The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is doubling the amount of vitamin D it recommends for infants, children and adolescents. The new clinical report, "Prevention of Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants, Children, and Adolescents," recommends all children receive 400 IU a day of vitamin D, beginning in the first few days of life. The previous recommendation, issued in 2003, called for 200 IU per day beginning in the first two months of life.
The change in recommendation comes after reviewing new clinical trials on vitamin D and the historical precedence of safely giving 400 IU per day to the pediatric population. Clinical data show that 400 units of vitamin D a day will not only prevent rickets, but treat it. This bone-softening disease is preventable with adequate vitamin D, but dietary sources of vitamin D are limited, and it is difficult to determine a safe amount of sunlight exposure to synthesize vitamin D in a given individual. Rickets continues to be reported in the United States in infants and adolescents. The greatest risk for rickets is in exclusively breastfed infants who are not supplemented with 400 IU of vitamin D a day.
Adequate vitamin D throughout childhood may reduce the risk of osteoporosis. In adults, new evidence suggests that vitamin D plays a role in the immune system and may help prevent infections, autoimmune diseases, cancer and diabetes.
Please visit the above link for any questions regarding the study results.
4 comments:
Good now lindsey doesn't need to ask if she needs to double her vitamin D intake.
The doctor told her she needed to take calcium suppliments and they all come with vitamin D and so does the multi she is taking which has the iron the doctor says she also needs.
So glad to help.
Good to know- for my 3 kids. THANKS. Luckily we get LOTS of sun here in AZ. In fact, we are still sweating every time we go outside.
Yep. Arizona definitely gets plenty of vitamin D sunlight.
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