for everyone for all ages from 4 and up
• It contains pre-and probiotics for happier insides with
• It has 8g of plant-based protein per serve to aid growth and development
• It contains brain-supportive nutrients to nurture learning and focus
• It provides long-lasting energy to help them live, learn, grow and play.

Find out why our Kids Good Stuff is recognized as parents' best friend. Click here.

Disclaimer:

The information provided on Nuzest is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided on this site is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please speak to your qualified healthcare professional in the event that something you have read here raises questions or concerns regarding your health.