Vit D and calcium revised
December 3, 2010
STUDIES into the protective
qualities of Vitamin D and calcium
against cancer, heart and
autoimmune diseases and diabetes,
have overall, conflicting and mixed
results, and also lack evidence,
according to the latest report by the
US Institute of Medicine of the
National Academies (IMNA).
Despite this criticism, the report’s
authors did say that the studies did
however “point to possibilities”.
“Past cases such as hormone
replacement therapy and high
doses of beta carotene remind us
that some therapies that seemed
to show promise for treating or
preventing health problems
ultimately did not work out and
even caused harm,” said IMNA
committee chair, Catharine Ross.
“This is why it is appropriate to
approach emerging evidence about
an intervention cautiously, but with
an open mind,” she added.
The comments come after
consideration of 1000 published
studies, as well as input from
experts and stakeholders, into the
optimum dietary intake levels for
calcium and Vitamin D to maintain
health and avoid risks associated
with excess.
According to their findings,
children aged between 1-3yrs need
700 milligrams of calcium per day;
whilst children between 4-8yrs need
1,000 milligrams; and adolescents
between 9-18yrs need no more
than 1,300mgs daily.
Between the ages of 19-50 (and
men up until the age of 71) adults
need 1,000mgs of calcium; and
women aged 51 and upwards, as
well as men aged from 71 years
need 1,200mgs per day.
In terms of optimal Vitamin D
levels 600 international units (IUs)
meets the levels of everyone until
the age of 71, after which 800 IUs
per day is recommended.
In general, the study authors said,
teenage girls may not be getting
enough calcium in their diet, whilst
the elderly may be lacking
adequate calcium and Vitamin D.
Given the increased awareness of
the dangers of sunburn and the
double edged sword that Vitamin D
is created naturally in the body
through exposure to the sun, the
new intake levels recognised by the
IMNA cover the needs of individuals
who “get little sun”.
On the flip side of deficiency, the
IMNA also noted that the current
trend of food fortification (adding
vitamins to food), as well as an
increase in the amount of people
taking supplements, had the
potential to increase consumers
chances of overdosing on both
Vitamin D and calcium.
Report authors noted that excess
calcium can lead to kidney stones,
whilst excess Vitamin D could lead
to kidney and heart damage.
In terms of maximum daily intake
guidelines, the IMNA said that
between1-3yrs children should not
exceed 2,500 IUs per day, whilst
children aged between 4-8 should
not exceed 3,000 IUs daily, and for
people aged upwards of 8yrs the
maximum daily limit is 4,000 IUs.
In addition, they noted maximum
calcium intakes for ages 1-8 as
2,500mgs; ages 9-18 as
3,000mgs; ages 19-50 as
2,500mgs and upwards of 50 as
2,000mgs.
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