Vitamin D: Are You Getting Enough?

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently raised its recommended daily level of vitamin D to 600 international units (IUs) for anyone up to 71 years old, including children, and as much as 800 IUs for those 71 and older. Dr. Holick and some other experts think children and adults should have blood levels of 30 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter). To get there, he recommends that everyone supplement with 1,000 IUs a day. You should always tell your health care professional about any supplements you take. Extreme levels of vitamin D can damage the kidneys and heart and may be associated with other chronic diseases and even death. The IOM established maximum safe levels of vitamin D at 2,500 IUs per day for children ages 1 through 3; 3,000 IUs daily for children 4 through 8 years old; and 4,000 IUs daily for all others.

Other than supplementing, Dr. Holick recommends a few minutes a week in a tanning salon, particularly during the fall and winter. You're not there to tan, however. "Expose your abdomen, back and legs; cover your face; and only remain in there half the time that's recommended for tanning," he says.