Do you ever stress about what your kids are (or aren’t) eating? Do you worry that they’re missing certain nutrients because of picky eating? I feel you pain!!!
Our oldest son is on the spectrum, our daughter has food intolerances and changes what she likes on a daily basis, and our youngest son has sensory issues when it comes to food. Needless to say, preparing meals can be stressful. I try to buy organic as much as possible and pack in as many fruits and veggies as I can, but I know that most days my kids are still missing out on essential nutrients for healthy growth and development.
Over the years, we’ve supplemented with various children’s multivitamins. We tend to stay away from gummies and chewables that list sugar as the first ingredient for obvious reasons and also avoid any with artificial coloring (here’s why). While there are a handful of high quality supplements for kids that we’ve used, none catered to the specific needs of kids on the spectrum…until we discovered My Spectrum Heroes!
Keep reading for the full scoop on the brand’s incredible line of products specifically geared to the unique nutritional needs of children with Autism and ADHD (and we believe for sensory issues too).
Why Kids on the Spectrum Need Extra Nutritional Support
To put it simply, kids on the spectrum have been shown in research to have lower levels of vitamins and minerals that are required for optimal health and have an increased need for these nutrients [1]. The standard American diet is already nutritionally depleted, and many kids with Autism, ADHD, and sensory issues also struggle with picky eating.
Children and adults with Autism tend to have metabolic and nutritional problems including issues with increased oxidative stress, glutathione, sulfating, methylation, and many more. Vitamins and minerals are anti-oxidants and also act as enzymatic co-factors for many important reactions in the body, including the production of neurotransmitters that are often low in kids on the spectrum.
One 12-month study involving nutritional support and a gluten-free, casein-free diet for kids with Autism found multiple benefits including increased nonverbal IQ, improved nutritional status, improvement of Autism symptoms, and improvement of many other digestive and behavioral symptoms [2].
Multiple studies have also discovered that kids with Autism and ADHD have lower levels of essential fatty acids and that supplementation improves symptoms [3]. Supplementing with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may also be helpful for kids on the spectrum since they commonly suffer from gastrointestinal issues and PUFAs have been found to help improve GI disorders [4].
Gut issues are much more common in kids on the spectrum than in the general population. One study found that kids with Autism were 6 to 8 times more likely to suffer from GI symptoms and those who did also scored worse on behaviors like irritability, social withdrawal, hyperactivity, and stereotypy [5]. This is where probiotics come in.
Kids on the spectrum have been found to have different gut bacteria than typically developing children. According to both animal and human studies, probiotics have the potential to help improve GI and other symptoms in kids with Autism (and likely ADHD too) [6].
Why Standard Multivitamins Won’t Do
If you know someone with Autism, ADHD , or any other neurocognitive challenges, you already know that they have unique challenges and needs when it comes to their health. Many regular vitamins and supplements designed for kids aren’t suitable because they contain allergens, food dyes, sugar, or aren’t compatible with diets like low FODMAPS, GAPS, SCD, Feingold, or others.
Another problem with standard multis is that they aren’t designed for kids on the spectrum. Typical children’s vitamins contain a standard set of nutrients that “most” kids need. As stated earlier, kids with neurocognitive challenges have their own unique nutritional needs and may need higher amounts of certain vitamins and minerals.
Why My Spectrum Heroes?
My Spectrum Heroes is a brand that was born out of the great need for a line of nutritional supplements that meet the unique needs of kids on the spectrum. These products were designed with the developing brain and nervous system in mind. In addition to being free of all major allergens, these supplements contain no fermentable fibers, and have no salicylates or phenols.
According to the company, some of the benefits of these nutrients include:
” – Optimizes nutrient intake for neurological development and function
– Provides nutrients in their bioavailable form
– Quenches overactive inflammation
– Supports mitochondrial health and energy production
– Safe for most restricted diets
– Enhances neurological and cognitive function in children”
Multivitamin Mineral Plus
The brand’s signature product is a dissolvable powder that is designed to support neurocognitive health using vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. All of the nutrients are selected specifically for optimal absorption and bioavailability so they can help to bridge the nutritional gaps that are common with kids on the spectrum. The formula includes:
- Acetyl-l-carnitine: Drives healthy fats to high-need brain cells.
