Review: ProVen Probiotics Fit for School Supplements

AD – We were asked to try ProVen Probiotics Fit for School supplements in exchange for this review. All images and opinions are our own.

With the end of August in sight, our attention has firmly towards back to school preparations. We have shopped for new uniform, new shoes, new stationery and we are pretty much back to school ready. One thing we always do, is remind him about the importance of handwashing and good hygiene, anything to minimise the inevitable back to school coughs and colds he will no doubt catch and bring home.

Giving the boy and his immune system a bit of a back to school boost is something we always do. He is so prone to picking up bugs it’s unbelievable. He regularly takes a multivitamin, and during the peak of the pandemic, he also took extra Vitamin D supplements.

We were sent some ProVen Probiotics Fit for School supplements to try. They are designed to help support your child’s immunity and wellbeing. They are chewable tablets which are strawberry flavoured and they have been specially formulated for children aged 4-16 years old.

Each tablet contains 12.5 billion of the unique Lab4 acidophilus and bifidus friendly bacteria combined with vitamin C to help maintain immune function and general wellbeing.

ProVen Probiotics Fit for School supplements are vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free. They have been tested in two clinical trials so far. The studies showed that ProVen Probiotics Fit for School can have these results –

Days with a cough or cold halved (49% reduction)
Days with a blocked or runny nose reduced by a third (33%)
Number of days with a sore throat reduced by 24%
Need for antibiotics reduced by 27%
Absenteeism from school due to coughs and colds reduced by 30%
Visits to the GP reduced by 43%
No side effects

These benefits are excellent to read. My son has been taking them for about a week now, he’s generally full of beans anyway, but leads a very active life and can feel run down quite easily. He is also very prone to getting bad ear infections and colds. He really likes the taste and says they make him feel super-powered, which is always good to hear.

Review: ProVen Probiotics Fit for School Supplements

I really like that they are packed with Vitamin C and they also have probiotic qualities, which can help him to maintain a healthy gut. Each tablet contains 12.5 billion of the unique Lab4 acidophilus and bifidus friendly bacteria combined with vitamin C to help maintain immune function and general wellbeing.

Fingers crossed that taking these will help him to stay well throughout his last year at primary school. Like most kids, he’s had far too long outside of school this year and I’d hate for a cold or bug to floor him again.

Each box of ProVen Probiotics Fit for School contains 30 tablets and costs £14.99. They are available from Boots and directly from their website.

Review: Higher Nature Kids Vitamins

Getting kids to take their vitamins can be a tricky business. We’ve been trying Vital Vits and Smart Focus from Higher Nature – an independently owned business that’s based in the UK. Higher Nature make high quality, ethical and well researched nutritional products for the whole family.

After pushing for tests for a number of years, over the summer my son was finally diagnosed with having an iron deficiency. We were sent away with some dietary advice (which we’d already been following for forever) and told to come back in a couple of months for a re-test. What was clear that however good his diet is, he still needed top ups of iron and other vitamins to keep him healthy.

Giveaway & Review: Higher Nature Kids Vitamins

The worry is that he has inherited a genetic blood disorder – Alpha Thalassemia Trait from my side of the family. There’s not a lot that can be done if he has, he will just need to look after himself, which means taking vitamin supplements and getting lots of sleep, amongst other things.

The problem is supplements are often boring or taste horrible. Kids vitamins and supplements have come a long way in recent years and are easier and more enjoyable to take. We’ve been trying some of the children’s health range from Higher Nature, specifically the Higher Nature Kids Vital Vits and Higher Nature Kids Smart Focus.

Higher Nature Kids Vital Vits

The Higher Nature Vital Vits (£14.99 for 90 tablets) contain 19 of your essential vitamins and minerals (including Iron) and is a good all-rounder. They are suitable for children aged 3+ and you take just one a day. The Vital Vits are designed especially for fussy eaters to support their daily diet.

They come in three delicious fruity flavours with fun-shaped characters – mango robots, lime aliens and raspberry teddies. They are small-ish, chewable tablets and they’re really easy to take. These supplements are gluten, lactose and dairy free and don’t contain any artificial preservatives, colours or flavourings. They are also suitable for vegetarians and vegans and have not been tested on animals.

