Child development
Supplements studied for Child development.
Overview
SupplementDEX lists 5 supplements studied for child development across 9 trials. The strongest indexed signals include Zinc, Vitamin B9, Zeaxanthin. See the heatmap and evidence reviews below for full ratings across all supplements.
Effect graph
Relevant supplements
Relevant supplements sorted by DEX Score.
| Zinc | ★★★★★ | Medium |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | ★★★★★ | Low |
| Zeaxanthin | ★★★★★ | Low |
| Vitamin A | ★★★★★ | Very Low / None |
| Nattokinase | ★★★★★ | Very Low / None |
Studies
Find individual evidence reviews for supplements sorted by DEX Score.
5 supplements for , and rated at least stars. All purchase bands. No minimum star filter.
ZincView supplement →
Consider purchase·★★★★★
How we scored this▸
- Taking zinc by mouth can help children grow taller and heavier and may also support better growth in babies when taken by pregnant adults.
- In studies of children over 2 years old, taking 5–15 mg of zinc daily for 6 to 56 weeks slightly increased height and weight compared with a placebo.
- In another study in Peru, pregnant adults who took 15 mg of zinc daily along with iron and folic acid from early or mid-pregnancy to one month after birth had babies who grew better by one year old—showing higher weight and larger chest and calf measurements.
Browse 2 studies·1 meta-analysis
MetaThe effect of zinc supplementation on anthropometric measurements in healthy children over two years: a systematic review and meta-analysis2023n=1,586
A meta-analysis of eight studies in 1,586 healthy children over 2 years found zinc supplementation significantly increased height, weight, and height-for-age z scores.
- Effect
- Benefit
- Duration
- 2 years
- Population
- Children/adolescents
- Participants
- 1,586
- Ages
- >2
RCTMaternal zinc supplementation and growth in Peruvian infants2008n=1,295
In 546 Peruvian infants followed to 12 months, prenatal 15 mg/day zinc increased weight, calf circumference, chest circumference, and calf muscle area versus iron-folate alone, without affecting linear growth.
- Effect
- Benefit
- Duration
- 12 months
- Dose
- 15 mg/day
- Population
- Women
- Participants
- 1,295
- Ages
- infants to 12 months
Vitamin B9 (Folate)View supplement →
Reconsider purchase·★★★★★
How we scored this▸
- Taking folic acid (400 mcg daily) from around the 14th week of pregnancy until birth may improve children’s thinking skills at age 7, especially verbal reasoning and IQ, compared to children whose mothers didn’t take folic acid.
- By age 11, these benefits mostly fade but some improvements in processing speed and verbal skills (especially in girls) remain.
- Getting less than 400 mcg daily during pregnancy might lower children’s mental alertness later, while taking 1000 mcg or more might help working memory a little but does not seem to affect other thinking skills.
- It seems there is an ideal amount of folic acid during pregnancy for the best brain development in kids, not too little and not too much.
Browse 3 studies
ObservationalAssociation between the Use of Folic Acid Supplements during Pregnancy and Children's Cognitive Function at 7-9 Years of Age in the INMA Cohort Study2022
An observational study in pregnant women found that 400 μg/day for 7–9 years a high FAs use throughout the two periods of pregnancy was associated with a better N-back Task performance only in girls (d' number 2-back (β = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.01; 0.56) and d' number 3-back (β = 0.32; 95% CI: 0.08; 0.56)).
- Effect
- Benefit
- Dose
- 400 μg/day
- Population
- Pregnant women
- Ages
- 7–9
RCTEffects of maternal folic acid supplementation during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy on neurocognitive development in the child: an 11-year follow-up from a randomised controlled trial2021n=68
A randomized trial of 68 pregnant women found that 400 μg/day for 26 weeks of 119 mother-child pairs in the FASSTT trial, 68 children were assessed for neurocognitive performance at 11-year follow-up (Dec 2017 to Nov 2018).
