The Natural Drop Thousands of Moms Are Giving Their Kids Every Morning for Calmer Days and Better Focus

Dr. Sandra Mitchell explains why some kids may not use the folic acid in their vitamins well

Published on Sep 15th
By Sandra Mitchell, MD

Avenia is a berry-flavored drop of L-methylfolate, the active form of folate, with methyl B12. Five drops every morning give your child’s brain the form of folate it can actually use, to support the chemicals behind mood, focus and calm. Regular vitamins use folic acid, and kids with a common gene variation called MTHFR may not use it well. That is why moms are switching.

What moms in the reviews describe:

• Meltdowns that are shorter and less intense
• A child who can finish homework without getting so frustrated they shut down
• Big feelings that come back down faster

It’s a vitamin drop, not a stimulant.

What Moms Tried First

Most moms have tried consequences, timeouts, deep breaths and a regular multivitamin. None of it was aimed at how their child’s body uses folate. Here is what one mom says now:

“We started seeing a difference within two weeks. The morning meltdowns didn’t disappear completely, but they were shorter. Less intense. For the first time in months, I felt like I could breathe again.”Sarah M., mom of two

Why Regular Vitamins and Discipline Fall Short

Most kids’ multivitamins contain folic acid. So do fortified cereals, breads, and pastas. But if your child has the MTHFR variation, their body may turn very little of that folic acid into the form the brain uses.

And when your child has a meltdown, it may not be defiance or attention-seeking. For some kids, how the body uses folate may be part of it. You wouldn’t tell a child with low blood sugar to “just focus harder” during a math test. Their brain needs fuel. Consequences, timeouts, and stern talks can’t supply a nutrient the body isn’t using.

The Gene Most Moms Have Never Heard Of

It’s called MTHFR. By some estimates, nearly 40% of people carry a variation of it, and it doesn’t get the same attention as other health topics. Your pediatrician may not have brought it up. Even well-meaning family members might dismiss the meltdowns as “just something kids grow out of.”

MTHFR is a gene that controls how your body processes folate, a nutrient essential for brain health. When it has a variation, your child’s body can have trouble converting folic acid into the active form their brain needs, L-Methylfolate. Folate is part of how the brain makes serotonin and dopamine, the chemicals behind mood regulation, emotional control, focus and attention.

Folic acid is a locked box. L-methylfolate is the same nutrient, already open.

Does Your Child Do This?

You can’t see a gene, but some parents notice signs like these every day.

• Big, intense emotions that seem to come out of nowhere. One minute they’re fine. The next, they’re in a full meltdown over something small.
• Difficulty focusing or completing tasks. They start their homework with good intentions, but they can’t stay on track.
• Sensory overwhelm. Tags in shirts. Loud noises. Bright lights.
• Trouble calming down once upset. Nothing you try settles it quickly.

If this is your child, it isn’t your fault, and it isn’t your child’s fault either.

What To Ask Your Pediatrician

Bring three questions to the next visit. First, ask whether MTHFR testing makes sense for your child, because a test is the only way to know if the variation is there. Second, ask what your child’s current multivitamin contains, and whether it uses folic acid or the active form. Third, if your child takes any medication or other supplements, ask whether L-methylfolate fits alongside them.

Avenia is a vitamin, not a medication, and your pediatrician knows your child’s history in a way no article can.

You’ve Been Doing Everything Right

If you’ve been feeling like you’re failing, please hear this: you’re not. You’ve been working so hard. Researching. Advocating. Trying. Adjusting. Your child’s body may simply need a different form of the same nutrient.

What Moms Say Gets Easier

• Transitions between activities, with fewer meltdowns
• Dinner, without getting overstimulated
• Handling disappointment
• Homework, without the constant battle
• Enjoying social situations

You’re not changing who they are. You’re giving them support so they can feel like themselves.

Real Moms, Real Mornings

Avenia has more than 4,900 verified reviews, averaging 4.9 out of 5. Here is what some of those moms say.

“My son’s teacher told me he seemed more ‘present’ in class. He’s still the same silly, creative kid, but now he can actually finish his work without getting so frustrated he shuts down.”Jennifer L., mom of a 7-year-old

“My 6 year old son would lose it over the wrong color cup. Not cry, full meltdown, 45 minutes, and after he’d be so wiped out he’d say sorry and fall asleep on the couch. We did the sticker chart for months and cut out food dyes. A friend at pickup told me about Avenia because her daughter was the same. About three weeks in I noticed he was getting upset and then coming back down. Still has big feelings, just not every afternoon.”Susan R., mom of 2, Boise

“Homework was a 2 hour war at our kitchen table. My 7 year old son couldn’t sit for 10 minutes, and by bedtime his brain was still going. We’d already done omega 3 and melatonin. I give him the drops with breakfast, takes two seconds. Around week 4 my husband asked me what was different, because spelling took 20 minutes and nobody cried. No stomach issues, nothing weird. Bedtime is quieter too.”Linda T., mom of 1

“I read every label in my house, so I don’t give my kids anything without researching it to death. My middle one, he’s 8, was melting down after school almost daily and couldn’t focus on homework. His multivitamin had folic acid, and I learned some kids’ bodies don’t convert it well and do better with the active form, methylfolate. I checked the ingredient list on these, read reviews for a week, then started. By the end of the first month he was calmer and homework stopped being a standoff.”Ashley W., mom of 3

How It Fits Into A Morning

Five berry-flavored drops, once a day. Moms in the reviews say it takes seconds. Avenia is third-party tested, with no artificial dyes and no sugar.

Some moms in the reviews noticed a change within two weeks, and others took about a month. Every child is different, so give it a full month before you decide.

*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.

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