If you’re a mother of a picky eater, you’ve probably stressed about finding healthy food that your child is willing to eat. Malnutrition, including undernutrition is a serious issue especially for growing children, as this can possibly stunt their physical and cognitive development. Moreover, deficiencies in certain vitamins can lead to development of several health conditions. Lack of vitamin C for example may cause your child’s gums to bleed easily, while iron deficiency can result in anemia.

At one point, you may have been recommended to try multivitamins with lysine for your children, but what exactly is multivitamin and what is lysine?

Multivitamin, as its name suggest, is a combination of vitamins and oftentimes minerals as well. Most children do not normally need multivitamin, provided they are eating well and consuming variety of food, including fruits and vegetables. However, children across the globe often enter into a phase when they start becoming more choosey with their selection of food, usually around the age two to four years old. It is not rare to find children rejecting homemade meals in favor of empty calories such as candies and unhealthy snacks.

As parents, it is encouraged to keep trying to introduce more and new food to your children. However, we cannot neglect the fact that it is extremely challenging, and may take months, if not years to finally achieve a good and balanced nutrition for your children. Hence, multivitamin can help to fill in the nutritional gaps created by the lack of balanced nutrition. Moreover, multivitamins also commonly contain B vitamins, that can help to boost your children’s energy.

So what is the function of lysine and why is it often promoted for picky eaters or undernourished children?

Lysine is an essential amino acid. The word essential implies that our body cannot produce it on its own, hence we need to get our daily dose of lysine either from food or from supplementations. Lysine is needed for protein synthesis, hence it is absolutely vital for growth and development. In addition, lysine also helps the body to absorb calcium, iron and zinc. It also promotes collagen production, helps to produce enzymes, antibodies and stimulating factors that support the immune system.

Overall, if your children are getting what they need from a complete and balanced meal, supplementation may not be a necessity. However, if you’re struggling to feed them even a spoonful of vegetables despite your hardest effort, multivitamins with lysine can help support your children’s needs. Parenting is an arduous journey, but seeing our children happy and healthy will always be the best reward.

Having trouble to find supplement for your child? Check out Aspen Nutrition’s supplements for children here: