Essential Supplements for Child Growth and Development

### Enhancing Child Health: Essential Supplements for Growth and Cognition
* 👶 Today, we explore how supplements can enhance your child's health and development, focusing on **brain cognition and growth**.
* 📈 The hormone IGF-1 plays a crucial role in a child's growth trajectory, with **higher levels being beneficial during early childhood**, particularly for those with **higher body fat percentages**.
* 🧪 Zinc supplementation has been shown to **increase IGF-1 levels in children by about 10%**, especially in preterm infants, making it a **vital mineral for development**.
* 🌱 Ashwagandha, although not used for the speaker's daughter, is gaining attention for its potential to **aid growth in shorter children** through IGF-1 pathways.
* 🐟 Fish oil is highlighted as essential for cognitive function, with studies indicating that **omega-3 fatty acids improve academic performance** and **reduce ADHD symptoms in children**.
* 🧘 Magnesium is crucial for **over 300 biochemical reactions** and helps promote **calmness and better sleep patterns**, which are essential for children's **overall well-being**.
* 📊 Recommended dosages for magnesium vary by age, with children aged 4 to 8 needing about **130 mg daily** and those aged 9 to 13 needing around **240 mg**.
* 💡 The speaker emphasizes the importance of **high-quality supplements** and encourages parents to **do their research and consult with pediatricians** before starting any supplementation regimen.

Child development benefits from zinc, Ashwagandha, fish oil, and magnesium supplementation, enhancing growth and cognitive function.

Imagine if you could enhance your child's health and growth with a few supplements. Would you do it? Today we'll go over the science of supplementing your child and getting them the best advantage they can get in life, from brain cognition to growth. Hello everyone, and welcome back to the

channel. My name is Lucy, and I'm here to keep Leo's research alive while educating people about health and science. Today we'll go over child development and the supplements that you might want to consider for your child's growth. So we'll go over a couple of

supplements, and I'll let you know exactly what I'm doing for my daughter in order for her to get the best health development and cognition possible. So stay tuned until the end. So first, we'll start with the supplements that will help your child's

growth trajectory, and we're going to see how those critical elements are highly important for cognitive development also. So let's start looking at IGF-1. It is a crucial factor for a child's growth and how it interacts with the body. But to understand IGF-1, let's first start by

looking at the IGF-1 level of a child with a higher percentage of body fat. So for those kids, they should have a higher level of IGF-1 and a lower level of growth hormone. These kids often have high IGF-1 but lower growth hormone levels. So this comes from the

tricky balance of two hormones, ghrelin and insulin, and when those two are out of balance, it can create a lot of tricky developmental issues. So what are the health issues that children can observe if they have this imbalance? Well, often in males, you will find that the

Children that have a higher percentage of body fat will have some feminization if they're male. This is explained because of the growth hormone level. On the positive side, IGF-1 has less impact if high in early childhood compared to adulthood. During these key years of

childhood, it really helps kids grow and develop properly. So now we understand IGF-1 and how it affects childhood development. Let's look into the first supplements that I want to bring up, and this is zinc. Zinc is a mineral that also plays a crucial role in a child's

development. Research reveals a fascinating aspect of zinc: zinc supplementation can lead to a significant increase of IGF-1 levels in children, to about 10%. And here's where it gets even more interesting: this increase is even more pronounced in preterm infants, which shows how important zinc

is in early childhood. But let's take note that this growth hormone effect doesn't extend to adults; it's only seen and observed in children. Let's simply look into what happens when somebody lacks zinc. Now you might wonder, is it only applicable for those that are lacking

zinc? Well, no. The benefits of zinc supplementation are observed for both children that are zinc deficient and those that have regular levels of zinc. So this universality makes zinc a critical nutrient for everyone. So let's look at the forms of zinc, and they're not all

created equal. Zinc picolinate and methionine-based zinc really stand out due to their high absorption rates. That means they're more effectively used by our bodies, which makes them ideal for supplementation. So, looking at the specifics of the studies, we've seen that 10