- Effect
- Benefit
- Duration
- 26 weeks
- Dose
- 400 μg/day
- Population
- Pregnant women
- Participants
- 68
- Ages
- 18–35
RCTEffect of continued folic acid supplementation beyond the first trimester of pregnancy on cognitive performance in the child: a follow-up study from a randomized controlled trial (FASSTT Offspring Trial)2019n=70
A randomized trial of 70 pregnant women found that 400 μg/day for 26 weeks at 7 years, the children of folic acid treated mothers scored significantly higher than the placebo group in word reasoning: mean 13.3 (95% CI 12.4-14.2) versus 11.9 (95% CI 11.0-12.8); p = 0.027; at 3 years, they scored significantly higher in cognition: 10.3 (95% CI.
- Effect
- Benefit
- Duration
- 26 weeks
- Dose
- 400 μg/day
- Population
- Pregnant women
- Participants
- 70
- Ages
- 7 years
ZeaxanthinView supplement →
Reconsider purchase·★★★★★
How we scored this▸
- It is not clear if taking zeaxanthin helps child development.
- Studies show that when mothers eat more zeaxanthin during early pregnancy, their children may have better verbal skills and behavior at ages 6 to 10.
- However, babies around 6 months showed less ability to tell new from familiar things, and most thinking skills were not improved in kids aged 3 to 6.
- Eating more zeaxanthin and lutein as children aged 3 to 6 might slightly help certain thinking skills at ages 6 to 11, but most mental abilities were unaffected.
Browse 2 studies
ObservationalEarly Childhood Lutein and Zeaxanthin Intake Is Positively Associated with Early Childhood Receptive Vocabulary and Mid-Childhood Executive Function But No Other Cognitive or Behavioral Outcomes in Project Viva2022n=1,378
In 1,378 children (Project Viva), higher early-childhood lutein/zeaxanthin intake was associated with better receptive vocabulary and mid-childhood executive function, but not other cognitive or behavioral outcomes.
- Effect
- Benefit
- Population
- Older adults
- Participants
- 1,378
- Avg age
- ~3.2
ObservationalMaternal Intake of Lutein and Zeaxanthin during Pregnancy Is Positively Associated with Offspring Verbal Intelligence and Behavior Regulation in Mid-Childhood in the Project Viva Cohort2021n=1,580
In 1,580 mother-child pairs, higher maternal lutein/zeaxanthin intake during pregnancy was associated with higher mid-childhood verbal intelligence and better behavior regulation.
- Effect
- Benefit
- Population
- Pregnant women
- Participants
- 1,580
Vitamin AView supplement →
Do not purchase·★★★★★
How we scored this▸
- Oral vitamin A supplementation benefits growth and development in children who are deficient, but does not promote additional growth in those who already have adequate vitamin A levels.
Browse 1 study·1 meta-analysis
MetaEffects of micronutrients on growth of children under 5 y of age: meta-analyses of single and multiple nutrient interventions2009n=43
Meta-analyses of micronutrient trials in children under 5 found multimicronutrient interventions improved growth more than single-nutrient supplements, with iron alone showing smaller effects.
- Effect
- No Benefit
- Population
- Children/adolescents
- Participants
- 43
- Ages
- Under 5
NattokinaseView supplement →
Do not purchase·★★★★★
How we scored this▸
- Daily soy protein supplements given to children in Colombia helped support healthy bone development and improve blood fat levels.
- The supplement did not negatively affect how much energy or food children ate, nor did it harm their growth.
- Soy protein can be a safe and helpful part of a child's diet to promote healthy development.
Browse 1 study
RCTEffect of Daily Exposure to Isolated Soy Protein Supplement on Body Composition, Energy and Macronutrient Intake, Bone Formation Markers, and Lipid Profile in Children in Colombia2019n=57
A 12-month RCT in 107 children (ages 2–9) found daily soy protein supplement (45 g/day) did not clearly improve bone formation markers or growth versus control.
- Effect
- No Benefit
- Duration
- 12 months
- Dose
- 45 g/day
- Population
- Children/adolescents
- Participants
- 57
- Ages
- 2–9
Evidence visualised
Same ratings as above, aggregated so you can see coverage and imbalance.
| Supplement | DEX | Studies | Meta-analyses | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | ★★★★★48% | 3 | 0 | 33% |
| Zeaxanthin | ★★★★★40% | 2 | 0 | 22% |
| Zinc | ★★★★★64% | 2 | 1 | 22% |
| Nattokinase | ★★★★★32% | 1 | 0 | 11% |
| Vitamin A | ★★★★★36% | 1 | 1 | 11% |