Should I consider supplements? Here's what you need to know

If there is one thing that I would like you to understand about nutrition, it is this. Nutrition is not a one size fits all solution. There is no magic plan that you can find on google or in a book that will be just right for you child.

Nutrition needs to be targeted to your unique child.

There is a saying I love: each child is unique because each brain is unique. This is the approach that works.

A nutrition plan encompasses the food you serve, the food your child eats (because let’s face it, those two things are often not the same!), the environment around your child, your child’s lifestyle, and for many children it also includes supplements.

Now supplements can bring mixed feelings. Some families don’t feel comfortable with them. That is completely fine. Others would like to support their child with supplements but it’s not that easy.

Which supplements are right for your child? And…. Which ones are wrong?

Now before I dive into getting started with supplements, this is important. Before giving your child any supplement, check with your nutritionist or doctor. Just because you can buy it off a shelf doesn't mean it can't cause harm. This is especially important if your child is taking any medication. When working with me, I learn about your child’s medical history to ensure that they are receiving targeted support that is just right for them.

So let’s get started. What I would like to do is introduce you to a few of my favourite supplements to support your child’s focus, behaviour and learning.

Magnesium.

One of my faves. Magnesium levels have been found to be lower in children with ADHD (Effatpanah et al. 2019), dyslexia and in children suffering from anxiety (Kurup, 2003). I wrote a post about the lovely magnesium so have a read for a simple tip on how to get started with magnesium.

Omega 3.

Most of the parents I work with come to me already having heard of Omega 3 or fish oil to support their child. What they don’t know is how best or long long to use it, or which brands to choose. They also don’t know why it may support their child.

Omega 3 is an essential fatty acid. This means that it is a type of fat that cannot be made in your body from other ‘ingredients.’ Your body needs to receive Omega 3 from food.

There are three important types of Omega 3 that you may have heard of if you have read the side of a fish oil bottle. These are ALA, DHA and EPA. All three of these are impossible to say. If you want to give it a try, DHA stands for Docosahexaenoic acid and ELA stands for Eleostearic acid. Try saying those ten times fast!

The best source of omega 3 is from cold water fatty fish. Remember ‘SMASH’ - Salmon, Mackerel, Anchovies, Sardines and Herring. But what happens when 90% of parents read this? They think “There is no way my kid is eating those.” I hear you. So supplementing Omega 3 can be helpful.

Omega 3 is also found in some nuts and seeds, such as walnuts and chia seeds, and in seaweed and algae. If your child is vegan, there are some lovely algae based omega 3 supplements available. It is important to know however that these forms of Omega 3 are not used as efficiently in the body.

So why omega 3?

Your child’s brain loves omega 3. It uses it to build the membranes of brain cells. Those membranes are responsible for cells communicating with each other. In other words…. thoughts. Omega 3 is also used to build myelin. Brain cells are long and thin, and myelin is like a wrapper around the length of them. The more myelin a cell has, the faster the message can travel. In other words… speed of thoughts and reactions.

Many children won't tolerate liquid fish oil. I don't blame them really. So have a chat with me or your nutritionist about brands that offer an omega 3 gummy. They are not as strong but it's better for your child to have a bit of something than a lot of nothing!

Probiotics.

Another hot topic. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that provide support to the microbiome. I like to think of the microbiome as the town of bacteria in our gut. What is amazing is that recent research is finding out just how much our microbiome influences our health. What is even more amazing is how they influence our mood and cognition.

The gut microbiome has been called an unconscious system that influences behaviour. Specific types of friendly bacteria have been shown to support short term memory and attention (important for learning!) and improved social behaviour (vital for school!). Recent studies have also looked at a connection between the microbiome and sensitivity to certain food textures (picky eaters!). This is due to a connection between the microbiome, the gut and the brain which is called the Gut Brain Connection (Dinan et al. 2015). They not only speak to each other, but influence each other too.

