Vitamin D Intake Was Miscalculated and Is Far Too Low

.newswise.com ^ | 7-Mar-2015 10:05 AM EDT | Creighton University

[ckilmer]

Scientists Confirm Institute of Medicine Recommendation for Vitamin D Intake Was Miscalculated and Is Far Too Low

Released: 17-Mar-2015 10:05 AM EDT
Source Newsroom: Creighton University

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Available for logged-in reporters onlyCitationsNutrients 2014

Newswise — SAN DIEGO, CA (March 16, 2015) - Researchers at UC San Diego and Creighton University have challenged the intake of vitamin D recommended by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Institute of Medicine (IOM), stating that their Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D underestimates the need by a factor of ten.

In a letter¹ published last week in the journal Nutrients the scientists confirmed a calculation error noted by other investigators, by using a data set from a different population. Dr. Cedric F. Garland, Dr.P.H., adjunct professor at UC San Diego’s Department of Family Medicine and Public Health said his group was able to confirm findings published by Dr. Paul Veugelers² from the University of Alberta School of Public Health that were reported last October in the same journal.

“Both these studies suggest that the IOM underestimated the requirement substantially,” said Garland. “The error has broad implications for public health regarding disease prevention and achieving the stated goal of ensuring that the whole population has enough vitamin D to maintain bone health.”

The recommended intake of vitamin D specified by the IOM is 600 IU/day through age 70 years, and 800 IU/day for older ages. “Calculations by us and other researchers have shown that these doses are only about one-tenth those needed to cut incidence of diseases related to vitamin D deficiency,” Garland explained.

Robert Heaney, M.D., of Creighton University wrote: "We call for the NAS-IOM and all public health authorities concerned with transmitting accurate nutritional information to the public to designate, as the RDA, a value of approximately 7,000 IU/day from all sources.”

“This intake is well below the upper level intake specified by IOM as safe for teens and adults, 10,000 IU/day,” Garland said. Other authors were C. Baggerly and C. French, of GrassrootsHealth, a voluntary organization in San Diego CA, and E.D. Gorham, Ph.D., of UC San Diego.

About GrassrootsHealth:

GrassrootsHealth is a nonprofit public health research organization dedicated to moving public health messages regarding vitamin D from science into practice. GrassrootsHealth is currently running the D*action population intervention program to solve the vitamin D epidemic worldwide. Under the D*action umbrella, there are programs looking at the entire population as well as targeted programs for breast cancer prevention and a newly announced ‘Protect Our Children NOW!’ program to reduce the complications of vitamin D deficiency encountered during pregnancy and childhood.

[blam]

"I would say proceed with caution, science appears to be settled until it’s not. My wife’s vitamnin d level was found to be low, 20’s (not sure what the unit of measure is) and the endocrologist put her on daily regiment to get the level to around 50. I think she’s taking around 4,000 units/daily. But this is controlled in that she has regular blood work performed to keep track of the progress. There is a condition called vitamnin d toxicity that can cause problems in the short term as well damaging long term problems."

I had been taking 40,000 IU of vitamin D daily for at least a year. My recent (3-6-2015) blood test showed a body vitamin D level of 117.2 ng/ml.

The VA states that the normal vitamin D levels are 32.0 - 100.0 ng/ml.

This is the first test I've ever had that wasn't low. My doctor said to drop back to 20,000 IU intake daily. I've actually reduced it to 10,000 IU daily.

[ErnBatavia]

Be aware that neither Medicare - and by extension - your Medicare supplemental, won't pay for vitamin D testing.

We found this out six months ago when wifey had her normal bloodwork, with the new addition of this test.

Result was $167 out of pocket.

[free_life]

How does one calculate vit k amount needed? I am at 3000iu of D3 and think I will go to 50000 a week.

[dennisw]

Take D. Especially if older and not in great health you might not be converting sunshine to D

“I am outside a lot and getting sun!” -— yeah but it might not be making enough D for you

[blam]

BTW, I've been taking large doses of Vitamin D3 ever since I posted this article back in 2006. I was sick once in that time and previously I was making 1-2 doctor visits a year with bronchitis.

The Antibiotic Vitamin

[free_life]

A 200 in man should take 180000 iu of D3 to combat flu and another 180000 a second day if flu still present?

[sten]

From Earl Mindell's Vitamin Bible ( amazon link )

FACTS:
Fat-soluble. Acquired through sunlight or diet. Ultraviolet sun rays act
on the oils of the skin to produce the vitamin, which is then absorbed into
the body.)
When taken orally, vitamin D is absorbed with fats through the
intestinal walls.
Measured in International Units (IU), or micrograms of cholecalciferol (mcg.).
The RDI/RDA for adults is 200–400 IU, or 5–10 mcg. Smog reduces the
vitamin D–producing sunshine rays.
After a suntan is established, vitamin D production through the skin stops.

WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU:
Properly utilize calcium and phosphorus necessary for strong bones
and teeth.
Taken with vitamins A and C it can aid in preventing colds.
Help in treatment of conjunctivitis.
Aid in assimilating vitamin A.

DEFICIENCY DISEASE:
Rickets, severe tooth decay, osteomalacia, senile osteoporosis.
BEST NATURAL SOURCES:
Fish liver oils, sardines, herring, salmon, tuna, milk and dairy products.

SUPPLEMENTS:
Usually supplied in 400 IU capsules, the vitamin itself derived from fish liver oil.

TOXICITY AND WARNING SIGNS OF EXCESS:
20,000 IU daily over an extended period of time can produce toxic
effects in adults.
Dosages of over 1,800 IU daily may cause hypervitaminosis D
in children.
Signs of excess are unusual thirst, sore eyes, itching skin, vomiting,
diarrhea, urinary urgency, abnormal calcium deposits in
blood-vessel walls, liver, lungs, kidney, and stomach.

ENEMIES:
Mineral oil, smog.

PERSONAL ADVICE:
City dwellers, especially those in areas of high smog density, should
increase their vitamin D intake.
Night workers, and others whose lifestyle keeps them from sunlight
should increase the D in their diet.
If you’re taking an anticonvulsant drug, you most probably need to
increase your vitamin D intake.
Children who don’t drink D-fortified milk should increase their intake of
other vitamin D–rich foods.
Dark-skinned people living in northern climates usually need an increase
in vitamin D.

[ErnBatavia]

JELLO!!!!!!! (good fingernails and prevents joint cartilage loss and relieves joint pain)

I did quite a bit of research on gelatin because I have - of all things - one fingernail with a center split that just won't go away (3 years now)...most sources said that gelatin doesn't do any good for nail strength, but I did six months worth of tabs anyhow...........the studies were right; gelatin was a waste of time for my fingernail.

[Atomic Vomit]

Curious about what the peroxide does for you when you bathe in it? Is it primarily to absorb it or does it help your skin more?

Mrs. AV

[Magic Fingers]

“There is a condition called vitamnin d toxicity that can cause problems in the short term as well damaging long term problems.”

It’s also uncommon, and to acquire vitamin D toxicity in the short term you’d have to consume massive amounts of D daily - much more than is being mentioned here.

[Magic Fingers]

“Result was $167 out of pocket.”

Just FYI...Life Extension (lef.org) sells Vitamin D blood tests for about $62 for non-members and $30 for members.

[Red_Devil 232]

BTTT

[C. Edmund Wright]

Exercise is the best antidote for aging, and yeah, that includes resistance training and cardio (which you are getting with 5 hours of bowflex a week). I do some pretty intense weight training (so much incredible info and videos now on form, routines, etc, on the internet now - about 4-5X a week, and 1-3 interval based bike sessions a week. Sometimes I throw in some V push ups (they suck) or something in the middle of the bike ride.

I also take 5 supplements on a regular basis. People are always thinking I’m younger than I am. Bet the same happens with you.

[C. Edmund Wright]

That’s a TON of D...wow....any change in how you feel (D is supposed to help mood)?

[USCG SimTech]

10 minutes in the mid-day sun in shorts and a tank top, with no sunscreen, permits your skin to generate about 10,000 IU.

[GraceG]

Nice pic of steve sommers on your profile page, go team V!

[skeeter]

Dreams. I had a dream the other night I ran into my 5th grade teacher - asked her if she was still smoking.

I hadn't thought about her cigarette breath since I left her class in 1970.

[1_Rain_Drop]

"...and I reduced my intake from 6,000 to only 5,000.... At this level all respiratory congestion and drainage and morning hacking up stuff is gone. "

I've been suffering with bronchitis all winter. With each attack the doc would prescribe prednisone and an inhaler. Two weeks ago I didn't take the last prescription. Instead I took 50,000 IU of vitamin D3 for four days. It knocked the bronchitis right out of my system! I felt the results at the first dose of vit D3. I haven't used the inhaler either during this time, didn't need to. Another bonus is the pain in my hip is gone.

I was scared to take such a high dose, but figured I rather deal with D3 side effects than those of prednisone.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I have been taking 4,000 units of D-3 a day for years. I finally got my Mom up to about 4,000.

FYI I also watched a Youtube video made by a doctor who has concluded that D3 is necessary for the absorption of calcium into your system but he says that you also need K-2 which pulls the calcium from your system into your bones. So I have added k-2 to my daily intake.

[C. Edmund Wright]

fascinating.....