ASKED & ANSWERED
ABOUT
I think I feed my kids well. Do kids really need extra vitamins and minerals in their diet?
Everyone needs vitamins and minerals. They help release energy from our food and are important for muscles, bones, blood and other vital tissues. Without them, we simply can’t maintain good health and normal growth. Since our bodies don’t store all essential vitamins and minerals, some have to be replenished regularly. And in the active, growing years of childhood, kids may need certain vitamins and minerals replenished every day. Unfortunately, our eating habits don’t guarantee that we always get the vitamins and minerals we need from food alone. FlintstonesTM can provide added nutritional support.
What are the benefits of the different vitamins and minerals?
Here’s an at-a-glance chart that describes the vitamins and minerals in FlintstonesTM Multivitamins. You can read more about them here and see which appear in our various FlintstonesTM formulas.
| VITAMIN | ROLE |
| Vitamin A | Helps support immune health. |
| Vitamin A as beta-carotene | Form of Vitamin A thought to function as an antioxidant, which may provide protection against cell-damaging free radicals. Beta-carotene is found in dark green and orange vegetables and fruit that often are lacking in children's diets. |
| Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin, Vitamin B6 Pantothenic Acid and Biotin | B vitamins help your body turn food into the energy it needs to function optimally. |
| Vitamin B12 | Essential for normal healthy nerve tissue and healthy red blood cell formation. Especially difficult to get for those who avoid animal products. |
| Folic Acid | Essential for growth through its involvement in DNA production and healthy red blood cell formation. |
| Vitamin C | Antioxidant necessary for healthy gums and to inhibit damage to body cells. Vitamin C also helps support immunity. |
| Vitamin E | Antioxidant that works to help protect body cells. |
| Vitamin D | Vitamin D helps promote the absorption of Calcium and Phosphorus and helps regulate Calcium in your blood. |
| MINERALS | ROLE |
| Phosphorus | Helps generate energy in every cell of your body. It is also a key component of bones and teeth. |
| Zinc | Supports cell reproduction and tissue growth and repair. Adequate Zinc intake is essential for growth. |
| Iron | Serves as an essential part of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in your blood from your lungs to every body cell. Iron helps support immune health. |
| Calcium | Builds strong bones and teeth. Calcium helps your muscles contract and plays a role in normal nerve function. |
| Iodine | The chief component of thyroid hormones which regulate body energy metabolism. |
| Copper | Copper plays a role in iron metabolism, connective tissue production and antioxidant functions. |
HOW TO TAKE
Can you explain the differences between your formulas?
The at-a-glance chart below is a quick guide to our FlintstonesTM formulas. See full descriptions here.
| FORMULAS | CHARACTERISTICS |
|---|---|
| FlintstonesTM Complete Chewables | With Calcium and Vitamin D to support bone health* |
| FlintstonesTM Complete Gummies | 3 great flavors — cherry, orange and raspberry Fun shapes of Fred, Dino and Pebbles Colors and flavors from natural sources With an excellent source of Vitamin D |
| FlintstonesTM Sour Gummies | 3 great flavors — blue raspberry, cherry and green apple Fun shapes of Fred, Dino and Pebbles Colors and flavors from natural sources With an excellent source of Vitamin D |
| FlintstonesTM With Iron Chewables | One tablet has appropriate levels of 12 essential nutrients Contains about as much iron as 3 cups of cooked spinach Great tasting fruit flavors and fun character shapes |
| FlintstonesTM Plus Immunity Support* Chewables | One tablet has appropriate levels of 13 essential nutrients with Vitamin A, E, Zinc and extra Vitamin C — to support children's immune health* Contains about as much Vitamin C as 2 oranges. Great-tasting fruit flavors and fun character shapes. |
| FlintstonesTM Plus Immunity Support* Gummies | Support immune health with Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Zinc* Aid in the release of energy from food with Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Biotin and Pantothenic Acid* Support eye health with Vitamins A, C and E* |
| FlintstonesTM SuperBeans | FlintstonesTM SuperBeans is an exciting, bean-shaped multivitamin that provides children with essential nutrients to support healthy growth, development, and immunity*. The unique form, with a hard outside and soft inside, comes in three flavors – strawberry, lemon, and orange – and will have kids super excited to take their multivitamin! |
What are antioxidants?
Unless you live in a bubble, you’re bombarded every day by “free radicals”— molecules that can cause cell damage (“oxidative stress”) — from pollution, smoke and sunlight. Even your own body creates free radicals when you work out hard, or convert food to energy. Antioxidants, such as Vitamins C, E and A (as beta carotene) help neutralize the damaging effects of free radicals. Diets high in vegetables and fruits are good sources of antioxidants. So… eat your greens!
