New guidelines for vitamin D

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Most Americans up to age 70 need no more than 600 international units of vitamin D daily, but those older may need more, new vitamin D recommendations say.

A report released Tuesday by the National Institutes of Health, part of the National Academy of Sciences, says 600 IUs daily meets the needs of almost everyone in the United States and Canada, but adults age 71 and older may require as much as 800 IUs per day due to aging.

The 14-member committee charged with updating vitamin D recommendations -- for the first time since 1997 -- said it took into account nearly 1,000 published studies as well as testimony from scientists and stakeholders.

"There is abundant science to confidently state how much vitamin D and calcium people need," committee chairwoman Catharine Ross of Pennsylvania State University, says in a statement. " Amounts higher than those specified in this report are not necessary to maintain bone health."

The committee says 700 milligrams per day meets the needs of almost all children ages 1-3 and 1,000 milligrams daily is appropriate for almost all children ages 4-8. Adolescents ages 9-18 need no more than 1,300 milligrams per day, while practically all adults ages 19-50 and for men until age 71 need 1,000 milligrams daily. However, women at age 51 and men and women age 71 and older need no more than 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day, the report says.