It is important to point out that the IOM’s recommendations only apply to vitamin D and calcium’s effects on bone. There are numerous studies indicating that vitamin D, often at higher blood levels and in larger intakes than those recommended by the IOM report, may also be beneficial for the prevention of a multitude of other health conditions including cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, a variety of cancers, influenza, musculoskeletal pain, and autoimmune diseases. Unfortunately, the panel did not use these studies.
The IOM report does increase the recommended intake of vitamin D by a factor of three: from 200 to 600 IU. But it’s far below the 2,000 IUs a day that some scientists recommend, pointing to studies that suggest people with low levels of vitamin D are at increased risk of certain cancers or heart disease.
With all the studies in the past decade reporting beneficial effects of vitamin D for a variety of diseases and conditions, a government-sponsored panel should have been able to recommend the 1000 to 2000 IU/day required by most people to raise serum 25(OH)D levels to near the optimal value– FDA will approve a pharmaceutical drug on the basis of one good randomized controlled trial.
“This is a stunning disappointment,” said Dr. Cedric Garland of the University of California, San Diego, who wasn’t part of the institute’s study and says the risk of colon cancer in particular could be slashed if people consumed enough vitamin D. “Have they gone far enough? In my opinion probably not, but it’s a step in the right direction,” added prominent vitamin D researcher Dr. Michael Holick of Boston University Medical Center, who said the new levels draw needed attention to the vitamin D debate and encourage more food fortification.