Can chewables be swallowed?
Chewables should be chewed or crushed under your supervision. For kids 2-3 years of age: chew one half tablet daily with food. For ages 4 and up: chew one tablet daily with food.
What does RDA mean?
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily nutrient intake level that meets the nutrient requirement of 97-98% of healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group.
What does “% daily value” on the label mean?
Percent Daily Value (% DV) is the information on the Nutrition Facts Panel that identifies how much a serving of food or vitamin/mineral supplement contributes to your overall intake of nutrients listed on the label.
What’s the recommended serving size for my 2-3-year-old?
Always check dosage printed on the package.
FlintstonesTM Multivitamins are not for children under 2 years of age. FlintstonesTM Complete Chewables, Plus Immunity Support Chewables*, With Iron Chewables:
- Under adult supervision, product should be fully chewed or crushed. Children 2-3 years of age chew one half tablet daily with food.
FlintstonesTM Gummies Complete, FlintstonesTM Sour Gummies, and FlintstonesTM Plus Immunity Support* Gummies:
- Under adult supervision product should be fully chewed. Children 2-3 years of age: Fully chew one gummy daily.
What’s the recommended dose for children age 4 years and up?
Always check the dosage printed on the package:
- Flintstones™ Complete Chewables, Plus Immunity Support* Chewables, With Iron Chewables:
- Under adult supervision, product should be fully chewed or crushed. Adults and children 4 years of age and older, chew one tablet daily with food.
- Flintstones™ Gummies Complete, FlintstonesTM Sour Gummies, Flintstones™ Plus Immunity Support* Gummies, Flintstones™ Elderberry Gummies with Immunity Support* from Vitamin C and Zinc:
- Under adult supervision product should be fully chewed. Adults and children 4 years of age and older: Fully chew two gummies daily.
- Flintstones™ SuperBeans Multivitamin:
- Under adult supervision product should be fully chewed. Adults and children 4 years of age and older: Fully chew three chews daily, with food.
My child weighs a lot more/less than most other kids his/her age — What’s the right dose?
If you feel your child is significantly overweight or underweight for his or her age, you should speak with your doctor.
When’s the best time of day to take Flintstones™ Vitamins?
Generally, any time of day is fine. Try to take FlintstonesTM Vitamins at the same time each day to develop a routine. Some kids can experience some stomach upset due to the minerals in multivitamins. If this is the case, we recommend taking the vitamin after a meal.
How long will Vitamins stay in their system and be absorbed?
The body is able to absorb as much of the water-soluble vitamins as needed (all B and C vitamins) and the excess amounts are excreted through the urine. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) are stored in fat cells and in the liver. When there aren’t enough vitamins in the diet, the body will automatically absorb more from the supplements.
Can my child take Flintstones™ Vitamins with other vitamin supplements?
Talk to a health care professional about taking other supplements along with FlintstonesTM Vitamins.
INGREDIENTS
What flavors do Flintstones™ Vitamins come in?
- Chewables: Cherry, orange and grape
- Gummies: Cherry, raspberry and orange, with the exception of Sour Gummies, which come in blue raspberry, cherry and green apple
- Chews: Strawberry, lemon and orange
Do chewable Vitamins erode tooth enamel?
We are not aware of any studies that show that chewable vitamins can erode tooth enamel when taken according to directions.
How “gummy” are your Gummies — will they stick together?
Just like good friends, our gummies do have a natural tendency to stick to each other, just like gummy candy, no more or less. They should separate easily.
I heard that kids need more Vitamin D now. Do your gummies have the recommended amount?
We increased the Daily Value of Vitamin D in our previous formula by 50% based on the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine (IOM)†, from the daily dietary allowance of 400IU to 600IU for children 2 years of age and older.
†Report Brief, November 2010. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, 2010.
PACKING
Are your bottles kid-proof?
Yes. All of our bottle caps are child-resistant. They must be firmly pushed down and twisted in order to open.
HISTORY
When did Flintstones™ Vitamins first come about?
We go way back! Our very first children's vitamin, called Chocks, was developed in 1960. FlintstonesTM Multivitamins was born 8 years later, in 1968.
Why was Betty left out for the longest time?
At the time, the Betty-shaped chewable tablet kept breaking during production as her waist was too thin, and we were concerned that she looked almost the same as Wilma. However, in a poll of more than 3,000 moms and kids and more than 17,000 calls, 91 percent voted in favor of bringing in Betty. So we did!
When did Betty finally make it into the Flintstones™ Vitamins family?
Betty was added to all of our FlintstonesTM formulas in December of 1995. She replaced the “car” shape, known as the Flintmobile.
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.