VITAMIN D DEFICIENCIES - A GLOBAL PROBLEM
According to distinguished professor emeritus of biochemistry and biomedical sciences and vitamin D expert Anthony Norman, half the people in North America and Western Europe do not have adequate levels of vitamin D - while elsewhere it is worse. Dr Norman has studied vitamin D for nearly half a century, and his laboratory was responsible for the discovery of the vitamin's conversion to a steroid hormone in the body. His research also identified the vitamin D receptor, which is present in over 37 organs. Norman believes that eating vitamin D-rich foods is not enough to solve the problem and states that there is wide consensus among scientists that the relative daily intake of vitamin D should be increased to 2,000 to 4,000 IU for most adults. In the United States the recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 200 international units (IU) for men and women under the age of 50, 400 IU for those 51 to 70 years old, and 600 IU for older individuals. As several studies have reported substantial reductions in the incidence of breast cancer, colon cancer and type 1 diabetes in association with adequate intake of vitamin D, Norman is also of the opinion that the benefits of more research on the topic justifies why this field of research deserves additional government funding. His findings were published in Endocrine Today.