A moderate dosage of zinc can significantly raise IGF-1 levels, and it's more effective than higher dosages.  Typically, children need between 14 to 30 mg of zinc, but if you maintain a dose of 40 milligrams, it has been linked to better zinc balance in the

body. On top of that, it's shown that if you supplement zinc for a period longer than 8 weeks, it increases IGF-1 levels more effectively than short-term use.  I know not everyone, and especially not people with liver damage, or children with liver damage, should do this, so

as a side note, I've been giving my daughter zinc since she was 3 months old. We started a bit later because she was already bigger—she was born large for her gestational age.  But to this day, she's

almost three and she's still supplementing with zinc. So, the next supplement we want to talk about is one that I do not give to my daughter, but Leo has done research on it, and I think he discovered it a bit later. This wasn't in our

original plan for our daughter, but the studies behind it are compelling. It is Ashwagandha—I don't know if I pronounce it properly—but Ashwagandha is a root herb used in traditional Chinese medicine and is now emerging in the spotlight for pediatric growth. Ashwagandha has captured

the scientific world's attention, especially for its potential in enhancing growth in children. Yes, height. I know it's a sensitive topic because I probably get tons of emails from 15, 16, and 17-year-old males who are trying to

Anything to get taller? So if you have a kid and you're short, I want your kid to be tall. Listen, Augus works specifically for kids who are shorter in height for their age; hence, that's why my daughter doesn't need it in South Korea.

An extract called HGH-42, which includes Augus, has actually gained approval for this particular purpose, and you can see its benefits—that it works specifically for kids who are shorter than their peers. But let's look at the science behind it.  Numerous studies have shown that Augus...

might work through IGF-1 pathways. Human studies are still catching up, and the boost of IGF-1 hasn't been noted yet. So while boosting IGF-1, Augus has been shown to be very gentle; it doesn't...

disturb any other growth function in the developing bodies of children. Now let's delve into talking about telomeres. So telomeres are enzymes that are technically connected to the fountain of youth at a cellular level. Some studies have shown that certain compounds in Astragalus can...

significantly boost this enzyme and potentially lengthen our telomeres, which are the protective caps on our DNA that protect us from DNA damage. So while this sounds like a breakthrough, it's really the cells of young children that benefit from Astragalus the most. As a side note, Astragalus...

might present risks for those with potential DNA damage, like if you have had a bad lifestyle previously or were a smoker. Astragalus might prevent risks for you. Now that we have covered height with zinc and Astragalus, let's look at what else you can do for your kids in...

In order for them to be the best, another supplement that's actually crucial is fish oil, and I'm never going to stop saying it: fish oil, fish oil, fish oil! Everyone should take fish oil. Now let's look at the science for fish oil.

As a side note, I recently interviewed Dr. Newton Howard, who is a lead scientist at New Scientist, a researcher. When I asked him what supplements he gave to his kids, if any, he only gave them one.  It only takes one—

I mean, it takes two, but fish oil—that's the only thing.  He himself now takes fish oil and saffron supplements every day, but he has been giving his kids fish oil since they were born. So let's dive into the science behind it. Omega-3

fatty acids, especially DHA, are integral to cognitive function and mental clarity. They support brain cell structure and signaling, contributing to better cognition in children and adults. Studies have shown that children who consume enough omega-3s have better academic performance and cognitive

abilities. So, according to studies published in the British Journal of Nutrition, DHA supplementation during pregnancy and lactation has been shown to improve visual acuity in children and is also beneficial for long-term neurodevelopment. A separate study highlighted how important DHA is

for brain and eye development, highlighting its role in maintaining cellular membrane fluidity and neurotransmitter release. Fish oil has also been linked to reduced ADHD symptoms in children. By enhancing neurotransmitter function, omega-3s help manage impulsive behaviors and improve

Attention spans, making it extremely beneficial for growing minds. A systematic review has shown that supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to reduce ADHD symptoms, including hyperactivity, impulsivity, attention, and memory. However, it is very important for everyone to get high-quality

quality oil because it can be contaminated with heavy metals, especially mercury. Please look for products that are tested, purified, and third-party tested, with available test results that you can actually see.  Make sure that the fish oil is stored in a dark, black bottle

so it doesn't get oxidized, and that you keep it in the fridge always. So, for the dosage, it varies based on your child's age, but a toddler will need between 300 to 500 mg of EPA and DHA, while school-aged children may require

around 1,000 mg per day. My best friend: magnesium! Magnesium is an essential mineral for over 300 biochemical reactions in our body, including those related to muscle function, nerve function, and also your bones. Magnesium is particularly important for children because it

promotes energy production and also promotes calmness, which we all need as parents! But it also helps them with better sleeping patterns. I strongly believe that my daughter's sleep patterns, which are absolutely amazing and a delight since she was 3 months old, are

partially because of magnesium. So, research has shown that supplementing with magnesium actually promotes a reduction of symptoms of anxiety and hyperactivity, and it contributes to a more balanced and focused mind. A study published by BMC Pediatrics has shown that for children with ADHD, when they supplement with