- Choline: Boosts brain chemicals that form thoughts and memories.
- Coenzyme Q10: An antioxidant that amps up brain energy production.
- Inositol: Calms mood via serotonin, our happy brain hormone.
- MSM: Helps the body clear waste products and support healthy levels of inflammation.
- MTHF: Promotes healthy DNA and nervous system development.
- NAC: Boosts antioxidant levels to keep the nervous system running smoothly.
Probiotic Essential Powder
This probiotic powder was designed to deliver live bacteria that foster a healthy gut microbiome, protect intestinal integrity, and strengthen the immune system. This probiotic contains three strains of Lactobacilli, three strains of Bifidobacteria, and Saccharomyces boulardii, all microorganisms that have been extensively researched for their survivability and health benefits.
Super Omega Liquid
This liquid omega formulation was specifically designed for kids on the spectrum. It is a high concentration fish oil that is molecularly distilled using the cleanest fish sources from the Chilean coast. It delivers 1.3 g of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 850 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per serving as bioidentical triglycerides, which is the body’s preferred form.
Immuni-D Liquid
Vitamin D is incredibly important, especially for children with neurcognitive challenges. This formulation contains a targeted amount of vitamin D3 in an odorless, tasteless liquid which can easily be added to any food or beverage.
Gut Immune Protect
This product is the only commercially available dietary supplement to contain purified, dairy-free immunoglobulin G (IgG), (also known as antibodies). Serum-derived bovine immunoglobulins help to maintain a healthy intestinal immune system. IgG binds to microbes and toxins in the gut lumen, supports gut barrier health, and helps to maintain a normal inflammatory balance.
GI Shield
GI Shield is a powder that’s available in chocolate or vanilla flavor and is designed to promote the health and barrier function of the gastrointestinal lining. It supports gut barrier health and integrity, maintains a healthy inflammatory balance, provides nutrition for GI cells, and supports a healthy gut epithelium. GI Shield includes a high dose of L-glutamine (4 g), which serves as nutrition for the gut lining. This supplement contains 400 mg of deglycyrrhized licorice root extract (DGL) and 75 mg of aloe vera extract to protect and promote the health of the gut mucosa. It also has N-acetyl glucosamine and zinc to boost GI integrity.
Fiber Balance Plus Powder
If your little on struggles with constipation, Fiber Balance Plus should put an end to those traffic jams once and for all. This powder formulation is designed to provide the right amount of bulk for regular digestive system functioning and long-term G.I. maintenance. It contains psyllium seeds and husks to act as a natural bulk laxative, rice bran for glycemic balancing, pectin for soluble fiber, and figs and prunes to get things moving.
Our Personal Experience
My oldest son has High Functioning Autism and struggles with ADHD symptoms as well. Since starting on My Spectrum Heroes vitamins, we’ve noticed that he’s much calmer, better behaved, and socializes more easily. We’ve also found that he has less cravings for sweet foods. When we ask him to read or do his school work, he seems better able to focus and sit still for longer periods of time. HUGE improvements for us!
At first, getting him to take his supplements was a bit of a battle. He’s used to chewables and doesn’t do well with change. We tried a few different approached before finding what works for us. We use orange juice to mix his MultiVitamin Mineral Plus and find applesauce works well for all the others. On days we are making smoothies, we just mix his supplements in!
Final Thoughts
I can’t say enough good things about My Spectrum Heroes and their uniquely developed supplements for kids. We struggled to find high-quality supplements that addressed our son’s nutritional needs and took into account his GFCF diet and allergies. My Spectrum Heroes really came to the rescue with a full line of products designed specifically for Autism and ADHD.
My Spectrum Heroes offers bundles so you can buy multiple products at once and save or just choose one at a time. To check out their full line of products, click here. And to save 10% on your order, use code HOLFAMILY10.
