Teens. They’re the ultimate smarty pants. And we think that’s awesome (duh). So we created a product to help them push all the buttons they want, bend all the rules they can think of, and think so far out of the box they’re in a box of their own (sorry parents…). Because at SmartyPants, we believe the best ideas happen when you dare to be different – when you dare to challenge the status quo. SmartyPants Teen Complete is not your average vitamin – it’s a powerhouse blend of 18 essential nutrients, lutein and zeaxanthin to help protect their eyes from harmful blue light*, and omega 3 EPA and DHA fatty acids, all in one hassle-free, delicious package. Nowadays, there’s no escaping the screen, especially the one that is with us wherever we go. We’d love to say we always follow the 20/20/20 rules, but let’s be honest with ourselves. That doesn’t mean we can’t help protect our eyes from some of our less-than-perfect habits. SmartyPants Teen Complete is one-of-a-kind in the world of gummy vitamins – we include FloraGLO Lutein and OPTISHARP Zeaxanthin to help protect the eyes from overexposure to damaging blue light typically associated with LED light.* Lutein and zeaxanthin help enhance visual performance and is an important nutrient for brain development.* FloraGLO Lutein is the most clinically researched lutein brand worldwide and is sourced from marigolds.   Rather than include 100% of 100 different nutrients, we focused on the nutrients that are hardest for some teenagers to get consistently through diet alone. Like all SmartyPants products, we use the premium form of ingredients that can be readily absorbed by the body whenever possible: folate as methylfolate, vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin, and vitamin D as D3. And our taste? Well it’s out of the world good. Seriously. Like all our products, SmartyPants Teen Complete is non-GMO, contains no synthetic colors or artificial flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives, and is gluten and allergen-free. Our Meg-3 fish oil comes from sustainable stocks of wild-caught small fish. Each batch is third-party lab tested for purity and potency, so you can be sure what you read on our label is what you get in our product. By combining a full daily multivitamin with lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega 3 fish oil, SmartyPants Teen Complete can help you stay on top of your game. * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

When it comes to lutein and zeaxanthin, two big questions may come to mind: What are they and what do they do? Long story short: lutein and zeaxanthin are two carotenoids that help support eye health, enhance visual performance, and help protect the eye from overexposure to damaging blue light, often associated with LED screens.* Now that we have your attention, let’s get down to the nitty gritty of how lutein and zeaxanthin promote healthy vision. Located near the center of the retina is an area known as the macula.  The pigment in the macula is primarily composed of 3 carotenoids – lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin isomers. Our bodies cannot synthetize lutein or zeaxanthin, so these carotenoids must be obtained from food or supplements. Meso-zeaxanthin is created from metabolizing lutein and is not obtainable from dietary sources. In other words, lutein does double duty, acting as a nutrient itself and acting as the raw material for the synthesis of meso-zeaxanthin. So what about the macular pigment – how is connected to eye health and visual performance? The thickness and density of the macular pigment is called the macular pigment optical density (MPOD). The thicker and denser the macular pigment, the better your visual acuity, i.e. your ability to see clearly and in fine detail.* This includes glare recovery, sensitivity to bright lights, contrast sensitivity, and visual processing speed. The macular pigment acts as internal sunglasses for the eyes, absorbing and filtering blue light, the most damaging spectrum of visible light, that is emitted by LED screens on computers, cell phones, tablets, televisions, and etc.* At 10 mg and 2 mg daily, lutein and zeaxanthin are clinically-proven to increase MPOD.* Lutein is also able to cross the blood brain barrier and is the predominant carotenoid found in the brain. Strong emerging science suggests that lutein may serve as a safe and natural support for cognitive function, especially as you age. Lutein is also an important nutrient for brain development and may provide antioxidant protection for the brain.* With 60% of Americans spending more than 5 hours a day on digital devices, it has become increasingly important to get lutein and zeaxanthin in your daily diet. That’s why we include FloraGLO Lutein and OPTISHARP Natural Zeaxanthin in our Masters Complete and Teen Complete products – and we hope to add it to many more of our formulas in the future. SmartyPants Masters Complete is the only gummy vitamin with clinically-proven doses of lutein and zeaxanthin. Our Teen Complete product contain 6 mg and 1 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin respectively for a safe and efficacious dose for those under 18 years of age. At SmartyPants, we know ingredients matter – that’s why we use the best of the best whenever possible. We chose to use FloraGLO Lutein because it is the most clinically researched lutein brand worldwide and was the chosen lutein brand used by the National Eye Institute (NEI) in the landmark AREDS2 study. We know we have to earn your trust, so that’s why we work hard to create the best possible product we can. If you have any questions regarding lutein or zeaxanthin, please don’t hesitate to ask! * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

SmartyPants Teen Complete differs from our Kids Complete in 3 ways. The first is the inclusion of FloraGLO Lutein and OPTISHARP Natural Zeaxanthin in our Teen Complete supplements. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the two primary carotenoids of the macular pigment that are essential for eye health.* Click here to learn more about lutein and zeaxanthin. The second is the addition of 4 additional minerals in Teen Girl and Teen Guy Complete. We include 50% of the DV for selenium, manganese, chromium, and molybdenum in both products. The third is the amounts we include in both our Kids and Teen products – vitamin A, C, D, and E, the B vitamins, and iodine and zinc. The levels for each nutrient differ across products to match the nutritional demands of the target demographic, with consideration to average intake of the nutrient is in the Western diet, the latest recommended dietary allowances (RDAs), and the latest science and advice from leading nutritional experts. * These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Remember puberty? Yeah, that’s why. Let’s all get it out of the way and say hello to that very awkward, lurking elephant in the room. In addition to all the mental and emotional changes involved, “growing up” involves a whole lot of physical changes too. Those changes are very different from the changes a child or adult goes through and go hand in hand with a teenager’s nutritional demands. While all essential nutrients are important to growing teens, making sure they get plenty of omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, B-vitamins, calcium, iron, and zinc is especially important. Especially since, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015, the Average Daily Intake (ADI) of dark green vegetables, whole grains, and seafood for adolescents 9-18 fell well below the recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) across the board, regardless of biological sex or ethnicity. On average teens between the ages of 11 – 17 do not meet the dietary recommendations for fruits, vegetables, and calcium-rich foods and are often low in iron.† Refining, processing, and cooking can remove many of the nutrients contained in foods, like grains and vegetables. Eating a wide variety of foods and eating more whole, unprocessed foods is the best way to incorporate all the nutrients you need into your and your teen’s diet. That being said, for the days when that extra greasy pepperoni pizza is just too delicious to pass up for dinner, dietary supplements can be an awesome nutritional safety net for the whole family. †Please note that SmartyPants Teen Guy Complete and Teen Girl Complete do not contain iron. Click here to find out why. They also do not contain calcium.