Magnesium and vitamin D actually improve behavior and mental health.  As I mentioned before, magnesium is extremely important for bone mineral density because it works in combination with calcium. We were taught for a very long time, and I know people in this channel are already aware that...

calcium is for your bones; that's true, but only partially. Calcium without magnesium won't do anything for your bones.  Because even with a high calcium intake, you have to keep in mind that, in general, for a child's health and good bone density, you need to keep a

ratio of about two magnesium to one calcium. If you think your child doesn't ingest or consume enough magnesium, then the ratio will be off, and their bone density and bone strength might not be as optimized as they could be. That's just another reason to

supplement with magnesium. Magnesium also plays a role in neurotransmitter regulation, which is essential for nerve stimulation and muscle contractions. A magnesium-deficient child can actually have increased symptoms of ADHD. We see that magnesium deficiency is often seen in children with increased hyperactivity, poor focus, and in children

with ADHD. And when you combine magnesium with vitamin B6, it has been shown to enhance its therapeutic effect on the nervous system. How much magnesium should you give your child? Well, it depends on the age group, once again, but here is some guideline and recommendation for

children between the ages of 4 to 8: it's recommended to give 130 mg per day of magnesium; and for those 9 to 13 years old, it's about 240 milligrams per day. So what kind of magnesium are we talking

About here, so for optimal absorption and efficacy, magnesium glycinate will be the one you want to go with. And, of course, AL-serinate; those are the two preferred forms for their calming effect and cognitive enhancement effect. As well, for children under four, what I highly

recommend, and I will talk about it later, is magnesium in a cream form. It is hard to manage the dosage that way, but it is a lot easier to administer, and magnesium can be absorbed by the skin and it's absorbed very well. So now we've

explored and looked at the science behind four supplements that you can give to your children to have different effects for height and growth enhancement. We have zinc, and we have struggles for cognitive development and calmness; we have fish oil and magnesium. Now I'm

going to give you some insight into how Leo and I approached it with Arabella, our daughter. When did we start? What did we do? And why? So keep in mind, my daughter was born in the 99th percentile for height, weight, and head circumference, so we knew she had a

head start; especially, she was a 10-pound baby—like she looked like she was three months old. I am not exaggerating. So, for that reason, we didn't start zinc immediately because it was not necessary. I am 6' tall; I am sure she's going to be very

tall. She's almost three, but she's wearing four-year-old clothes, so she has her head start. However, we started immediately with probiotics and fish oil. The reason behind it is because I had to take antibiotics when I was delivering her, um, and you know it can be passed

Along with knowing the effect of antibiotics on the gut microbiome and how important it is, yes, she was breastfed, but we still decided, after I think it was her first month, that's when we started giving her probiotics. We actually used Seed probiotics that would

open the pill and spill it out and put it in a bottle, and that's how she consumed her first supplements. This, with Fishel, were the two first supplements that we started with her at 1 month old. We also started—I mean, I started giving

her a daily massage, but instead of regular lotion, I would use magnesium cream, and she's so used to it now, she asks for her massage every day and she still takes her magnesium cream. I also supplement with a liquid form now so I can control the dosage

better. But I strongly believe that giving her the supplements is what makes her such an amazing, intelligent child. She understands three languages fully and she amazes me every day. I started teaching her how to write; she's responsive to everything and she remembers things very well, and I know

I'm biased because it's my kid, and every parent thinks their kid is a genius. I don't think she's a genius, but she's very advanced for her age because I see her going to school and I see how different she is from her peers, and I'm very proud

of her. But on top of that, I strongly believe that the combination of supplementation, the way and things I did to make sure that she's developing properly, also the amount of sleep that she's having and how regulated she is with her own sleep, those are all factors.

