Guide To Children’s Vitamins & Probiotics – What You Should Look For & What To Be Wary Of

Wondering whether or not your child needs supplements? We answer all of your questions about children’s supplements and list parents’ favourite multivitamins, vitamins and probiotics for kids in Singapore.

If your little one is a super picky eater, then introducing supplements may be essential for their optimal health and nutrition. Despite enticing your picky eater with kid-friendly restaurants in Singapore, they may still opt for cereal and milk for dinner! So, if your child’s paediatrician or dentist advises you to start your child on suitable multivitamins or probiotics, it may be time to start looking. From choosing the right multivitamin for your child to sourcing probiotics for kids in Singapore, we answer all of your questions that may arise from exploring children’s supplements in Singapore. Knowing what supplements to look for and how to evaluate a good vitamin or probiotic is key.

Jump to:
– Vitamins for Children
– Probiotics for Children

Who might need to take vitamin supplements?
Anyone struggling to meet their nutritional requirements from food alone. People with higher requirements (such as women wanting to get pregnant, those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and those with underlying chronic illnesses) may need supplements. Those who have excluded food groups (some vegetarians, vegans, those with food allergies or intolerances, as well as picky or selective eaters or those with disordered eating) may also benefit from supplements.

What should you look for in a vitamin?
– Always buy supplements from a reputable source and know the brand you are buying.
– Check that there is an expiration date, batch number, and manufacturer on the supplement label.
– Check that the supplement ingredient list doesn’t have a long list of additives, fillers, and preservatives.
– Check the dose and storage recommendations and always stick to the dose recommended for your child’s age.

Anything to be careful of?
Fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, E and K and minerals such as iron are stored in the body, and too much of these can be harmful. Check against the DRV percentage and don’t go over 100%, as you will also be getting some from your diet and the sun too. If you are pregnant, avoid fish liver oil as it contains vitamin A; large amounts can be harmful to babies.

What should you look for in a probiotic?
Probiotics are a huge area of interest at the moment, but there is no evidence to suggest these supplements will benefit healthy people. For probiotics to be useful, you need to take the right strain that you need in the correct dose* >10 million Colony Forming Units or CFUs.
Tip: Read supplement storage guidelines carefully, as probiotics won’t survive at high temperatures or in sunlight, and if not stored correctly, you will not receive the effective supplement dose.

How do you choose the correct strain of probiotics?
If you want to target a particular problem, talk to your doctor or dietitian about the strain (and dose) that is right for you and your specific symptoms. A few examples of conditions where probiotics may be of benefit, along with the strain that has been found to have benefit, include:
– Treatment of general symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is treated with a specific strain of Lactobacillus Plantarum
– Prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea treated with strains Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG or Saccharomyces boulardii 
– Treatment of symptoms in infantile colic with strain L reuteri.
Remember, there are a lot of foods out there which contain probiotics, such as live yoghurts, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha. Eating a balanced diet is important for probiotics to work. Probiotics are good bacteria and need prebiotics from your fibre (wholegrains, fruits, vegetables and legumes), to survive!

Vitamins For Kids

GNC Milestones® Kids Multi Gummy Natural Fruit

Where to buy: Watsons & Amazon.sg

Formulated for kids aged 2 to 12 years old, GNC Milestones®’s kids’ multivitamin comes in the form of gummies made with natural fruit flavours. It has 11 nutrients and minerals that support overall health. This multivitamin for kids includes Vitamin C & B6 for immunity, Vitamin D for bones, lutein and Vitamin A for eye health and lots of B-vitamins for energy production. Do note that these multivitamin gummies contain added sugars, so it’s recommended to reduce your child’s daily sugar intake if they will be taking these multivitamins.

GNC Singapore, www.gnc.com

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Immunped Vitamin C & Zinc For Children

Where to buy this kids’ vitamin: Shopee & Lazada

Immunped® is a popular children’s vitamin syrup that includes zinc and vitamin C. This kids’ vitamin syrup is renowned for its palatable formula, which masks the pungent bitter taste of zinc. This means that your little one might be more willing to take every day (we consider this a parenting win)! While vitamin C helps to boost children’s immunity and offer antioxidant support, zinc supports immune cells, like lymphocytes and macrophages.