I’ve tried them and they’re really fruity and not at all chalky. My son really liked them too and would gobble them all up if we let him (which is why we keep them out of reach). These are a real winner for us; knowing he’s getting a daily vitamin boost is a weight off our minds too.

Giveaway & Review: Higher Nature Kids Vitamins

Higher Nature Kids Smart Focus

These Higher Nature Smart Focus Jellies (£9.99 for 27 jellies) contain omega 3 EPA and DHA with omega 6 GLA, all of the essential omegas in one delicious fruity jelly. The jelly is free from added sugars and artificial sweeteners. The jellies have been formulated to help children keep focussed in the classroom.

Getting kids to take fish oil supplements can be tricky. Thankfully my son thinks these jellies are a bit of a treat. They’re intensely fruity flavoured and have no fishy aftertaste which is a bonus. They’re best taken with food, so we usually give my son one with his breakfast.

I think we all need a boost sometimes, especially with the cold and flu season coming up. My son needs an iron boost and taking a multivitamin every day will help him to absorb iron better too. It’s peace of mind for me and the building blocks of good health for him.

For more information about Higher Nature Vitamins and Supplements, visit their website.

We were sent these products for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.

Health: Why Vitamin D is a daily essential

A recent government report has offered some new guidelines about the amount of Vitamin D we should consume on a daily basis.

As a general rule, everyone, all adults and children over the age of one should consume 10 micrograms of this essential vitamin every day. But why? The experts at vitamin supplement retailer, Pharma Nord, explain what this essential vitamin does and why it’s so important.

What does vitamin D do?

This vital vitamin is important as it helps the body to absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet. Because calcium and phosphate are essential for maintaining healthy bones, teeth and muscles, it’s essential that we keep our vitamin levels at the optimum level.

Only 10% of our daily intake of this vitamin comes from our diet and the other 90% must come from sunlight. Because we predominantly rely on sunlight for Vitamin D, it’s often difficult to get the amount that we require during autumn and winter, no matter how many winter walks we go on. This is because sunlight doesn’t contain enough UVB radiation between October and early March in the UK. Instead, many people take supplements to try and up their vitamin intake and prevent a deficiency occurring.

vitamin d

What happens if you don’t get enough vitamin D?

If your vitamin levels drop too low, you will have a deficiency.

Vitamin D is crucial to the health of bones and teeth; without it calcium cannot be effectively absorbed by your body. A vitamin deficiency can result in bone and muscle pain, poor bone mineralisation and a greater risk of osteoporosis and fractures as we age.

Vitamin D can stimulate the body’s production of anti-viral and anti-bacterial proteins. This makes it an effective nutrient to boost immunity and protect against colds and flu. People with low levels of this vitamin are 40% more likely to visit their GP with respiratory infections. Deficiency is also associated with increased risk of auto-immune disorders such as multiple sclerosis.

Who is effected by vitamin D deficiencies?

Some people are more at risk of vitamin deficiencies than others. Those at greater risk include babies from birth to one year old; children aged between one and four and the elderly.

Vitamin D synthesis is also inhibited by lack of sunshine or covering up with clothes. Pregnant and breast-feeding mothers and people with darker skin pigmentation may also have inadequate UV exposure.

can Vitamin supplements help?

Public Health England recommends that everyone considers taking vitamin D supplements in autumn and winter to ensure they get enough of this essential vitamin.

Health: Why Vitamin D is a daily essential

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Putting Pharma Nord supplements to the test

With what’s being called the “Liverpool Lurgy” sweeping across the country in recent weeks, I’ve felt it prudent to step up my vitamin intake. The Liverpool Lurgy is a nasty lingering virus which is knocking people for six, and I can do without that right now. I’m a big believer in taking Zinc to ward off colds and when I was asked by Pharma Nord, Northern Europe’s largest manufacturer of pharmaceutical grade vitamins and supplements if I’d like to sample some of their supplements, top of my list were their Zinc lozenges.

