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Home > About childhood cancer > For parents > Food >Do I need to give my child a vitamin and mineral supplement?
As a result of increased reports in the media and websites on the use of vitamins (especially the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E and beta carotene), more parents and carers are asking if it is necessary for their child to take a vitamin or mineral supplement while being treated for cancer.
Currently there are very few studies looking at vitamin status and the use of supplements in children undergoing treatment for cancer. Of those studies being carried out, some only involved a very small number of patients, making it difficult for researchers to obtain a clear indication of their usefulness. Giving high doses of antioxidants during chemotherapy may interfere with the normal action of the chemotherapy drugs on the cancer, causing them not to work so effectively or to interfere with the rate at which they are able to work.
Based on this the following advice is recommended by the Paediatric Oncology Dietitians Interest Group:
- Children who are eating well and include a good variety of foods in their diet will not need to take an additional vitamin or mineral supplement.
- Children currently on tube feeds will not require an additional vitamin supplement as their requirements will be met by the feed.
- Children taking nutritionally complete sip feeds will not require an additional vitamin or mineral supplement. Your dietitian will be able to advise if your child’s supplement is nutritionally complete.
- If your child is not on any additional feeds or supplements, and only eats a limited variety of foods, then they may benefit from a general multivitamin supplement.
If you think your child needs a vitamin or mineral supplement the Paediatric Oncology Dietitians Interest Group advise the following:
- Vitamins in excess can be toxic therefore do not give your child megadoses of a single vitamin, mineral or combination of vitamins.
- A general age appropriate multivitamin which does not give above the daily recommended amount [RDA] would be suitable to use.
- Children receiving blood transfusions will receive iron from this and therefore do not need an additional source of iron. Because of this we would advise a supplement which does not contain iron or a small amount only [no more than 15%RDA].
- If you have any queries or doubts please ask your dietitian.