September 12, 2007 – Despite numerous positive studies on the protective effect of vitamin D against cancer, US public health officials believe it is premature to determine a recommended dietary allowance of 1000 IU per day.
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Reduce the risk of mortality? |
An increased intake of vitamin D could probably lower cancer cases, however, they recognized at a conference1 organized by the National Cancer Institute and the Office of Dietary Supplements2. US experts have taken note of the many findings which indicate that vitamin D may help prevent colon, prostate and breast cancers.
However, they did not come to a consensus: some believe that daily vitamin D intakes should be increased, while others argue that more clinical trials should be carried out first.
1000, 2000 or 4000 IU?
Some conference participants even suggested setting the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D at 2,000 IU.3, which currently corresponds to the maximum tolerable intake. According to them, this limit no longer corresponds to current scientific knowledge. Some have even claimed that a daily intake of 4000 IU will not cause any adverse effects.4.
Currently, daily vitamin D intake is calculated based on adequate intake, not recommended dietary allowance, due to the lack of scientific evidence in the past. Adequate intake is based on an estimate of the amount consumed by healthy North Americans. For vitamin D, it is 200 IU for people aged 0 to 50, 400 IU for people aged 51 to 70, and climbs to 600 IU after age 70.
More and more scientists believe that people who live in latitudes where the sun is scarcer in winter should consume more vitamin D. They believe that in winter, it would be desirable to eat more foods rich in vitamin D. vitamin D or take a supplement.
Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
According to Reuters Health.
1. Davis CD, Hartmuller V, et al. Vitamin D and Cancer: Current Dilemmas and Future Needs. Nutrition Reviews, Flight. 65, No. 8; August 2007 (II): S71 – S74. [Pas encore publié dans Medline au 10 septembre 2007].
2. The National Cancer Institute is the United States medical authority on cancer and the Office of Dietary Supplement is the United States government body responsible for determining recommended dietary intakes.
3. Garland CF, Grant WB, et al. What is the Dose-Response Relationship between Vitamin D and Cancer Risk? Nutrition Reviews, Flight. 65, No. 8, August 2007 (II): S91 – S95. [Pas encore publié dans Medline le 10 septembre 2007].
4. Some vitamin D specialists, including Canadian expert Reinhold Vieth, even claim that humans can tolerate up to 10,000 IU of vitamin D per day. On this subject, see our news: Vitamin D: caution from Health Canada.
5. Autier P, Gandini S, Vitamin D Supplementation and Total Mortality: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials, Arch Intern Med. 2007 Sep 10; 167 (16): 1730-7.
