Vitamin D vital for overall health

A recent paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that an adequate supply of vitamin D is vital for the health of 36 organs, including the bone marrow, colon, kidney, lung, prostate, retina, and skin.

Study author Anthony Norman, professor emeritus of biochemistry and of biomedical sciences at the University of California at Riverside, says that studies have shown that vitamin D plays an important role in the adaptive and innate immune systems, the secretion and regulation of insulin by the pancreas, heart and blood pressure regulation, muscle strength, and brain activity, as well as being vital for bone health. The vitamin is also thought to reduce the risk of cancer.

"It is becoming increasingly clear to researchers in the field that vitamin D is strongly linked to several diseases," said Norman, in a news release issued by the University of California at Riverside. He recommends that “the nutritional guidelines for vitamin D intake must be carefully reevaluated to determine the adequate intake, balancing sunlight exposure with dietary intake, to achieve good health.”

The current recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin D for adults is 200 IU for people aged 18-50, 400IU for those aged 51 to 70, and 600 IU for those aged 70 and over. Norman believes that the RDI should be raised to 2,000 IU for all adults. Just this week, the American Academy of Pediatrics doubled the RDI for children from 200 IU to 400 IU.

Norman AW. From vitamin D to hormone D: fundamentals of the vitamin D endocrine system essential for good health. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008;88:491s-499s.

News release: Vitamin D a Key Player in Overall Health of Several Body Organs, Says UCR's Anthony Norman. UC Riverside Website. October 9th 2008.