Multivitamins
What are Multivitamins?
Multivitamins are supplements that contain a combination of many vitamins and typically minerals, too. Since they contain a wide variety of nutrients, they are a great way to fill in nutritional gaps for picky eaters, or for those who don’t have a nutrient-dense diet. We encourage you to view a multivitamin as a supplement to the diet and not a “diet replacer”. It’s best for us to get our nutrients primarily from the foods we eat, but can be a great support to help kids get the nutrients they need now while we work on expanding to a healthier diet long-term.
Research shows us that children on the autism spectrum have higher rates of nutrient deficiencies [1], so a multivitamin is often a good place to start when using supplements to cover all of your bases, unless you know the exact nutrient that is deficient.
Are Multivitamins Beneficial for Autism?
Generally, yes! However, the quality is incredibly important, so not all multivitamins are going to be beneficial if they are made with poorly sourced nutrients and ingredients (see what we are looking for in the section below!).
Multivitamins can be beneficial for most kids, but especially for children who…
Are picky eaters (consume fewer than 20 foods on average)
Follow a special diet (i.e. gluten or dairy free)
Have known gastrointestinal issues
Test positive for one or both MTHFR mutations
Multiple studies show that multivitamins have significant benefits for a wide range of symptoms, are well-tolerated, and have low adverse effects [2, 3]. One study showed that when multivitamins were combined with essential fatty acids, Epsom salt baths, carnitine, digestive enzymes, and a healthy gluten-free, casein-free, soy-free diet, there was a greater improvement in autism symptoms and developmental age than those taking a placebo [4].
BOTTOM LINE:
Multivitamins are a great way to fill in nutritional gaps for picky eaters and for those at risk of nutrient deficiencies. It's important to remember that a multivitamin is not a substitute for a healthy diet and lifestyle, but can be a great supplemental tool.
What You Should Look For
Here are a few basic things to look for in a multivitamin for your child with autism:
Contains all fat-soluble vitamins:
Contains active B vitamins for optimal absorption. Here is a list of all active B vitamins:
Vitamin B1 → thiamin HCl
Vitamin B2 → riboflavin 5’ phosphate
Vitamin B3 → niacinamide
Vitamin B5 → pantothenic acid
Vitamin B6 → pyridoxal 5’ phosphate (P5P)
Vitamin B7 → biotin
Vitamin B9 → L-5-MTHF (L-methylfolate) [vitamins with folic acid instead are not recommended]
Vitamin B12 → methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin, or hydroxycobalamin [vitamins with cyanocobalamin instead are not recommended]
Contains at least 100% DV vitamin C
Contains vital minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, iodine, zinc, selenium, chromium, and molybdenum.
Since calcium and iron compete for absorption, choose a multivitamin without iron. This doesn’t mean your child doesn’t need iron - just take a separate iron supplement at a different time of day as the multivitamin
Choose a vitamin that contains vitamin D3, as it helps raise and maintain vitamin D levels more effectively than vitamin D2
Multivitamins that have been third-party tested to ensure quality (i.e. USP)
Read all of the ingredients to ensure no artificial colors, flavors, artificial ingredients, or allergenic ingredients (like milk or wheat) have been added.
[Optional] Find a product that has added ingredients that boost brain or antioxidant functions like CoQ10, choline, inositol, NAC, L-Carnitine, and curcumin (turmeric).
Taking a Multivitamin
Multivitamins can cause nausea if taken on an empty stomach. Taking them with a full meal prevent these side effects. We suggest taking at breakfast or lunch (whichever is easiest for your child’s schedule). Some individuals find it hard to sleep after taking a multivitamin, so we suggest not taking it at dinner.
Multivitamins will almost always have a bright yellow tint, which might change the color of your child’s food or drink (and might come out in their urine, so don’t be alarmed!) We highly recommend not mixing a multivitamin with a preferred food as sometimes this can backfire and cause a child to lose trust in the food and caregiver and drop the preferred food. Instead, follow the syringe method (shown below),
Supplementation
Dosing
There is no standardized dose for multivitamins, so we suggest following the recommended dose on the bottle.
Powder, capsules, and liquid will have the greatest nutritional value! It’s difficult to fit all the nutrients your child needs in a gummy. If your child will only take a gummy, absolutely use one of the ones below - but if possible, the other methods will provide more nutritional support.
Our Favorite Multivitamins*
Capsules
Chewables
Powder
Klaire Labs VitaSpectrum Powder (this one has great nutrients, but the taste is rather strong)
Comes in Berry-Pomegranate, Citrus, and Tropical flavors
Liquid
The only option I’ve found that meets most of my standards is Agapé Liquid Multivitamin. [use code AUTISMDIETITIAN for 10% off]
Gummies**
Pure Encapsulations PureNutrients Gummy (my top gummy choice!)
DISCLAIMER: Before starting any supplement or medication, always consult with your healthcare provider to ensure it is a good fit for your child. Dosage can vary based on age, weight, gender, and current diet.
*All supplements are linked to Amazon for convenience, however, buying supplements on Amazon does not guarantee quality, as there are many “unverified resellers” selling nutrition supplements. To buy supplements that are verified to be sent directly to the consumer, you can create an account on the Autism Dietitian FullScript and search for the supplement under “Catalog”.
**Gummy form often has the lowest levels of nutrients, so if your child is able to take another form, liquid or capsule is often the most efficient at repleting nutrient levels.
