Germans, Austrians, and Swiss declare that 800 IU and 20 ng vitamin D is enough – June 2012

New Reference Values for Vitamin D.

Ann Nutr Metab. 2012 Jun 1;60(4):241-246.; Received: February 23, 2012; Accepted: February 23, 2012; Published online: June 1, 2012
German Nutrition Society Bonn, Germany (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung)
Godesberger Allee 18
DE–53175 Bonn (Germany) Tel. +48 228 3776 623, E-Mail strohm@dge.de

The Nutrition Societies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland edit the ‘Reference Values for Nutrient Intake’ together.
Currently, these reference values are under revision, whereby Vitamin D was the first nutrient to be revised.

In the recent past, many studies have been published on the association between vitamin D and bone health or the risk of various chronic diseases.
Thus, the D-A-CH reference values [D-A-CH arises from the initial letters of the common country identification for the countries

  • Germany (D),
  • Austria (A) and
  • Switzerland (CH)]

for the intake of vitamin D have been revised based on a critical review by the German Nutrition Society.
Both dietary intake and endogenous synthesis contribute to the body’s vitamin D status.
Since different factors modulate the extent of endogenous vitamin D formation, quantification is hardly possible.
Therefore, the new reference values for vitamin D intake are specified for a situation in which endogenous synthesis is completely missing.

Based on the findings of the critical review, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations of 50 nmol/l or higher are considered an indicator of an optimal vitamin D status.

When endogenous synthesis is missing, adequate vitamin D intake is estimated as 20 µg per day for children, adolescents and adults.
Dietary vitamin D intake from habitual diet is not sufficient to achieve this value.

This gap has to be covered by endogenous vitamin D synthesis and/or additional intake of vitamin D.
It is clearly stated that the desired vitamin D supply can be achieved without using vitamin D supplements by frequent sun exposure.
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200 IU ==> 800 IU beyond infancy

A good step in the right direction - a long ways to go, especially for those with dark skins

Wonder if they have considered infants, dark skin, overweight, pregnant, elderly, etc.

See also VitaminDWiki

IoM and Endocine recommendations graph

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