PediaTech, www.pediatech.info

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VitaHealth Kids’ Multivitamin + Lysine & Inulin

Where to buy this kids’ vitamin: Watsons, Robinsons and FairPrice

For kids who love their orange-flavoured treats, this kids’ multivitamin is the perfect choice for you! VitaHealth’s Kids Multivits + Lysine & Inulin is an orange-flavoured syrup that includes 10 essential vitamins and two key ingredients: Lysine and Inulin. Lysine supports growth, bolsters appetite and helps with healthy weight gain, while Inulin is a prebiotic that supports good gut bacteria and optimal digestive health. Do note that this kids’ vitamin is suitable for kids aged 1 and up.

VitaHealth, www.vitahealth.com.sg

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VitaKids’ KinderNurture Children’s Multivitamin & Minerals

Where to buy this kids’ vitamin: iShopChangi, Watsons, Shopee and Lazada Singapore

As busy parents, we’re always on the lookout for all-in-one solutions when it comes to the kids. That’s why we love that VitaKids’ KinderNurture Multivitamin & Minerals pack all of the essential vitamins in one gummy for kids. This kids’ multivitamin gummy is made from all-natural flavours with no preservatives. This kids’ supplement is also gelatin-free and suitable for vegetarians. One bottle of kids’ multivitamins comes in three flavours, Orange, Strawberry and Cherry.

VitaKids, www.natureswisdom.sg

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Probiotics For Kids

LactoKids+ Probiotics

Where to buy this probiotic for kids: Guardian, Watsons, Shopee, Lazada & Bio Health Link online store

Lactokids+ Probiotics is a popular kids’ probiotic in Singapore. Formulated for infants and kids up to 12 years old, this probiotic for kids contains 10 billion active probiotics and nine probiotic strains to support your child’s digestive and immune system. Lactokids+ Probiotics has the world’s first and only double microencapsulation by NR Korea patented technology, which ensures that over 90% of the probiotics enter the gut.

LactoKids+, www.lactomin.sg

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Nature’s Farm Wakunaga® Kyo-Dophilus® Kids Probiotic

Where to buy this probiotic for kids: Nature’s Farm Official Store

Nature’s Farm’s kids’ probiotic tablets is a chewable probiotic for kids. It is formulated with The Friendly Trio®, three core human strains of good bacteria that support the relief of your little one’s tummy. Taken daily, this probiotic for kids aims to replenish good bacteria and lay a foundation for immune health. For kids under 4, it’s recommended to crush the kids’ probiotic tablet and mix half a tablet in food or juice.

Nature’s Farm, www.naturesfarm.com

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PNKids’ Probiotics

Where to buy this probiotic for kids: Guardian, Watsons, Amazon.sg & PN Kids Online Official Store

PNKids is a pharmaceutical brand that carries supplements for children at every developmental stage. In addition to offering multivitamins for kids, prebiotics and calcium supplements for kids, PNKids also has probiotics for kids that come in the form of gummies. Designed to restore the balance of your child’s digestive tract and help protect your child against infections, this probiotic for kids contains Bacillus Coagulans, a unique strain of resilient bacteria that can withstand heat, pressure and extreme acid or alkaline conditions. This probiotic for kids is made with no artificial colours or preservatives.

PNKids, www.pnkids.com.sg

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Vivomixx Kids’ Probiotic

Where to buy this probiotic for kids: Guardian, Watsons, Unity & Shopee

Vivomixx specialises in producing probiotics, so it’s no surprise that this kids’ probiotic is a popular choice. Their probiotic for kids comes in convenient sachets with a probiotic powder that easily dissolves in water, juice or milk. Each sachet of probiotic for kids comes with 10 billion live lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria that help to build immunity and maintain a healthy gut throughout childhood.

Vivomixx, www.vivomixx.com.sg

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Other over-the-counter kids’ supplements:

Looking for more supplement brands for your needs? Try BioGaia, Thorne, Nature Made, Vitabiotics, Centrum, Nordic Naturals, Elevit, SmartyPants, and Nature’s Way.

Where else to buy supplements: Watsons, Guardian, Amazon.sg, Robinsons iHerb.com and SuperNature

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