Children's Vitamins Contain Far More Than Recommended Amounts

By Kelly Young

Most children's supplements contain more than the recommended daily allowance for vitamins, according to an analysis of supplement labels in JAMA Pediatrics.

Nearly 200 labels of vitamin supplements geared toward infants and children up to age 4 years were compared with the Institute of Medicine recommendations for vitamin intake. On average, supplements contained more than the recommended daily allowance of every vitamin except D and choline. The amount of biotin in supplements, for example, exceeded the recommended daily allowance or adequate intake level by 5 to 10 times.

The authors conclude: "We contend, based on our analysis, that much of the pediatric vitamin supplementation is not based on IOM recommendations and therefore represents wholesale oversupplementation."