According to new research, the recommended intake of vitamin D has been grossly underestimated, and this could be putting your health at risk. Scientists at UC San Diego and Creighton University have disputed the recommended intake of vitamin D set by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Institute of Medicine (IOM), claiming that their Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D underestimates the requirement by a factor of ten. According to the paper, the recommended intake of vitamin D stated by the IOM is 600 IU/day until age 70, and then 800 IU/day for older adults. To quote Dr. Cedric F. Garland, adjunct professor at UC San Diego's Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, "Calculations by us and other researchers have shown that these doses are only about one-tenth those needed to cut incidence of diseases related to vitamin D deficiency". This is a strong statement to make but one that I agree with. Over the years I have found that the vast majority of my patients have insufficient levels of vitamin D in their blood. The reference range on most pathology forms is the bare minimum required in order to prevent rickets or osteoporosis. We have recently learned that vitamin D has powerful benefits to the immune system and cardiovascular system, and increasing your intake can offer numerous advantages. Of course taking too much vitamin D could become a problem, and it needs to be balanced by other fat soluble vitamins, such as vitamin K, A and E. If you are concerned about your vitamin D level it’s best to consult a healthcare practitioner. Reference