Which should I take first, cod liver oil or milk calcium

There are many aspects that newborns need to pay attention to, especially the intake of trace elements in growth and development. Most mothers will supplement their children with cod liver oil and milk calcium. Both substances are indispensable for the normal growth of infants, but which one should be taken first, cod liver oil or milk calcium? It is best to take the two substances at an interval of more than half an hour. Cod liver is best eaten in the morning, while milk calcium is more suitable before going to bed.

1. How to take cod liver oil and calcium

Taking both calcium and cod liver oil has good effects, but it is best to take them at least 30 minutes apart, preferably in the morning. It is best not to take them at night (even adults cannot eat them at night as it will not be absorbed well and will increase the burden on the kidneys). It doesn’t matter whether you take them before or after meals, but many babies eat them before meals because they don’t want to eat when they are not hungry.

In addition, please note that children aged 2 weeks to 18 months can take 400 IU of vitamin D (Icoxin) daily if they are artificially fed, but please pay attention to the vitamin D dosage of dairy products and calcium preparations.

Take calcium supplements orally while supplementing vitamin D. The recommended daily intake of calcium for children is: 300 mg for children under 6 months old, 400 mg for children 6 months to 1 year old, and 600 mg for children 1 to 4 years old.

Recommendation: Supplement with "calcium carbonate" preparations, because they contain high elemental calcium, or "calcium lactate" preparations, because they are well absorbed. Light flavor is preferred. When supplementing calcium, attention should be paid to the amount of calcium children consume from dairy products every day.

Recommendation: When your baby can go out to bask in the sun, make full use of sunlight. More sun exposure is an economical and effective way to prevent rickets. Take your baby outdoors frequently, and the time should be no less than 2 hours, after 9 am and before 4 pm. In winter, between 11-14 pm when it is not windy, rainy or snowing, and let the baby bask in the sun gradually and slowly.

Calcium supplementation should be done between meals. If compared with morning and evening, calcium supplementation at night is better than in the morning because calcium can be taken in from complementary foods and dairy products during the day, but at night, calcium is not taken in from food. If calcium supplementation is done at night, it can provide sufficient "ammunition" for the night to make the baby's body stronger.

2. The difference between cod liver oil and calcium

Cod liver oil: helps stabilize blood sugar and blood lipids, can clear blood vessels and dissolve blood clots. It also has a good health care effect on the eyes.

Calcium tablets: They mainly play a good protective role on bones and teeth. It can prevent bone injuries such as fractures and osteoporosis.

Cod liver oil contains vitamins AD, and taking it with calcium can help the body absorb it.

In a narrow sense, cod liver oil is the oil refined from the liver of marine fish. In a broad sense, cod liver oil also includes the liver oil of marine animals such as whales and seals. At room temperature, it is a yellow, transparent liquid with a slight fishy smell. It is often used to prevent and treat night blindness, corneal softening, rickets and osteomalacia, and it also has a protective effect on epidermal tissues such as the upper mucosa of the respiratory tract. It is mainly composed of glycerol lipids with a high degree of unsaturation, as well as a small amount of phospholipids and unsaponifiable matter. Cod, turbot, etc. are traditional raw materials for cod liver oil production internationally. China mainly uses sharks, rays, large yellow croakers, mackerel and pufferfish.

Vitamin A in cod liver oil can promote the formation of photosensitive pigments in visual cells, adjust the eyes' ability to adapt to the intensity of external light, reduce the occurrence of night blindness and vision loss, and maintain normal visual response.

Vitamin D helps promote the body's absorption of calcium. Vitamin D deficiency in infants and young children can cause rickets, while vitamin D deficiency in adults can cause osteomalacia.

According to the recommendations of the Chinese Nutrition Society, the intake ratio of vitamin AD for infants and young children is 3:1, so many brands of cod liver oil use the scientific ratio of AD3:1.

3. Which should I take first, cod liver oil or calcium?

If the baby is breastfed, the most scientific method is for the mother to take cod liver oil and calcium supplements; if the baby is fed with milk powder, it is necessary to start supplementing with cod liver oil and calcium supplements. Note that calcium supplements should not be mixed with milk. This will easily cause calcium and milk to clump together, affecting absorption and digestion. Calcium supplements and cod liver oil should be taken half an hour after drinking milk. Take calcium first, then take cod liver oil. Don’t take them too long apart, because cod liver oil helps calcium absorption!

Chinese doctors generally have babies take cod liver oil from the time they are newborns. In fact, if newborns can enjoy plenty of sunlight, there is no need for additional cod liver oil and calcium supplements. Some developed countries recommend taking it after the age of 1. Sunshine is the best nutrition. However, since it is the doctor's advice, then I suggest that you should not take it every day, especially cod liver oil. 2-3 times a week is enough. Try to get more sun exposure. In addition, regarding the issue of calcium supplements, based on your description, the doctor provided powder, but liquid calcium is, by comparison, the easiest for babies to absorb.