Can Adults Take Flintstone Vitamins?
Flintstones kids' vitamins offer adequate amounts of the daily value for the micronutrients adults need daily. The chewables offer more than the gummies.
They're sweet, chewable and they come in fun shapes and colors — what's not to like about Flintstones vitamins? Kids love them, and parents love them because kids take them without argument. For grownups who can't stomach the size or taste of adult vitamins, taking a children's brand seems appealing. The good news is that adults can take Flintstones vitamins. In fact, the product label lists the amounts of each nutrient and the percentage of the daily value for children and adults.
Tip
Yes, adults can take Flintstone Vitamins if they can't tolerate adult brands, or prefer the sweet taste of the kid's vitamin.
Types of Flintstones Vitamins
There are eight types of Flintstones vitamins for adults and children. Flintstones Complete chewables, gummies and sour gummies contain an array of nutrients typically found in standard multivitamins. Flintstones Immunity Support gummies and chewables also contain similar nutrients, as well as extra vitamin C and zinc. Choose Flintstones vitamins with iron if your doctor has advised you to get more iron in your diet. There are also two types of vitamins made specifically for toddlers. These will have lower levels of nutrients and aren't the best options for adults.
Flintstones Vitamins for Adults DV
The daily value, or DV, is similar to the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA. Both provide an amount of each nutrient people of different ages should get in a day. The DV is less specific than the RDA, providing a single value for adults and for children ages 4 and older. This is the measurement used on the labels of supplements and foods. According to the National Institutes of Health, the DV is usually close to the RDA.
Read more: Top 10 Multivitamins for Women
Content of Flintstones Complete
Overall, the chewable tablets contain more nutrients and more of each nutrient than the gummies. For adults and children over 4 years of age, two tablets of the Complete Chewable vitamins provide 100 percent of the daily value for vitamins C, E, B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid and pantothenic acid. They also contain 100 percent of the DV for iron, iodine and copper. Two tablets provide 60 percent of the DV for vitamin A, 150 percent for vitamin D, 69 percent for vitamin K, 75 percent for niacin, 13 percent for biotin, 10 percent for calcium and 80 percent for zinc.
A serving of two Complete Gummies provides the same amount of vitamin D, but only around half the amounts of vitamins C, E, B6, B12, folic acid and pantothenic acid. Two gummies contain 40 percent of the DV for vitamin A, 25 percent of the DV for biotin, 20 percent of the DV for iodine and 17 percent of the DV for zinc.
Immunity Support and Iron Formulas
The Immunity Support Chewables contain the same nutrients as the Complete version, but they provide 217 percent of the DV for vitamin C. They contain half of the amounts of vitamins B1, B2, folate and pantothenic acid as the Complete formulation and provide 50 percent of the DV for biotin, 26 percent for vitamin A and 53 percent for zinc. Along with vitamin C, zinc is an important nutrient for immune system health. The Gummies formula provides 208 percent of the DV for vitamin C, but even less of all the other nutrients, including zinc.
The Flintstones vitamins with iron come only in a chewable form. Two tablets contain the same amount of iron — 18 milligrams, or 100 percent of DV — as the Complete Chewables.
Should You Take Them?
Eating a balanced diet is the best way to get all the nutrients you need for good health. It typically can't hurt to take Flintstones vitamins, but if you eat well, you don't need them. According to Berkeley Wellness, those who should consider taking a multivitamin include:
- People over age 60, who often don't get enough vitamin D, magnesium and B vitamins.
- Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant
- Breastfeeding women
- Vegetarians who might not get enough B12
Before you decide to take Flintstones vitamins, talk with your doctor to see if you really need them and whether they meet your nutritional needs. He may recommend a single supplement over a multivitamin — or no supplements at all.
Read more: Do Multivitamins Really Work?