Doubling of Vitamin D for Children Is Urged - NYTimes.com October 13, 2008 Doubling of Vitamin D for Children Is Urged By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CHICAGO (AP) — 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. To meet the new recommendation of 400 units daily, millions of children will need to take vitamin D supplements each day, the American Academy of Pediatrics said. That includes breast-fed infants — even those who get some formula — and many teenagers who drink little or no milk. Baby formula contains vitamin D, so infants fed only formula generally do not need supplements. However, the academy recommends breast-feeding for at least the first year of life, and breast milk is sometimes deficient. Most commercially available milk is fortified with vitamin D, but most children do not drink enough of it — four cups daily would be needed — to meet the new requirement, said Dr. Frank Greer, who helped write the report. The new advice is based on mounting research about potential benefits from vitamin D besides keeping bones strong, including suggestions that it might reduce the risk for cancer, diabetes and heart disease. But the evidence is not conclusive, and there is no consensus on how much of the vitamin would be needed for disease prevention. The advice replaces a 2003 academy recommendation for 200 units daily. That is the amount the government recommends for people up to age 50; 400 units is recommended for adults ages 51 to 70, and 600 units for those 71 and older. Vitamin D is sold in capsules and tablets, as well as in drops for young children. The Institute of Medicine, a government advisory group that sets dietary standards, is discussing with federal agencies whether the recommendations should be changed based on the new research, said a spokeswoman, Christine Stencel. The recommendations were to be released Monday at an academy conference in Boston. They will be published in the November issue of the academy’s journal, Pediatrics.
I wondered when something like this might be published. Thanks as always for keeping us informed, Ellen. :cwds:
I laugh when I read this because Ian was a milk guzzler before dx and after too but he still go diabetes even drinking 6 glasses of milk a day. Plenty of vitamin D for both my kids.
I actually had my blood drawn to check vit D levels, and they were low enough my nurse said I could actually OD on vit D to get them up to where they should be. I've been much better now at giving the kids D vits too. I guess moving from NM to Finland, has really hurt me (us) in that dept.
Thanks Ellen, my boys get a lot of sun, but Jake in particular HATES milk. I happento have some Vit. D
It feels like each fall/winter gets a little harder for me. I guess it would be different if I had moved from a northern state here... but from the sun, to depressingly short, cold, dark days like we have now. We do have a sauna, it comes in quite handy in the winter! My husband is a typical Finn though, saunas a 2 or more times a week even in the summer.
growing up we had a family up the street and the mom was right from Finland and they had a sauna in their basement. It was glorious. (though we used to wear our bathing suits in lol) She used to talk about how over there they'd sauna and then go jump in the cold icy lake, which always sounded like something I would love to do.