Getting started with probiotics can be tricky as there are so many to choose from. The difference is the number of bacteria, and the types of bacteria. The types of bacteria are called strains, and certain strains have been shown to support an improvement in children.

My favourite strains of bacteria (think of them as families) are Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium. The best probiotics will have multiple strains and contain billions of Colony Forming Units (CFU). This sounds like a lot but our gut already contains trillions of bacteria cells. Some probiotics need to be kept in the fridge, but I regularly hear that these are forgotten so I usually recommend probiotics that can be kept at room temperature. No point buying a supplement that won’t be taken!

Melatonin.

Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally made in the body. This means that it is a messenger that travels around the body in the bloodstream. Melatonin is responsible for the sleep cycle and works closely with cortisol which is responsible for the wake cycle. One can’t function without the other. They are BFF (or are they frenemies?).

Now I am adding melatonin in here because I receive questions about it a lot. Your child won’t sleep. You don’t know what to do. The lack of sleep is affecting everything else, including your own santity. I get it.

In the UK, melatonin is classified by the Medicines Control Agency as ‘medicinal by function.’ This means that it is seen as a medicine, not a supplement. If you are interested in learning more about whether melatonin may help your child, please speak to your doctor.

To support the natural production of melatonin in your child, dim the lights in the evening. Melatonin is activated by darkness. This is one of the reasons that screens in the evening or late at night can have such a negative effect on sleep. If your child has a nightlight, find one with a red or an orange light.

Also focus on reducing cortisol. Cortisol is one of our stress hormones and it wakes us up. A warm bath, some relaxing music, a story, or a 5 minute mediation can all support a reduction of cortisol to give melatonin a chance. Tart cherries have also been found to support the production of melatonin and is available as a juice. I have had some clients see an improvement in sleep simply from tart cherry juice, which is a lovely simple solution.

Digestive Enzymes.

I don’t find these are talked about as much. But what I am asked a lot is whether a child should stop eating gluten and dairy. My answer is always: possibly. But let’s see what we can do first.

Remove whole food groups from your child’s diet isn’t easy. It can be stressful for your child and for you. So before you jump down that rabbit hole, consider supporting their digestion.

When we eat, our food is digested and then absorbed. Digestion is the part of this process that starts in the mouth when we chew our food and continues all the way to the intestines. It is the process of breaking down that sandwich or that apple so it is ready to enter the bloodstream (entering the bloodstream is the absorption).

Now many things can interfere with optimal digestion. Stress, chemicals in our food, eating too quickly and not chewing enough, even drinking too much liquid while eating. It is a bit too easy to hurt our digestive system in this day and age.

Digestive enzymes are naturally produced in the body. I like to describe an enzyme like a lollipop lady (for those of you outside of the UK, that's the person who helps kids cross the road to school). They help something happen (children crossing the road, food breaking down) but they don’t change. They just keep on doing their job over and over.

When your child’s body needs a bit of help, digestive enzymes can be found in foods and supplements.

Protease, which is the digestive enzyme that breaks down casein, a protein in milk, is found in kiwi, papaya and pineapple. DPP IV is the digestive enzyme that breaks down gluten, a protein found in grain. It can be found in berries, grapes and citrus. So a fruit salad can support your child’s digestion. Child digestive enzymes are also available as a supplement.

While there are many more supplements available, these give a start for you to consider and have been linked to focus, behaviour and learning in children. But as I started with, nutrition needs to be targeted for your child's unique brain. If you would like to chat about what is best for your child, schedule a call to chat about how I can support you.

References

• Effatpanah, Rezaei et al. (2019). 'Magnesium status and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A meta-analysis.' Psychiatry Res, 274. pp.228-234.

• Kurup (2003). Hypothalamic digoxin and hemispheric chemical dominance: relation to speech and language dysfunction. 'Int J Neuroscience,' 113 (6). pp.797-814.

• Dinan, Stilling et al. (2015). 'Collective unconscious: how gut microbes shape human behavior,' J Psychiatry Res. 63. pp.1-9.