Healthiest countries up vitamin D intake

A 3-year review of Nordic nutrient intakes has recommended daily vitamin D intakes increase from 750IU to 1000IU per day for people between 2 and 75 years of age. For over-75s, it set a level of 2000IU.

The 5th edition of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations involved three years of work and more than 100 scientists performing systematic reviews of a host of nutrients and was led by the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Why is this important for Americans? Because Nordic countries are consistently rated as the some of the healthiest in the world. This report closely resembles what the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the so-called American authority on nutrient levels, released last year. Unfortunately, the IOM recommended 600IU of vitamin D as the daily vitamin D intake.

The Nordic Nutrition Recommendations also recommended increased intakes for selenium in adults, from 40 mcg to 50 mcg for men and 50 mcg to 60 mcg for women. For pregnant and lactating women it was set at 50 to 55 mcg.