Vitamin D upper limits to be re-examined in Europe
US prompts EFSA to review safety of vitamin D and calcium
Shane Starling, 19-Sep-201 nutraingredients.com
The safety and upper safe levels (USLs) for vitamin D and calcium will be reviewed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following a US-prompted request from the European Commission.
A Commission spokesperson said the review was called for in the light of recent scientific work conducted in the US by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in November, 2010 that set calcium USLs of between 2000 and 2500 for most adults, and 4000IU for vitamin D.
In its scientific review and establishment of levels, the IOM said its,
"exhaustive review of studies on potential health outcomes … found that the evidence supported a role for these nutrients in bone health but not in other health conditions. Overall, the committee concludes that the majority of Americans and Canadians are receiving adequate amounts of both calcium and vitamin D. Further, there is emerging evidence that too much of these nutrients may be harmful.”
“The Commission has asked the Authority to re-evaluate the safety in use of vitamin D and calcium and, if necessary, to provide revised tolerable upper intake levels (UL) for these nutrients for all relevant population groups,” the EC spokesperson said.
EFSA’s precursor, the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) issued USL opinions for calcium and for vitamin D in April 2003, and December 2002, respectively.
See also VitaminDWiki
Vitamin D Recommendations from around the world: IU and ng