Physicians' group recommends doubling daily vitamin D intake for children.The New York Times /AP (10/13, A14) reports, "The country's leading group of pediatricians is recommending that children receive double the usually suggested amount of vitamin D because of evidence that it might help prevent serious diseases." The American Academy of Pediatrics is now recommending that children take 400 units daily in response to "mounting research about potential benefits from vitamin D besides keeping bones strong." The group's advice "replaces a 2003 academy recommendation for 200 units daily." In addition, the government advisory group responsible for setting "dietary standards is discussing with federal agencies whether the recommendations should be changed based on the new research." Still, although some research has shown that vitamin D "might reduce the risk for cancer, diabetes, and heart disease," the AP notes that "the evidence is not conclusive, and there is no consensus on how much of the vitamin would be needed for disease prevention."
Researcher urges government agencies to revise vitamin D recommendations. UPI (10/11) reported that researcher Anthony Norman, of the University of California-Riverside, "is calling for a sea change in how governmental agencies advise people to take vitamin D," because he insists that nearly "half of the elderly in North America are not getting enough vitamin D to maintain healthy bone density, lower their fracture risk, and improve tooth attachment." He also said that the "deficiency is associated with...increased risk for colorectal, prostate, and breast and other major cancers," according to a statement published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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