The lozenges are Pharma Nord’s Bio-InfluZinc + C supplement (the pink box below). They contain Zinc and a natural source of vitamin C taken from Acerola cherry extract. Zinc and Vitamin C contribute to the normal function of the immune system. The Zinc lozenges deliver the active ingredients to the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat, you dissolve them slowly in the mouth and you can take 3-6 of them a day. They suggest that a high intake of Zinc may be useful for brief periods of 7-10 days if you feel a cold coming on. Zinc can reduce the length and severity of your cold.

pharma nord

The Bio-InfluZinc + C supplement costs around £7.99 for a box of 90 tablets. You don’t have to take them every day, just when you feel you might be coming down with something and also whilst you have your cold. You can chew or suck these lozenges, whichever suits you. They have a mild and pleasant orange flavour and they’re not chalky in texture, so I quite enjoyed taking them.

About 10 days ago I started to come down with a cold, whenever I get a cold it tends to fairly quickly turn into tonsillitis, something I’m understandably keen to avoid. As soon as I started to feel unwell I started to take the lozenges. I was pleasantly surprised when after three days my sore throat just disappeared and didn’t turn into something nasty. I can’t be absolutely sure that the zinc lozenges helped, but it’s the first time in a couple of years I’ve not ended up on antibiotics. I’ll definitely be keeping a box of the Pharma Nord Bio-InfluZinc + C supplements on hand in future.

Pharma Nord also let me try their Bio-MSM + Silica tablets. These came in a box of 120 tablets and retail for around £12.95. The Bio-MSM + Silica tablets contain MSM (methyl sulphonyl methane) and Silica. MSM is a naturally occurring organic sulphur-containing substance, which is found in grain products, legumes, eggs and red meat. Vegetable Silica, an extract of the herb horsetail grass, is a natural source of the essential trace mineral silicon.

The MSM +Silica tablets are taken to help the formation of bone and collagen in connective tissue and for healthy skin, hair and nails. MSM and silica help maintain the flexibility of joints and arteries. As someone with a bad back and the general aches and pains which come with age, I thought these would be a good supplement to take, plus I’d heard they could be helpful in reducing period pain, something I do suffer with. These tablets are suitable for vegans and vegetarians which is fantastic for me as a lot of supplements with these benefits are not vegetarian.

Pharma Nord

You take two of the Bio-MSM + Silica tablets each day. They’re a good shape for swallowing and I had no problems taking them. I often find I gag on large tablets but these were not too big for me. You take these with water and I didn’t find they left an aftertaste or anything like that.

I always find the effects of taking vitamins and supplements very difficult to quantify, they generally take a month or so to take effect. It’s hard for me to say for certain what has changed for me over the last month of taking the tablets. I have a vague feeling that skin and eczema are a little better and that my period pain was less than in the previous month. I suspect I’ll have to take the tablets for a little while to really notice a difference, but I’m feeling positive that small improvements are on the horizon.

Pharma Nord supplements are pharmaceutical grade and their effectiveness has been rigorously tested. I’m cautious about making any claims, but I will continue taking the Bio-MSM + Silica and I’ll see how I get on with them, and I’ll be keeping a box of the Pharma Nord Bio-InfluZinc + C supplements close at hand from now on.

You can see the full range of Pharma Nord supplements on their website.

I was sent these Pharma Nord supplements to try out for review purposes. All images and opinions are my own.

Review: Seven Seas Perfect7 Supplements

AD – we were sent a selection of these Seven Seas Perfect7 supplements for review purposes.

This year I’ll be 40 and although I try and look after myself as best I can, I’m well aware that I’m starting to age. I hate taking loads of tablets so I was looking for a good all rounder, something that would suit someone of my age and something that would help me fend off creakiness for a little while longer. I was sent some Seven Seas Perfect7 to try out.

Seven Seas Perfect7 comes in two different kinds, one for men and one for women. I tried the Seven Seas Perfect7 Woman which contains a blend of Marine Oil with Omega-3, plus essential multivitamins and minerals. The specially developed formula encourages the effective absorption of nutrients to support you from the inside as you get older.

