Forms & Delivery

"Natural," "Clean," and "Supports" Explained

"Supports immunity," "clean," "natural," "doctor-formulated", the words on a kids' supplement are mostly marketing, and the rules behind them are looser than they sound.

Product LiteracyStructure/function claims need no FDA pre-approval; "natural" is largely undefined

Reading Past the Cartoon on the Bottle

A children's multivitamin is an unregulated, unstandardized product, and the cartoon on the front tells you nothing about what is, or is not, inside.

Product LiteracyNot FDA pre-market tested; contents and doses vary widely by product

Candy That Counts as a Supplement

The dominant form of children's vitamins is also the one most likely to be over-consumed, to omit iron, and to deliver real sugar.

Form & DeliveryNot FDA pre-market tested; sugar content and dosing accuracy vary

The Cold Myth That Will Not Quit

The belief that vitamin C and immune gummies prevent kids' colds is one of the most durable myths in the supplement aisle, and the evidence does not support it.

Water-Soluble Vitamin / Immune ClaimsSupplement; immune and cold-prevention claims not supported for healthy children