that contribute to high cognitive function, um, and I still give her zinc, but not on a regular basis because I don't want to push her growth too much. I know it can be difficult for a woman to be tall, and it *is* good to be tall, but not

as tall as me, so we'll see, um. But I'm managing; I mean, I am. So that's my reasoning behind it. Um, as for other supplements that I may have, uh, she still takes probiotics because I think the gut microbiome and the diversity of it

is highly important, and if you have had a toddler, you might understand the struggle it sometimes is to make them eat diverse foods. So she will have moments where she eats everything, I have no problem, and other moments where she becomes a picky eater. So at least I know her

microbiome is stable and there and happy, and even if she decides to eat bananas for a day. Additionally, to all the supplements, I do have a liquid form of vitamin D that I use when other kids at school are getting sick or I see her

starting to get sick. It's very rare for her to actually get sick despite having people sick around her, and I just have to add some vitamin D to her supplementation for a couple of days, and she will be usually fine. I give vitamin D in the morning because if you give it

at night, you will turn your toddler into a little monster that won't go to sleep. As far as the brands, I know I mentioned how important it is for fish oil, but it is actually important to choose high-quality brands in any supplements you take. It's better to spend more money

My process of choosing supplements, because it's not regulated in this country, is simply by going to ConsumerLab.com. I look at all the analyses they've done. I take the best for the price—the highest quality and highest dosage for the price. That's how I choose my supplements for my

daughter. It's a bit different because I'm looking for liquid forms because she won't take a pill. So I have selected a couple. For the official ones, I'm 100% certain of the quality of the brands I'm taking. It is on the more expensive end, but

it is absolutely worth it. I will list them in the comments below if you're interested. There is no reason for me to promote them or whatsoever, but it's just to give you an idea. Make sure you're doing the research; make sure you talk to

your pediatrician. I'm not a doctor; this is not medical advice. I'm just trying to share what I've done, the thought process behind it, the science behind it, and then you can make your own informed decision for your kid and what's best for them

and your family. All right, that's it for me. Uh, thank you everyone for watching. Don't forget to subscribe, like, and leave a comment below if you have any questions. Until next time, stay curious and stay well.

How to Make Your Child Taller & Smarter

Leo and Longevity

Introduction and overview of child development supplements

Introduction to the topic of enhancing child health with supplements.

Focus on child development and supplements for growth and cognition.

Discussion of supplements to improve growth trajectory and cognitive development.

Explanation of IGF-1 and its role in child growth, including its interaction with body fat percentage.

Zinc's role in child development and IGF-1 levels

Zinc's crucial role in child development and its impact on IGF-1 levels.

Zinc supplementation significantly increases IGF-1 levels, particularly in preterm infants.

Benefits of zinc supplementation observed in both zinc-deficient and regular-level children.

Zinc picolinate and methionine-based zinc have high absorption rates.

Moderate zinc dosage (14-30mg) is more effective in raising IGF-1 levels than higher dosages.

Other supplements for growth and development

Introduction to Ashwagandha and its potential for enhancing growth in children.

Augus, an Ashwagandha extract, is effective for children shorter than their peers.

Discussion of telomeres and Astragalus' potential to boost telomerase activity.

Importance of fish oil for cognitive function and brain development.

Importance of fish oil, particularly Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA), for cognitive function.

Studies showing improved academic performance and cognitive abilities with sufficient Omega-3s.

Benefits of DHA for visual acuity, neurodevelopment, and reduced ADHD symptoms.

Importance of high-quality fish oil to avoid heavy metal contamination.

Magnesium's importance for various bodily functions and its benefits for children's sleep, calmness, and focus.

Studies showing magnesium supplementation improves behavior and mental health in children with ADHD.

Magnesium's crucial role in bone mineral density in combination with calcium.

Magnesium's role in neurotransmitter regulation and its impact on ADHD symptoms.

Recommended magnesium dosages for different age groups.

Personal experience with supplementing a child

The speaker's approach to supplementing their daughter, considering her initial developmental stage.

Starting with probiotics and fish oil due to antibiotic use during delivery.

Use of magnesium cream for massage and later liquid magnesium for dosage control.

Continued use of probiotics and occasional vitamin D supplementation.

Process of choosing high-quality supplement brands.

Recap of the discussed supplements and a reminder that this is not medical advice.