From energy production to keeping body organs and systems functioning correctly, vitamins and minerals are essential to a healthy teen. These important nutrients come from food, especially nutrient dense foods like fruits and vegetables. Teenagers looking to consume more nutrients may also consider the use of supplements. Most vitamin and mineral supplements are targeted towards adults and children, so teenagers may wonder whether they can take adult vitamins.
Teenagers can take adult vitamins from reputable and safe sources, though teens should focus on eating a varied and balanced diet before considering taking vitamins or supplements. Too much of certain vitamins and minerals can lead to toxicity. Teenagers should always talk to a healthcare professional before taking any vitamin or supplement.
No supplement can provide all the benefits of a healthy eating pattern. When eating a balanced diet, teenagers can usually skip supplements all together.
Continue reading for tips about choosing appropriate nutrient supplements, details about specific vitamins and minerals, and other important information to consider before buying a multivitamin.
Do Teenagers Need Vitamins?
Most teenagers should not worry about taking vitamins in supplement form. Vitamins and minerals are abundant in nutrient dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat/poultry, legumes/beans, nuts, seeds, dairy and plant oils. Teenagers who eat a variety of these foods will generally meet their nutrient needs without the need to supplement.
Furthermore, unnecessary intake of vitamin and minerals can lead to toxicity, especially with fat soluble vitamins K, A, D, E and minerals like iron and calcium. Supplements also cannot provide as much benefit as eating a balanced eating pattern.
For instance, the body does not absorb nutrients from supplements as well as those from food. Also, vitamins and mineral supplements do not offer all the other health promoting substances found in foods such as fiber, antioxidants, polyphenols, water and much more.
Teenagers concerned about their ability to meet nutrient needs should talk to a healthcare professional for guidance in determining the appropriate supplement to meet their unique needs.
What Vitamins do Teenagers Need?
The following table list some of the essential nutrients of concern for adolescents and their respective food sources.
| Nutrient | Food Sources |
| Vitamin D | Fatty fish, egg yolks, UV treated mushrooms, fortified juice/milk, fortified cereals. One of the best sources of vitamin D is the sun |
| Vitamin A | Liver, fish, cheese, orange colored fruits and vegetables, leafy greens |
| Vitamin C | Citrus fruit, kiwi, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes |
| Iron | Meat, poultry, seafood, tofu, beans, seeds, fortified cereal, leafy greens (pair foods high in vitamin C with plant sources of iron to improve absorption) |
| Calcium | Dairy products, fish with bones, almonds, broccoli, beans, seeds, leafy greens, fortified foods, soy products |
| Potassium | Most fruits and vegetables (potatoes, spinach, avocados, bananas, watermelon, raisins), legumes/beans, dairy, fish |
| Folate | Dark leafy greens, many other fruits and vegetables, beans, seeds, nuts, whole grains, fortified cereal |
Teenagers need all essential vitamins and minerals. However, they generally eat adequate amounts of these nutrients through normal eating patterns. A registered dietitian or doctor can help a teenager target nutrient deficits through a variety of health assessment tools.
Some vitamins and minerals may fall short in the diet of an average teenager due to a lack of fruits and vegetables. According to the 2017 national and state Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBSs) less than 7.1% students meet fruit recommendations and only 2% meet vegetable recommendations.
As a major source of many vitamin and minerals, teenagers should try to increase fruit and vegetable intake before buying a vitamin or mineral supplement.
Who should take vitamins?
While the general population of teenagers do not need to take supplementary vitamins, certain populations may benefit from a nutrient supplement.
Vegetarians and vegans
Those who choose to eat a vegetarian or vegan diet may lack certain nutrients associated with animal foods. They should speak to a healthcare professional about supplementation of B-12, iron and calcium. However, with proper guidance a vegetarian or vegan teenager can still obtain adequate amounts of these nutrients through a well-planned diet.
Food intolerances/allergies
Some food intolerances or allergies can result in nutrient deficiencies. For example, those with lactose intolerance or a milk allergy may need a calcium supplement.
Teenage females
Due to menstruation, females are at higher risk for iron deficiency. However, an iron supplement can easily lead to toxicity if not taken appropriately. Talk to a health expert before starting an iron supplement.
Females with the chance of becoming pregnant should also take a prenatal vitamin. The nutrients in this supplement will help prevent birth defects.
Cystic fibrosis
This disease affects fat absorption. Therefore, doctors usually prescribe a special fat-soluble vitamin supplement for these kids.
Diseases that impair absorption (Celiac, Irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis)
Due to damage in the intestines, the body will find it difficult to absorb some necessary nutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin D.
Cancer and other diseases that increase nutrient needs
Some diseases such as cancer increase nutrient needs. Teens suffering from these diseases may need nutrient supplementation to avoid disease related malnutrition.
Very picky eaters
Even picky eaters often receive adequate nutrition without the need for a vitamin or mineral supplement. However, those who avoid whole food groups or eat a very limited number of foods may need assistance through vitamin supplementation.
Again, it cannot be emphasized enough to talk to a healthcare professional before starting any nutrition supplement. Too much of vitamins and minerals can result in severe health consequences among teenagers.
How old should you be to take a multivitamin?
Certain life stages will change vitamin and mineral needs. These differences affect he best choice of a multivitamin for each individual. For example, women of childbearing years should choose a prenatal as the formulation is tailored to the unique needs of pregnancy. Children younger than 12 may want to choose multivitamins targeted towards children to avoid excessively high levels of some nutrients.
The decision to take a multivitamin depends more on the health status and diet of an individual than age. A healthcare professional such as a doctor or registered dietitian can help teenagers decide whether they need a multivitamin and which one to choose.
Are multivitamins safe for teenagers?
Most multivitamins pose little risk to teenagers. However, teenagers should know that the FDA does not highly regulate multivitamins or other nutrition supplements. This lack of regulation means these supplements may contain harmful contaminates, inaccurate amounts of nutrients or false claims.
When choosing a multivitamin, teenagers should take precautions to ensure safety of the chosen supplement.
- Avoid supplements with claims that seem too good to be true.
- Check the daily value (DV) percentages on the nutrition label. Vitamin and mineral content should fall at or below 100% of the daily value in order to avoid toxicity.
- Choose third-party tested brands. These supplements are labeled with a quality seal, such as NSF International, US Pharmacopeia, Underwriters Laboratory, or Consumer Lab. These labels certify the product has been tested and contains what is listed on the label.
- Talk to a healthcare professional about your decision.
What are the benefits to teens of taking a multivitamin?
A multivitamin will not take the place of a healthy diet. Multivitamins can help teenagers meet nutrient needs when deficient, but do not provide the many other health benefits that food offers.
In a review of multi-vitamins, the National Institutes of Health concluded,
“Overall, (multivitamins) MVMs do not appear to reliably reduce the risk of chronic diseases when people choose to take these products for up to a decade (or more) or when studies randomize people to take them as part of a clinical trial.”
While multivitamins may not protect against chronic disease, another study on 2012 found that adults tend to feel better about their health when taking a multivitamin https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/news/20201110/multivitamins-benefits-are-all-in-your-head-study.
So, if a teenager feels like a multivitamin might help him or her feel better, talk to a healthcare provider about safely taking one.
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