Seven Seas Perfect7

Seven Seas have identified 7 key needs for women and have developed Perfect7 Woman to try and meet those specific needs. Perfect7 Woman has been scientifically designed to support:

Skin & Nails – Zinc helps to maintain normal skin and nails
Hair – Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair
Energy – Magnesium contributes to energy yielding metabolism
Brain – DHA contributes to normal brain function
Vision – Vitamin B2 contributes to maintenance of normal vision
Heart – EPA & DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart
Hormonal Activity – Vitamin B6 helps to regulate hormonal activity

Seven Seas Perfect7 comes as a 30 day duo pack. It contains two different tablets to take each day with water. There is one slightly squashy marine oil tablet and one brown speckled tablet. They are shaped like little bullets and although they’re not small, I managed to swallow them easily. I hate taking tablets and often gag them back up, but these were fine for me.

I’ve been taking the Seven Seas Perfect7 for a little over 3 weeks now, although it’s probably too early for me to notice much of a difference, I have noticed that my normally brittle and flaky nails are a bit stronger than they have been for a while and my skin is glowing a bit more, several people have commented about that recently.

I find the tablets easy to take and as they are a good all rounder, containing the following vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin C
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Niacin
Vitamin B6
Folic Acid
Vitamin B12
Biotin
Pantothenic Acid
Magnesium
Iron
Zinc
Copper
Manganese
Selenium
Chromium
Iodine

The marine oil tablets contain both fish oil and gelatin making them not suitable for vegetarians which is a shame. I would like it if a vegetarian version of these supplements were available so veggies could take advantage of the benefits of Perfect7.

For me Seven Seas Perfect7 is worth sticking with, in two tablets I can get pretty much everything I need to supplement my diet and hopefully see me into middle age in a more sprightly fashion.

You can find out more about Seven Seas Perfect7 on their website.

Kids Health: The Smart Kids range from Bioglan

Like most parents I have a niggling worry that despite his love of broccoli that somehow my boy is lacking the essential nutrients he needs in order to thrive. Last October he had to take a week off school and was really quite poorly, he had a very nasty ear infection and spent the week on the sofa looking miserable. I’m keen to make sure he’s as healthy as possible so his body can fight off future infections. I was interested to try the Bioglan Smart Kids range of supplements and to see how my boy liked them.

bioglan

We were sent the full range to try, here’s what the small boy thought…

Smart Kids Omega 3 Brain Formula
These supplements contain Omega 3, B Vitamins and Iron which all play a vital role in transporting oxygen to the brain and the rest of the body, as well as contributes to the normal cognitive development of children. I tried these first and they are little gummy capsules which you chew and they have a squirty liquid inside which tastes of citrus. I really didn’t think he’d like these very much, but once he’d bitten into one he enjoyed it. Half the battle is getting kids to take the tablet and this is a little bit different.

Smart Kids Fussy Eaters Multi
These multivitamins have been designed for fussy eaters, they contain a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals. The tablets are small, chewy and taste of red berries, they’re also a bit fizzy in your mouth, these were my favourite. I warned the boy that they were fizzy and he made that lovely “sherbet face” you get when you eat something slightly sour. I’d be very happy to take these and I think he would too.

Smart Kids Happy Tummies
These were his very favourite, though he was skeptical at first. They are strawberry yoghurt balls designed to boost your child’s live culture intake and provide their tummies with the good bacteria they need. He loved these so much he would happily eat them as sweets and kept demanding more, which we didn’t give him obviously.

Smart Kids Superfood Shake
This is a very different product and I was looking forward to trying it out with him. I don’t know a child who doesn’t love a milkshake so this is potentially a great way to get some extra nutrients inside them without much fuss.

The milkshake is apparently packed with lots of hidden fruit and veg. It’s simple enough to make, just mix it with milk, but it doesn’t dissolve like normal milkshake powder so you do need to whisk it. He did drink it and say it was yummy, but he did take his time over it and I thought it smelt a bit veggie. I’m not sure it’s something he’d drink every day, but as an occasional boost when he’s run down I think it would work well.

bioglan

I like the fact that the Smart Kids range from Bioglan has thought about different ways to help supplement and boost kids’ diets. I’d like to see more of the yoghurt ball style of supplement because that’s what our boy likes the best; but all kids are different and differently fussy and I think there is something for everyone in this range.

Bioglan supplements are widely available from a range of retailers.

Note: We were sent this selection of Bioglan Smart Kids supplements for review purposes. All images and opinions are our own.