Last Saturday (30), the influencer Virginia Fonseca sparked controversy when he gave collagen supplements to his daughters, Maria Flor and Maria Alice 2 and 3 years old respectively. She used social media to show the situation to her followers.
The publication drew attention because collagen supplementation is contraindicated for children. In fact, the influencer’s own brand, WPink, contraindicates the consumption of the product by people under 19 (see the image below). In October this year, the influencer had already generated controversy when she said that she offers powdered collagen for her daughters to take.
According to Tania Mara Perini, specialist in pediatric nutrition and professor of postgraduate courses at the Brazilian Association of Nutrition (Abran), collagen is a nutraceutical that acts as an adjuvant in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases, especially osteoarthritis.
“Such diseases are common in aging. In childhood, they should only be used with a doctor’s or nutritionist’s prescription, in accordance with a rigorous assessment of the child’s health and in exceptional cases, such as in patients who do not adequately ingest proteins in their diet and who, in addition, have a food allergy to protein proteins. whey”, he tells CNN .
According to the nutritionist, everyone, especially children, has a safe protein intake limit, due to renal tolerance. That is, consuming excess protein can overload the kidneys, leading to kidney problems.
“As it is a protein, any intake above the renal tolerance capacity can be harmful and needs to be calculated”, reiterates Perini.
This calculation is made by multiplying 0.8 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight in the case of adults. For children, this value is a maximum of 1 gram per kilogram of body weight.
What is collagen used for and when is it recommended?
THE collagen It is an essential protein for the structure of body tissues, such as skin, tendons, ligaments, bones and joints. In addition to providing firmness and elasticity to the skin, it contributes to joint health, helping to prevent pain and conditions such as osteoporosis.
However, its natural production decreases with aging, leading to signs such as wrinkles, sagging and joint discomfort. Therefore, supplementation may be recommended from the age of 30.
Furthermore, it is possible to obtain collagen through diet, focusing on fruits rich in vitamin C, vegetables that are sources of vitamin A, healthy fats (olive oil, almonds and hazelnuts, for example), bone broth and gelatin, meat and derivatives, legumes and grains.
*With information from Priscila Carvalho
This content was originally published in Virginia: understand the risks of giving powdered collagen to children on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I am an experienced journalist and writer with a career in the news industry. My focus is on covering Top News stories for World Stock Market, where I provide comprehensive analysis and commentary on markets around the world. I have expertise in writing both long-form articles and shorter pieces that deliver timely, relevant updates to readers.
